The daily union., 1856-11-04
THE LAST DAY OF THE GREAT ISSUE.

THE LAST DAY OF THE GREAT ISSUE.
We this day to pass through fearful crisis Our
confidence however the result of the great struggle be-
tween the who love the Union and the constitution
and those who have invented every scheme and pacsed
every evil thing destroy boh uushaken is be-
cause we unlike every other people who have lived
upon the earth The more enlightened They
have it is true equal passions with the nations who have
preceded them but experience the trust which has been
long in their hands, and political training under public
discussions, oral and written, for than sxynine
years. given them the of strength in them
selves the highest power Of discriminating between right
and wrong thorough appreciation Of the great interests
stake and the habit in final resort of calmly putting
forth the mighty strength Of their ndomitable will to
strain, support to strengthen and to vndcae may
be wise and necessary whatever public policy is presented
for their action. They not in their political swad
dngbands. They have grown to the full estate of
hood Their step strong, like that of the giant refresh
ed from bis sumbars. They and understand, as
the mob of Athens and of Romenot the ignorant peo
pie of the French revolution full of madness and atroc
ties and grotesque centiousness-but more like their
English ancestors who achieved their great work of
forming their government and changing then monarch
in the most corrupt times without suspending for single
day the supremacy ofaw but and truer like
ness they and understand their did when
they voted for the Declaration OF Independence when they
fought its battles when they formed confederacy when
at last they formed Union Of the States They see with
the eye and the heart the wisdom and the courage OF the
patriot They know how to construct and when to pull
down They took these lessons from their fathers From
them they began to learn and did learn what their cons
tuition was and upon what basis it was founded
Sach the people to whom is submitted this day the
decision of the greatest political question which has arisen
since the formation of our constitution 1t is vital to us
1t will be conclusive the Union will affect as We
believe ths destnies of the world if political existence
nation may be considered having any material in
fuence the varied and complicated hopes the vast
changing and growing interests Of mankind We had
reached point Of departure from our original consttu
ona basis which made 1t necessary if intended to pre-
faithfully institutions submit the decision Of
this great question to the people 1t was less PROPOSE
ton than the preservation OF the Union II was simply
shall the States be equal Shall they be as they were
when the constitution made If So the regularly au
thorzed and expressed will Of the people in convention as
sembled in any Territory might frame their own const-
tution unAwed b. the errors Of fnRcsm Of whatever
character. The progress Of political brought us
TO the time when this great question bad be submitted
and it fell to the lot of the present President stand fore
the breach which 1t made upon the fierce passions
and deeprooed preudces Of the nonsavehoding States
And that this perilous question: absolutely neces
sary future political existence nation is passing
this day the last final decision Of the public mind Of
America it not inappropriate that should briefly ad
vert to the identity Of the administration with this
mentous event This can now be done without the mis-
Interpretation Of motives It peculiarly ft that should
be done this very day 1t is the leading and lustra
tive act Of the dosing Of the passing four years nj
u N, leading act Of all american history the days
Qf Washington. We could have recovered from the
triumph Of the United States Bank because that would
have affected the States equally and in united and
certed form they might have continued the upon on
and to the end, until in the struggles Of half century
they might have blotted it out forever II is true it
very great question: and better have been settled as Il
was aud the settlement Of it early a wise deed
and will live in history But this ia still FAR greater
question and will, without doubt be decisive Of this
Union It assumed that character in the estimate Of
the people Of the South and Moth An nvncble convc
ton exists that without the maintenance Of the principle
Of the equality Of the States which is Its prime
quence It would be impossible preserve present
ernment The elements which were arrayed TO battle
against the policy Of this principle had covered the whole
OF the non-saveholding States with secret and abolition
societies The srongholds Of the democratic party were
broken down. and its congressional majority swept
by the Of fsnscsm which deluged the land Here
and there left standing, more however by the
Of his personal character and his bold encounter Of
the assaults Of the enemy than from any other cause The
great State Of Pennsylvsnia bad given way in few
instances Among these the able and patriotic represent
ave Of old Berks Mr. Jones' conspicuous by his
Abors and his talents sustain the question and by his
triumphant majority. The gallant Richardson too bad
succeeded after desperate struggle In the midst Of
rounding defeats in Illinois The democratic party into
the last Congress with only seyentyegh members Know
nothngism had invaded the South and although the
tide was arrested in Virginia still that dangerous wing Of
blackrepubcan party in the North had managed put
on deceptive guse beyond the Potomac and had seduced
many worthy and patriotic The political horizon
seemed to be drsped with dark clouds Of omnous por
tent All men were intensely anxious who dearly loved