The Nevada Democrat., 1856-10-01
rrR. CHoATE,s LETTER.

BOSTON, Aug. y, 1886.
Gentlemen Upon my return last evening, af
ter q short absence from this city, found your
letter of the S0th ult inviting me to take part
in the proceedings of the wings of Maine, assem-
bled in Mass Meeting.
appreciate most highly the honor and kind
ness of this invitation, and should have had true
pleasure in accepting it. The wings of Maine,
composed at all times so important division
of the great national party, which under that
name with or without official power, as q re-
sponsble administration, or as only an organ
lied opinion, has done so much for our country
Our whole country--and your responsibilities
at this moment are SO vast and peculiar, that |
acknowledge keen anxiety to see, not wait to
hear, with what noble bearing you meet the de-
mands of the time. If the tried legions to whom
it is committed to guard the frontiers of the
Union, falter now, who any where can be trus-
ted /? rfFtr
My engagements, however, and the expedien-
cy of abstaining from all speech requiring much
effort,will prevent my being with YOU. And
yet--invited to share your counsels, and graft
fed by such distinction--I cannot wholly de-
cline to declare my own opinions on one of the
duties of wings, in what you well describe, as
''the present crisis in the political affairs Of the
country"
cannot now, and need not pause to elabo-
rate or defend them. What think, and what
|
plainest expression, to tell you.
The first duty then, of wings, not merely as
patriots, and as citizens, loving with large and
equal love our whole native land, but as wings,
aud because we are wings, is to unite with some
organization with our countrymen, to defeat
and dissolve the new geographical party, calling
itself Republicans. 1t would more exactly ex-
press my opinion to say, that at this moment it
is our only duty, certainly, at least, it compre-
hends, and it postpones all others; and in my
judgement the question for each and every one
| of MS is not whether this candidate or that can
ddate, would be our first choice not whether
there is some good talk in the worst platform,
and some bad talk in the best platform; not
whether this mans ambition, or that mans SER
Witty or boldness or fanaticism, or violence is
responsible for putting the wild waters in this
uproar but just this by what vote can do
most to prevent the madness Of the times from
working its maddest act-the very ecstacy of its
madness permanent formation and the &C.
tual present triumph of a party which knows
one half of America only to hate and dread it;
from whose unconsecrated and revolutionary
banners fifteen stars are erased, or have fallen;
in whose national anthem the old and charmed
airs of Eutaw Springs, and the Kings Mountain
and Yorktown, and those later of New Orleans,
Buena Vista and Chepultepec, breathe no more.
To this duty, to this question: all others seem
to me to stand for the present postponed and
|
secondary.
And why? Because according, to our creed,
it is only the United America which can peace
fully, gradually, safely, lift up and'blcss with
all social and personal and civil blessings, all
the races and all the conditions which compose
our vast and various family: it is such an Amer
ica, only, whose arm can guard our flag, devel-
ope our resources, extend our trade, and fill
the measure of our glory; and because, accord
ing to our convictions, the triumphs of such
party puts the Union in danger-that is my rea-
son-and for you, and for me and for all of us,
in whose regards the Union possesses such a
value, and to whose fears it seems menaced by
such danger, it is reason enough. Believing
the noble ship of state to be within half cables
length of lee shore of rock, in gale of wind,
! our first business is to put her about and crowd
her off into the Deep open sea- That cone we
can regulate the stOwage of her lower tier OF
powder, and select her cruising ground, and
bring her officers to court martial at our leis
ure.
If there are any in Maine, and among the
wings of Maine, hope there is not one, but
if there are any, in whose hearts, strong pass
ions, vaulting ambition, jealousy of men or Sec
ton. unreasoning and impatient philanthropy,
have turned to hate or GOODNESS the fraternal
blood and quenched the spirit of national life al
its source; with whom the union of Slave States
and Free States under the actual constitution is
a curse, hindrance, a reproach;- with these of
course, our views of our duty and the reason of
it. are stumbling block and fOOlshness--to
such YOU can have nothing TO say, and from
such you can have nothing to hope. But if
there are those again who love the Union as we
love it, and prize it as we prize it; who regard
it as we do, not merely as vast instrumental
ity for the protection Of our commerce and nav
igation, and for achieving power, eminence, and
name amongst the sovereigns Of the earth, but
as means of improving the national lot, and
elevatng the moral and mental nature, and in
suring the personal happiness OF the millions OF
many distant generations-if there are those
who think thus Justly of it, and yet hug the fa-
tai delusion that because it is good, it is neces
sarily immortal: that it will thrive without care;
| that ANYTHING created by mans will is above or
stronger than his will; that because the reason
and virtues of our age Of reason and virtue
could build it, the passions and stimulations OF
day of phrensy cannot pull it down-lf such
there are among you, to them address your
selves with all the earncstness and all the eio-
ouence of men who feel that some greater inter
! est is at stake and some mightier cause in hear
ing than ever yet tongue has pleaded or trump
| ct proclaimed. If such minds and hearts are
reached. all is safe. But how specious and how
manifold are the sophisms by which they a.
courted.
They hear and they read much ridicule of
those who fear that a geographical party does
endanger the Union. But can they forget that
our greatest. wisest and most hopeful statesmen
have always felt and have all in one form or
another left on record their own fear of such a
party? The judgements of Washington, Madi-
son. Clay, Webster, on the danger of American
Union, are they worth nothing to the conscien-
cious lover of it? What they dreaded as re-
mote and improbable contingency, that against
which they cautioned, as they thought distant
generations, that which they were SO happy as
to die without seeing, is upon us; and yet some
men would have to 20 on laughing and singing
like the traveller in the satire with his pockets
empty, at present peril, the mere apprIe:hien-
sion Of which as a distant and bare possibility,
could sadden the heart of the father OF his coun-
try, and dictate the grave and grand warn
! ing of the Farewell Address.