The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-10-15
A DISSOLUTION OF THE UNION.
by ALEXANDER HAMILTON.

ui'Su1 udPpcu W uc loTHIed Out Vi III
! wreck of the general confcderacy, woul
/ be subject to those vicisitudes of peac
and war, of Friendship and enmity wit
each other, which have fallen to the 10
of all other nations not united under OIL
government, let US enter into coEcis
detail Of some of the consequences tba
would attend such situation
War between the States, in the frs
periods of their separate existence, wo@lt
be accompanied with much greater dis
tresses than it commonly is in thes,
countries where regular military estab
lishments have long obtained The dis
ciplined armies always kept on foot OF
the continent of Europe, though they
bear NAL gnant aspect to liberty and
economy, have, Notwithstanding, been
productive of the singular advantage OF
rendering sudden conquests impractical
bic, and of preventing that rapid desc
lation which used to mark the progress
of war prior to their introduction.
The art of fortifcation has contribu-
| ted to the same ends. The patious of
Europe are encircled with chains of for
tilted places, which mutually ebstruct
invasion. Campaigns are wasted in re-
dacing two or three fortified garrisous,
to gain admittance into an enemy coun-
! try. Similar impedimeuts occur at cv-
cry step, to exhaust the strength and
delay the progress of an invader.
Formerly, an invading army would
penetrate iuto the heart Of neigh hbor-
ing country almost as soon as intelli
gence of its approach would be received;
but now comparatively small force of
disciplined troops. acting on the defen-
sivc, with the aid of posts, is able to i'm
pede, aud fiually to Illustrate, the pur-
poses of one much more considerable
The history of war in that quarter of
the globe is no louger history Of ma
tions subdued and empires overturned,
but ef towns taken aud -ra-t-.l.ssTi bTr=
ties that decide nothing, of retreats
more beneficial tlln victories, of much
effort and little acquisition. ..-.- r...
Ii this country the sceae would be
altogether reversed. The jealousy cf!
military esta blishnents would post pone
them as long as poss bic. The waut of
Notifications, leaving the frontier of one
State open to another, would facilitate
inroads, The pofulous States would
with little difficulty overrun their less
populous nei ghbors. CoEquests would
be as easy to be made as difficult to be
retained War, therefore, would be
desultory and predatory. Plundcr and
devastation ever march in the train
of irregulars. The calamities of indi-
viduals would ever make the princi, |
pal figure in events, and would charact
terize our exploits.
This pictureis is not too highly wrought;
though, | confess, it would not long re-
main just one. Safety from external
danger is the most powerful director of
national conduct. Even the a, dent love
of liberty will, after time, give way to
its dictates. The violeat destruction of
life and property incident to war, the
continual effort and alarm attendant on
a state of continual danger, will com-
pei ma ions the most attached to liberty
to resort for repose and security to in
stitutious which have a tendency to de- |
stroy their civil and political rights
To be more safe, they would, at length,
become willing to run the risk of being
less free.
The institutions chiefly alluded to are
STANDING ARMIES. aud the corresponding
appendages of military establishments,
Standing armies, it is said, are not pro-
yided against in the new constitution,
and it is thence inferr ed that they would
exist under it. This inference, from
the very form of the proposition, is at
best problematical and uncertain. But
standing armies, it may be replied, must
inevitably result from a dissolution of
the confederacy. Frequent war and
constant apprehension, which require a
state of as constant preparation, will in
fallibly produce them. ..
The weaker States or confederacies
would first have recourse to them, to
put themselves on an equality with
their more potent neighbors. They
would endeavor to supply tue in
feriority of population and resources by
a more regular and effective system of
defence. by disciplined troops, aud by
fortifcatious. They would at the same
time, be obliged 20 strengthen the exec
utive arm of government; in doing
which their constitutions would require
a progressive direction towards monar-
chy. 1t is the nature of war to increase
the executive, at the expense of the leg |
islative authority. : p..f '-'rs s-.a
The expedients which have been men,
toned would soon give the States or con-
federaeies that made use of them su-
periority over their neighbors. Small
States, or States of less natural strength,
under vigorous governments, and with