Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-08-19
TO THE WHIGs OF MARYLAND.

In response 10 the comm un)caIOnS received
from many of my brother Wings, deem it my
privilege, in this manner, to counsel with all III
relation to the course which patriotism and
duty would seem to indicate as proper III the
present political crisis.
No lover of his country whose judgment is
unbiased by party zeal and uncontrolled by
| Northern or Southern fanaticsm can fail to
see and deprecate the pending danger to the
Union
The first duty OF every man who loves his
country and her institutions is to provide for
their safety. The life of the nation is in dan
ger II must be saved then, and not till then,
will it be permissible to US to discuss our differ
ences of opinion upon minor subjects.
/ say that the life of the Union is in danger,
because, for the first time in our history, a
party has been formed composed exclusively
Of citizens of one section of the country, bound
together by the single bond of an alliance for
offensive warfare against the other section.
That the success Of such a party would imperil
the Union has been recently demonstrated by
an address Of Mr.. Fillmore, and will, il is sub
mitted, be apparent to all who will beotow a
moments consideration upon the existing pos
ture of political affairs
The value of the slave property of the South
is not less than two thousand millions OF dol
property in the United States, as shown by the
last census. This property is not only recog
nised, but so far guaranteed by the Constitution
as to impose upon the Federal Government the
duty of restoring to his owner the slave who
may escape into another State or Territory OF
the United States. For years past this con-
stitutonal obligation has been not only repu-
dated by some Of the non .slaveholding States
but political parties have been organized in all
with the avowed object of liberating the slave,
and thus not only depriving the South Of this
vast amount of property, but subjecting it to
all the horrors which would necessarily result
from such consummation. In addition to all
his, whilst the abolitionists on the one hand
openly avow their opposition to the Consttu-
tion and their desire 10 destroy Government
which imposes obligations repudiated by them,
on the other hand many Southern men, goaded
by the incessent attacks of their Northern fell
low. citizens upon their feelings, their property,
and their constitutional rights, express the be
lief that the interests of the South would be
more effectually protected by separation Of
the slave from the non saveholding States,
and therefore rather promote than inter
pose to prevent result so calami'ous. We
have hitherto disregarded the danger which
such a state OF feeling and such a course
because we have assumed that such sentiments
and action could only be attributed to small
minority of our Northern brethren. But now,
when this sectional exasperaton has been
made available for the inauguration of a party
calling itself Republican, under whose banner,
for the first time in the history of the country,
this sectional opposition to Southern rights
and interests have united in nominating, with
alleged probabilities of success, a purely sec
tional ticket for the Presidency and Vice Presi
dency of the United States, we can no longer
shut our eyes to the reality of the threatened
danger; we cannot but feel that the success Of
such a party would be the death knell Of the
Union. The unpatriotic purposes of this sec.
tional party are but too manifest Many of its
supporters avow their object and purpose to be
disunion, and have even gone so far in the
madness Of their fanaticism as to desecrate the
flag of our country by obliterating from its
constellation the fifteen stars which represent
the slaveholding States, and displaying as their
party banner that flag with but sixteen Of its
stars remaining, to represent the sixteen non
slavehodipg States. 1t is manifest that those
who disavow the object are not ignorant of the
inevitable result.
The Wings OF Maryland, whom have the
honor to address, need no proof to convince
them that calamitous consequences would flow
from the success of this sectional party. They
each and all knoto that the election of Mr.. FIRE.
mont, and the administration Of the Govern
ment by him upon the principles Of his party,
would necessarily occasion dissolution Of the
Federal Union, to which they have been taught
to look as the source of national strength aud
of individual prosperity and happiness.
| have known only the Wings of my State too
long, estimate their patriotism too highly, /
have associated with them too Intimately to
suppose it necessary for moment to offer an
argument to them in behalf Of their country.
| They appreciate, as fully as could depict, the
horrors of disunion they will see the loss OF
national strength, the internal dissensions, the
fatal check to civilization aud freedom, the con.
tempt of the world which would be the conse
quences of such a calamity. The Wings oi
Maryland, who have followed the lead of such
patriots as Clay and Webster, "will never keep
step to any other music than that of the
| Union"
1t therefore only remains to inquire what
course shall be taken to rebuke sectional fana
ticism and preserve our country from the dan
gers of its success.
You are aware that this Republican party