Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-09-13
ADDRESS OF THE AMERICAN MEMBERS OF con
GRESS TO TIE PEOPLE OF TIE UNITED STATEs


FELLOW CrIzESs-There are circumstances which call
for the appeal make to your attention.
The times appear startling aud critical There
aspects in the pending for the Presidency which
unusual and important. We canpot therefore,
iorbear freely TO communicate OF apprehensons
before separate here, aud to Call upon you
look full in the face any dangers which may inn
pend over the greatest popular government earth
Two of the political parties in the country have pitched
Presidential battle upon sectional issues so fear.
full character to stir the deepest passions of the Anne
rican people Though in seeming conflict il be
disguised that those parties have in such coope.
rated press upon the country exciting issue after
another, until by dint OF continued evaporation they
have nearly succeeded in srrayng in hostile columns
halt OF the States OF the Union against the other They
appear mutually To have employed all the energies of party
power to engender sectional dstrust prejudice and crm
nation, and now, for the fret time ia the history the
government, we find truly formidable party, fully
gtnzed and using every effort in their power combine
tie nonsayehodng against the slavehoding States Of
the Union, in struggle for the executive power of the
conederacy. In that organization included men who
supposed TO be conservative and NATIONAL but Who
are believed TO be led by excitement misconce ptiou
into movements which. in their cooler moments they
cannot but reco IRON, they would from pesence and
famine.
Is management has beeu essentially controlled by lea
ders who under all circumstances have steadily kept up
an active, unceasng and npacAbe warfare upon the
sttutions OF the savcholdng States Should such par
~ unfortunately succeed in the present distracted state
OF the public mind in electing sectional President sup
ported alone by the OF the Notwithstanding States
have much apprehend that there might
instantly spring into existence of resistance
the consequence Of which human wisdom can oresee
and no lover OF his country friend Of popular govern
ment anywhere could fail Ia all coming tme sadly de-
plOre.
We do not believe they can succeed, but wo may be
really threading upon the brink Of volcano that is LA
bic at any moment to burst forth and overwhem the us
ton"
But the republican party is not alone responsible for
those appalling issues nor u It's success the only danger
TO the stability Of the government in present FORM
The democratic party has eagerly and rashy seized upon
these nomentous issues, and welded theu the thun-
der bolts OF party warfare. They have striven 10 mad
den the South and to concentrate Southern votes upon
their candidates the abotOnists have sVen TO mad
den The North 70 concentrate Northern votes upon their
| candidates.
When their extreme measures are resisted they tannt
national men in the South "submissiouists" worse
than submissioniss the abotonists taunt national
men In the North "dougbiaces" than dough.
faces.
They have apparently struggled 10 bring about the for.
nation Of geographical parties such the Father Of his
Country 40 empha,cally warned agan-t based upon
questions immediately tending split the Union asundet;
and they have seemingly done this for the petty purpose
OF securing temporary party triumph The Union-in
TORN at east-We think, would survive the success Of
such party Tor the present. but ts triumph would proa
ably keep the furnaces Of sectional passion red hot and
ultimately and II may be distant day. rash errors
would engeuder storm Of sectional conflict beneath
Ehch the government would sink into ruins. We think
| they too, will fail
But We believe the time has come when the common
safety requires that the fagng sectional heats Of those par
ties should be- cooled The time has come when national
conservative men, respecting the constitution true to their
country and Indignantly ifoSning upon the FIRST dawning
vt dsunon should stand shoulder shoulder and unite
~ placing At the head II the government chief nsgis
trae IN whose capacity honesty and patriotism all could
conhde. The national American party have now presen
TOD such msn-One who has been tried aud found faith
ui 70 every tfust-sho being suddenly called upon n
take the helm Of government time when the heavens
we're und with the angry tempest Of 1s49-5O 20 sue.
ces-iuy rode out that storm faithfully aud galsnty
l fho a. III. 10
~ "ifnifing people the rnst heartfelt plaudts "wen
donel thou good and faithful servant"
w point you 10 smother fearful cancer on the body
Pohuc-the humiliating struggle going on between
the democratic aud republican parties Tor the foreign vote
and 70 the euous spprehensons expressed for the fate
o the one or tho Dher Of those parties the uncertain
movements Of the Germans Irish oscllate between
them We yon that the tate Of this great govern
meni NAV soon be equally dependent upon thc unstable
movements Of tho-e mighty mssses, fresh from the mo
narches Of Enrpe. Largo portions Of Union are IT.
ready everlasting with ffeigu popula'on-a popula
ton such " has shown itself utterly ncapaby Of susan
g popular governments In the Old World So imnien-e
Y" no" tbe imof that We can scarcely be regarded The