The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-09-20
The DAILY DISPATCH.
n,..o,utton OF tho Union.


Ds.soiutfon OF tho Union.
u...r,ad =. both subject and phrase are, Tue
.,...o,,,,on Of the Union Ia possibility which can.
-, =. .rxyes.ed without awakening interest Oh
-. l;nd either of hope or fear, joy or sorfo~.-
,rs. ,..r;o, of course regards 10 with unm'nsiea
.orrov aud apprehension. The phian'nfop's'
.van more than the patriot, breads. dep1eca'eS IN"
800. the bare though. tina. our noble framework
- government should perish 80 soon, STRUCTURE
which Ia the hope no. only of our own people ou'
~ The whole earth, which gives shelter 10 the op
,,,os.sa of ali nations and Is the chief tower Oh
,,,g and raleious liberty among men, YET, thas
.,o r-,,or NAV he dissolved, Is q proposition winch
sz-m a.,x and that IL Is at this moment IN I'M
..,..n, s.rg.r of dissolution, ID fact admitted
=, ..,a,,p,,v and sadness by every prominent
.-,a.;va Journal and statesman In the ke-
-. M one can read the celebrated Albany
..h 81 Mr. Fillmore, Northern man, who has
,f,o..rf allied the Presidential chair, and enjoyed
.verv opportunity of thoroughly studying the In
,,,r,;ons and the character Of our people without
h.,ns impressed with The peril which oyerhangs the
country in the event of Fremont's election III
Mr.. Fillmore were person given to rash ana
startling assertions we should not attach SO muea
importance to the declaration of his Albany Speech
tuas the South could not submit 10 that '~N'
ton by another section which would be accomp
lished in the election of John c. Fremont; OUT pro
verbal for bis efpossession of spirit ana mooe
ration of speech, we feel sure that every wofd o'
his solemn avermept Is founded upon mature 'e'
Aecion-that 1t is the voice Of soberness dtrutn'
and should fall like prophets warning upon Inc
ear of the country.
In late speech in Massachusetts, Banks Tue
Block Republican Speaker of the House OF KEEP
reseutatives, announced with oraenlar and com
placent dignity that tue Union could never by any
possibility be dissolved. Our government, ne
said. might be converted into an aristscracy,
limited monarchy or even despotsn, but stih
the Union would survive. tits evident that Mr.
Banks is not disciple of that great Massaehu'
sets apostle whose motto was. Liberty and
Union, now and forever, Zone and inseperabie -
1t Is also clear that his loud professions OF devo-
ton to human freedom are profoundly hypocriti-
cal, for he. who short time ago, was willing 10
let the Union slide" rather than African slavery
should continue il now DESTROYS that 1t should be
preserved even though it should be associated
with the enslavement of the entire population,
white and black, under the will of one man
What is there, we ask, which should make our
form of government less perishable than other
Republicsi Are we much purer, so much bet
ter. much wiser, than mankind in general
have reason and Judgment with us so completely
obtained the mastery of passion and of sectional
and party spirit, that we can count with in
evitable certainty upon an eternal national exis-
tencei Is the everlasting agitation Of the slavery
subject in every Presidential election an augury
Of perpetual harmony Does the open war of one
section upon another exert Gem enting influence
upon the bonds of the Unionl Does even that
great natural Hgament of the confederacy, the
Mississippi valley, afford infallible guarantee
of the permanence Of our government? We think
not. The Introduction and multiplication of rail
roads will in time supercede even the great Missis
sppi river and already under their influence in con,
nexion with the esrangins effects of the sectional
divisions of the day, the of trade has been
altered, and the strong ties of mutual interest
which 1t formed have been enfeebled. The Nor
thern merchant looks more to the West for pa
tronage, and the West to the North for capital,
than formerly, whilst the South. exasperated by
the aggressons of abolitionism, naturally desires
70 build up centres of commerce within its own
borders Therefore we cannot See that dissou
tion is either impracticable or improbable In
fact 1t cannot be denied that both sections have
begun to look to it as an event that may happen
and are calculating its consequences if not pre-
pairing for them.
There is another consideration more weigbtv
and ominous than any of those yet enumerated.
What is it which gives to the Union its vitality and
cohesive power, Undeniably, the mutual love
and respect of the people of its various sections
There is no magic energy in the parchment on
which the Constitution is inscribed no cabalistic
mower in its letters to hold together the yarious
States of the Confederacy. There is no large
standing army to compel the submission of one sec
ton to another section. When the Union formed by
the mutual esteem and confidence of the American |
People is dissolved, the exterior forms of Govern.
,nent may remain but it will be as a body from |
which the spirit has departed, q mere emblance
and CHASTITY mockery Of life soon to crulnhle into
its native dust Is it not clear to the most ordi.
nary observer that the heart of this glorious Re.
publican system, if not yet cold and STILL is beating
with fainter and fainter pusationsl A vast multitude
of the people of the North, if not an ascertained
majority, are at this moment engaged in a crusade
sinst the interests the feelings the hearthstones
of the South, and applaudng till the welkin rings
az ain, the most furious denuncatons of Southern
character. The South on its part, though long de.
voted and loyal TO the Union, cannot but feel the
natural indignation of a people wantoniy assail
ed In their sensibtes, their rights, their proper.
ty their social order their very political and per-
sonal existence The Union of mutual respect and
affection is its last gasp and has already given
place in one portion of the country, to a Union
which may ere long take place in ALL the Union of
bitter foemen in the hug of mortal hate.
The South of all sections, is most loyal and de.
yoted to our present form of Gov eminent. But,
it is not in the power of the South
10 prevent the dissolution of the confederacy. The
North must settle that question at the polls in N >,
,ember next
important to Joint stock Companies s.a
Contractors.
We are requested to say that in consequence of
.he fact that, by act of the last General Assem-
bly, of Virginia, drafts allowed sy the Board ~
Public Works after The lst ~ October ssex., can he
for State soads. there will be snes,a,