The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-05-16
From the Frankfort Commonwealth.
THE AMERICAN. QUESTION.
Litter from Rev. DR.. Breckenridge.
(coNcLUDEr.)

(coNcLupEr.)
No doubt religion is an element of this
wide spread excitement. But il 10 not the
only element, nor with all men the chief one.
Either Of the other element, by itself, or this
one by itself-ought to have been suffieient
to have saved the country from the peril
which now demands the power Of all three
to avert it. Because it is an element at oil,
they over whom long delayed retribution .
impending scream at the bare mention of
il, as the demoniacs did when they saw
Christ approach them. 1t is a persecuio ion
for conscience sake in their view. that we
hesitate TO surrender our country, our liberty,
and our religion to the guidance of corrupt
men banded with foreignersi and what
makes it persecution is, that these for
eigners happen to be Papists and Infdels. II
they happen to be Chinese, or Mahomedans
the nation would have revolted much sooner.
And yet without reason. For we and our
fathers have an unsettled account with Pc.
perry, many centuries old. At first it was
the Emperor and the Pope who trod IA into
the dust. Then il was Kings and Bishops,
who burned some at the stake, and drove the
rest out of oil lands into this Wilderness
Now il is priests and mobs and demagogues,
who have followed US into our place Of re.
fuge-nay, our last place o: refuge--to re-
new here the combat Of centuries-in form
at once more degrading and detestable, and
more likely to be fatal to us than in either of
its preceding to-ms Shall we be driven
into the Pacific! Shall we succu.nb! Or
shall we turn upon our relentless pursuers!
They have followed the lion to his last den,
and brought him to bay! Did they expect
40 10 be oS~ .,,k - L..
!. The revolt of the country was wholly nm
expected by those who supposed they had al.
ready secured it's final subjugation; and like
every other great retribuiion, il takes those
. il falls ON BY surprise. II is not, therefore,
to be wondered at that they exeerate with
peculiar horror the special means of success
against them which their own perfidy and
ferocity had rendered absolutely indispens-
able. The country organises itself for the
great conflict, which, to those who first em.
bsrked in il, seemed well nigh desperate, in
silence and without observation. That is
the way in which all grand moveme nts occur
even the Kingdom If Heaven does not come
. with observation. But the demagogues, the
; priests, the mobs, the foreign papis,s aud in
fidels, are shocked beyond endurance, be.
cause the handful OF devoted men who first
"
my longer possible, did not call The whole
Of them into council! For what! In order
10 be murdered; or II not murdered, uaduced,
. and the very end Tor which they were will
, ling 70 be tfadtfced, and il necessary, mur-
dered-uiterly defeated! Were they called
into council when their enemies bought and
sold them! Were they notified, when cor
fupt bargains were struck. in which the lib.
: critics of the people were put up at an infa.
. nous price? Were they consulted when the
e atrocious schemes to break mp the Union oil
these States were concocted! Were they
advertised when the overthrow Of our nation.
u atty. OF our institutions, and of our religion
y together. was deliberately undertaken b!
the Popish despots and prelates OF Europe!
Was council asked Of them by foreign pa.
, psts and infdels, when, throughout the whole
: land they conspired with the full assent o
dsmagogues to overthrow the Protestant civ
u lizaion OF the country! Were the secret,
n Of the confessional made known to fhem
!. Were the secret oaths binding every papa
lecclesiasiic with unlimited allegiance TO
foreign temporal Prince submitted to hei
scrutiny! The safely IF the Stat; its he ss
preme idW. And surely il 10 the first neces
sity Of State that is endangered, and the!
J. who would save il must combine. IL th'
e per6dy and ferocity oil their enemies compe
4 them TO observe unusual caution, 1t onl,
proves the greatness Of their danger. II
point Of morality, it stands precisely on tn
same footing as vote by ballot. The objec
g of it determines iis law fulness; and it is it
r. success, not its nature, which makes it o.
;. hateful.
If the Nationality Of America is to b
. sustained; if her Protestant Civilization is q
,r be perpeiusted: if'the Federal Union is to b
h preserved; there 10 but one possible me no
of dealing with the subject. The organiza
power Of society must be taken out Of tn
hands Of those who have betrayed these vas
N interests. and must be put into the hands q
/. those who will cherish them. Public opin
. ion is the only instrument by which thi
e great change can be effected. That enlighl
IS ened the first step OF the revolution is pol
n. teal; the second is legal. The first step In
"a wolves the organization. and the triumph Of
:, party commensurate with the country, tn
American party; and that involves the ovel
n throw of every party that resisis its ultimai
Of objects or ressts the necessary means
is obtaining those objects. Indeed ifthis etc
were fully achieved it would be of less COT
sequence TO take second one; since III
laws though bad are endursble; and sociei
10 safe; as SOON as il has finally put out
9 power all men and parties, hoe tile to our N,
tionalty, to our Protestant Civilization, al
nd to our Federal Union; out Of power, with q
h overthrow incapable OF being repaired.
ee And this is the reason why this great move
ne ment excites such excrucating bitterness
he hate in it's political aspect, on the part of a
Of against whom II is directed. lite success
he seen to be fnality and fatally to then
O. For nations do not Immediately incur I'll
lat same peril twice, nor do profound nation
in movements speedily exhaust their force.-
K The Democrat party has survived the storm
If hnndrod voars The