Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-09-11

| And what would be its termnatiop2 Standing
armies, and navies, to an extent stretching the
| the revenues Of each portion OF the discovered
members, would take place. An exterminating
war would follow-not, sir, war of two or
three years duration. but war of intermina-
ble duration-and exterminating wars would
| ensue, until after the struggles and exhaustion
of both parties, some Philip or Alexander,
some Cesar or Napoleon, would arise and cut
the Gordian knot, and solve the problem of the
| capacity of man for self government, and crush
the liberties of both the several portions of this
common empire Can you doubt it?
Look at all history-consult her pages, an
cient or moderr-look at human nature; look at
the contest in which you would be engaged in
the supposition of war following upon the dis
] solution of the Union, such as have suggest
ed; and ask you if it is possible for you to
doubt that the final disposition of the whole
would be some despot treading down the liber-
ties of the people-the final result would be the
extinction Of this last and glorious light which
is leading all mankind, who are gazing upon il,
in the hope and anxious expectation thatrthe
liberty which prevails here will sooner or later
be difused throughout the whole of the civil
zed world. Sir, can you lightly contemplate
these consequences? Can you yield yourself to
the tyranny of passion, amid dangers which
have depicted in colors far too tame of what the
result would be if that dlreful event to which
have referred should ever occur2 Sir, implore
gentlemen l abiure them from the South or the
North, by all that they hold dear in this world
| by all their love of liberty-by all their ven
| GRAFTON for their ancestors-by all their regard
| for posterity-by all their gratitude TO Him who
has bestowed on them such unnumbered and
countless blessings-by all duties which they
owe to mankind-and by all the duties which
they owe to themselves, to pause, solemnly to
pause at the edge of the precipice, before the
fearful and dangerous leap be taken into the
| yawning abyss below, from which none who
ever take it shall return in safety.
Finally, Mr.. President, and in conclusion.
mplore, tie best blessing which heaven can
bestow upon me- upon earth, that il the direful
event of the dissolution of this Union is 10 hap
! pen, shall not survive to behold the sad and
heart rending spectacle.
Again in his Frankfort speech what did he
say:
1.-The last session of Congress opened under
the most lowering and unlavorable auspices
! The public mind had been greatly agitated and
distracted. aud divided upon subjects connect
ed with the institution of slavery. had wit.
messed other periods of great contest and agita-
ton. In the case of the admission of Missouri
the whole nation was greatly convulsed, and
! there was just cause of serious apprehension
for the safety of the Union. In the instance
also of the opposition of South Carolina to the
tariff, lS32-33, there was great danger OF civ
il war with that State which might, in certain
events, have spread to surrounding States. But
what peculiarly distinguished the late struggle
was that, far more than any former occasion.
was ,he sentiment avowcd, not merely of the
/ existence of danger to the Union, but we heard
| in various quarters, an open and undisguised
declaration of n necessity and design for its
dissolution We beheld too what We had never
before seen in time Of peace, the assemblage OF
a sectional convention of delegates. the tendency
of which was to break up the confederacy.
What also had Gen. Jackson told you as
to the consequence of dissolution ?
In his farewell address to his couutrymen
upon retiring from the Presidency, he said !:
"What have you to gain by division and dis.
sentionl Delude not yourselves with the hope
tina. Il breach once male. would be afterwards
| easily repaired III the Union is once severed,
the separation will grow wider and wider and
the controversies which are now debated and
settled in the halls Of legislation, will be tried
in fields of battle, and determined by the sword.
Neither should you deceive yourselves with the
hope that the first line of separation would be
the permanent one. Local
interests would still be found there, and un-
chastened ambition. And il the recollection OF
common dangers, in which the people of these
United States have stood side by side against
the common foe-the memory of victories won
by their united valor-the prosperity and hap
piness they have enjoyed under the present
Constitution if these reeolections and proofs
OF common interest not strong enough to
bind us together as one people, what tie will
hold united the new divisions of empire, when
these bonds have been broken and this Union
z dissolvedI The first line of separation would
not last long; new fragments would be torn of,
5 new leaders would spring up-and this great
, and glorious Republic would soon be broken
into a multitude of petty States, armed for mu
tual aggression-loaded with taxes TO pay
armies and leaders-seeking aid against each
9 other from foreign powers--insulted and tramp
led upon by the nations Of Europe-until, har
n rassed with conflicts and humblcd and debased
7 in spirit. they would be willing to submit Il
the dominion of any military adventurer, and
to surrender their liberty for the sake of re
pose"
; What had Mr.. Webster long before sait
! in reply to Mr. Haync, in language so grant
. and noble that it seemed almost that the olC
fable OF the demigods was not untrue, anC
: that one walked amongst us
: When my eyes shall be turned to behol'
> for the last time, the Sun in heaven, may / no
!, see him shining on the broken and dishonore,
s fragments of once glorious Union-on State
e discovered, discordant, belligerent-on lan'
1t rent with feuds, or drenehed. it may be. in fra
n ternal blood Let their last feeble and linger
/. ing glance. rather, behold the gorgeous ensg
:, of the Republic, now known aud honore'
:. throughout the earth, still full high advances
- its arms and trophies streaming in their orig
u nal lustre-not stripe erased or polluted, NO
70 a single star obscured-bearing for its motto N
Is such miserable interrogatory as, What is al
s. this wonh?-nor those other words of delusio
re- and folly, Liberty first, and Union afIerward'
;s But every where-spread all over IN character
!, of living lighi-bazing on all its ample fold,
e as they float over the sea and over the land
ol and in every wind under the whole heavens :
n that other sentiment, dear to every true Amer
re can heart-Lberty and U nion now and forever
1t one and inseparable."
of Fellow w-citizens, even before this Unio
1t has been dissolved, upon this very questio
Ie of slavery, you see that some ofthose thing
IS that Mr.. Clay and Gen. jackson predicted
le and which Mr. Webster prayed he Nigh
It never live to see, have come to pass. Is nc
ID war this day raging in Kansas? Are nc
brothers Of the North embracing their hand
in In the blood of their brethem9 And are nc
I'd the garments Of our Southern brethren re-
g. with the blood of the North? Is not tn
s, green sod OF the prairie now reeking wit
Id fraterual blood? Verify, fellow citizen,
ct these men were prophets! aud in the word
he of old Isaiah, you will find no prophecic
IN which come more surely to pass.
Id Felow-citizens, these men were patriot
they were foreseeing statesmen, and when j
,e 1850, it was seen that their county was /
ne danger, you saw the man of the Mort
y and the man of the South, standing side b
r side surrounded by the noblemen of all pal
to ties, who looked only to the good Of the
is country, as above any party, then saved tn
of Union. Fellow citizens, its danger then W.
ot not so imminent as it is now, because ther
'e, was then no sectional party, no party of tn
be North against the South, determined to carr
an into effect those very measures which NJ
We Clay told you in his opinion could alone pr'
duce dissolution of the Union.
he Free soil, the interdiction Of slavery in II
On Territories, the abolition Of slavery in II
ra nstrict of Cab, l;a N ra.,aal Of th.. Enc