The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-02-16

VOICE FROM THE GRAVE OF sILAs Wright


Finally ow-ctzens let cling TO the and
the Union the and most efficient mode o. promo
ung the cause OF liberty in our own country ana
out The world Let our every obligation 70 polh pe aus
charged with wakeful vigilance strict fidelity and pat
riouc devotion Let us remember, when the troubles We
have reviewed were met encountered aud overcome tna
but thirteen Independent States were 10 be consuu anu
soneiated but three four millions Of people uni
ted and reeoneed that half century Of the prosperous
workings OF our glorious system has doubled tue uumoer
OF States and sweed population 10 some sixteen or sew
eneen millions that with this increase OF States and popu
aton and of consequent wealth and power local and con-
icng interests sectional eaouses rival feelings and all
the impedments 10 the formation OF efficient govern
ment and perfect union which interposed themselves
and almost overcome the resolution, and patience ana
hope Of revolutionary fathers must have proportional
bly, increased And let these remembrance strengthen
zeal and fory determination preserve the
stuton and the Union they formed for the increased mil
lions over whom the blessings of both are daily and
hourly dused and to transmit them, unmpaired TO the
still Increasing millions OF ireemen who will soon sue
coed us.
II there be those among who, misled by mistaken
sympathy by sudden excitement upon any subject are
forgetting their obligations TO the whole country, 10 the
constitution and the Union let every effort Of per-
suasion and example awaken them of their dan
II there those who for the sake OF private
interest personal ambition or monenary political success are
cng experiment upon the public passions 10 treat lightly
their constitutional obligations 10 toae sectional eatousies
and raise up geographical distinctions ua he Union, lei
the absence of counenance and support convince such
that the personal qualification public services OF
living not objects of sufficient magnitude to be
gained at the expense of the harmony OF the country the
peace of the Union single letter in the list OF
stituuona duties II among there be any (which Heaven
forbid who prepared for any earthly object to dismem
Der confederacy and destroy that constitution which
binds us together let the fate Of an arnold Be theirs and
let the detesaton and of every American be their
constant companions, until like him. they shall abandon
country whose rich blessings they longer worthy to
enjoy 4a.
Such was the language of that great and good man
always keeny alive to the demands of philanthropy, no
less than to the calls of parotsm--Sias Wright in an
IN neiphbprs Cam
ton St Lawrence county the 4h Of July, 1889 The
speaker to have been endowed with prophetic Wis
on and like the Father of his Co uny in his Farewell Ad
dress to have oeseen that the great danger to which
institutions exposed sectional strife. And he
closes the counses which he uttered that anniversary
Of our liberty with the foregoing earnest and eloquent
warning against the most formidable foe to national
peace and perpetuty.
How impressive is the consideration presented in the
FIRST paragraph of the above extract If at the time of the
formation of consultation under the immediate inspi-
ration of the struggle from which fathers had just
emerged with comparatively few conflicting interests with
only thirteen States and three millions of population, the
difficulties Of forming Union and encrcing the several sou
ereignes in conederacy nearly nsurmountable
how would it be called to discharge similar
duty2 Were the Union, which pleased to de-
covenant of Blood dissolved, could we,
with thrtyone States and twenty millions of people,
with the vast increase and complication Of sectional in
teress Win TAR 1erVlu
public heart hope to reform national government
and readu these separate soveregnties in harmo
NOUS sphere The task would be hopeless
with the spirit which prevails No. Let the bond of at
traction which retains the several States in harmonious
revolution around centre be dissolved new
law Of motion relation would be discovered, and all
would fly in confusion and collision, and chaos would
come again.
Our only safety consists in the preservation of what we
have. Our interests too conflicting and have too
little of the spirit of unity TO render ii possible for 10
form new constitution or even to alter the provisions OF
the present And is rreveen say that our ex
isng constitution, in the light Of omniscen prescience
Of the future and unde: the inspiration Of Divine Prov
dence have been wonderfully adapted the cir
cumstances of growth and not only the wants Of
the generation which formed it, but Of succeeding ones
How affectionate, and yet emphatic is the warning
which the pure and venerable in the sec
ond paragraph Of the above against all sectional
agitation He first aludes to those who may be msed
by honest but mistaken sympahies by sudden excite
ment to conduct inconsistent with their obligations to
the whole country TO the constitution and the Union and
he exhors his eow-countrymen to every effort Of
persuasion and example awaken them TO of their
dangerous error He next audes to another class OF peo
Pile those Who for the sake Of private interest personal
ambition monetary political success, willing to
experiment upon the public passions TO treat lightly their
constitutional obligations TO foment sectional jeaousies
aud from these he his countymen 10 withdraw their
eounenanee and support The pen OF inspiration could
hardly have foreshadowed vivid and truthful de-
scripou than the r-seeng saacity and patriotism oil
Sas Wright has here recorded Of the who nov
disturbing the peace Of the country by sectional agitation
Tho republicans Of the day here daguerreoped
Their reasonable schemes presented in the sunlight
Their ahlessness TO the Union and the constitution is
denounced in the language ofindgusnt patriotism Let
the fate Arnold be theirs and let the deestsou
Of every American be their constant companions
until like him. they shall abandon country whose rich
blessings they are no longer worthy TO enjoy"
Such Is the voice Of Silss Wright speaking from the
grave and rebukng the fanacsm, the sectionasm and
the Of the present hour Shall Il be heeded There
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS yet-who revered the wis
dom and patriotism Of this pure statesman while living
and who have cherished his memory since dead who come
within bis description of those "who msled by mis-
taken sympahy by sudden excitement are forgetting
their obligations to the whole country the constitution
and the Union" viii they listen to his effort Of persua-
sion and example to awaken them Of their dan
gerous error7 Or win they like Preston King bis for
mer neghbor and friend, forgetting hs solemn counsels
and preyng upon his priceless reputation the part Of
the hyena upon his grave7
From the Columbu. sta,rsman