The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1856-08-29

and yet hug the fatal delusIon that because it is
good, 1t is necessarily 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 virtue of onI age oil
reason and virtue could build it, the passions
and stmulations of day of frenzy cannot pull
it down if such there are among you, TO them
address yourselves, with all the parnestness and
att the eloqucnce of men who feel that some
greater interest is at stake, and some mghtier
cause in hearing, than ever yet tongue had
pleaded or trumpet proclaimed. lfsuch minds
and hearts are reached, all is SAFE. But how
specieus and how manifold are the sophisms BY
which they are courted
They hear and they read much ridicuie oi
those who fear that 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 Judgments of Washington, Madi-
SOP. Clay, Webster, on the dangers OF the A
meFican Unlon-are they worth nothing TO a
Conscientious love Of it +? What they dreaded
as remote and improbable contingency-th hat
against which they cautioned, as they thought,
distant generations that which they Were so
happy as TO die without seeng-iS upon U.S.
And yet some men would have US 90 on laugh
ing and singing, like The traveller IN the satire,
with his pockets empty, at present peril, the
mere apprehension of which, as distant and
bare possibility, could saddeu the heart of the
Father of his Country, and dictate the grave
and grand warning of the Farewell Address.
They hear men say that such a party ought
not to endanger the Union that, although it
happened TO be formed within one geographical
section, and eoufned exclusively TO 1t although
its end and aim is to rally that section against
the other on question of morals, policy and
feeling, on which the two differ eternally and
unaPpeasibly: although, from the nature Of its
origin and objects, no man in The section out
side can possibly Join it, or accept Office under it
without lnfamy at home although, therefore,
It is stupendous organization. practically to
take power and honor, and full share OF the
Government, from our whole family of States,
and brstow them, substantially, all uron the an
tagonist family; although the doctrines of hui
man rights, which If gathers out Of the Declara-
lion of Indrpendence-tha passionate and po-
9urnt manifesto Of a revolutionary war-and "a
doptS as its fundamental IDEAS, announce to any
Southern apprehension a crusade of government
against slavery, far without and beyond Kansas;
although the spirit and tendency of lis cleo
tioneerlng appeals, as a whole, in prose and
ssfSe, the Eeadias articles Of lis papers, audthe
speeches olit orators, are to excite contempt
and bate, or fear Of our entire geographical sec
ton, and hate or dread or contempt is the nat
ural impression it all leaves on the Northern
mind and heart yet, that nobody anywhere
ought to be angry, or ought to be frightened !:
that the majority must govern, and that the
North is majority; that it is ten 10 one noth-
Ing will happen that, il worst comes to worst,
the South knows il is wholly to Blame, and
needs the Union more than we do. and will be
quiet accordingly.
But do they who hold this language forget
that the question is not what ought to endanger
the Union, but what will do it Is it man as
be ought TO be, or man as be is, that we must
live with or live alone? In approaching the
influences which may disturb political sys-
tenn, and especially one like ours do YOU make
no allowance for passions, for pride, for nflrm-
lily, ior the burning sense OF even imaginary
wrong? Do YOU assure that all men, or all
masses OF men, in all sections, uniformly obey
reason, and uniformly Wiselv and calmly
seek their true interests! Where on earth is
such FOOLS Paradise as that to be found Con-
crding to the people of the fifteen States the
ordinary and average human nature, its good
and lis evil, It's weakness and It's strength, for
one, dare not say that the triumph OF such
party ought not TO be expected naturally aud
probably 10 disunite the States.
With my undoubting convictions, ] know
that ii would be folly and immortality in
men 20 wish it. Certainly there are in all sec
iionS aud in all States those who love the u
nipn, under the actual Constitution, as Wash
ington did, as Jay, Hamilton, and Madison did
as Jackson, Clay and Webster loved it, Snch
even is the hereditary and The habtuai Senti
ment OF the general American heart. But he
has read life and books TO little purpose who has
moi learned that s'boSom friendships" NAV be-
"to resentment soured," and that no hatred is
so keen. deep, and precious as that
"And 10 be wroth ith one we love
VIII work like madness in the brain.''
He has read the book OF our history to still less
purpose, who has not learned that the friend
ships Of these States-ssiers, but rivals-sover-
egns zach, with public life, and body of in
tprests, and sources of honor and shame Of its
own and within itself, distributed into two great
opposing groups, are ofall human ties most ex
posed 10 such rupture and such transformation.
have not time in these hasty lines, and there
is no need, 10 speculate on the details of the
modes in which the triumphs OF this party
would do its work Of evil. It's mere struggle TO
obtain the government, as that struggle is con-
Quoted, is mlschievous 10 an extent incalcnla-
biz. That thousands of The good men who have
joined it drplore this is certain, but that does
not mend the matter. | appeal TO the con-
science and honor Of my country, that if it
we're the aim of great party, by every specirs
Of access TO the popular mind-by eloquence,
by argument, bv tanni, by sarcasm, by recrimi-