Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-09-11

proach; with these Of course our view of
our duty and the reason of it, are STUN
bling block and foolishnass. To such YOU
can have nothing to say, and from such
you can have nothing to hope. But if
there are those again who love the Union
as we love it, and prize it as we prize it,;
who regard it as we do, not merely as a
vast instrumentality for the protection of
our commerce and navigation; and for
achieving power, eminence and name
among the sovereigns Of the earth-but as
a means of improving the material lot, and
elevating the moral and mental nature, and
insuring the personal happiness Of the mil
lions of many distant generations; if there
are those who think thus justly of it--and
vet hug the fatal delusion that, because it
is good, it is necessarily immortal; that it
Will thrive without care; that anything
created by mans will is above or stronger
than His will; that because the reason and
virtues of our age of reason and virtue could
build it, the passions and stimulations ola
day of frenzy cannot pull it down; if such
there are among you, to them address
yourselves, with all the earnestness and
all the eloquence of men who feel that
some greater interest Is at stake, and some
mightier cause in hearing, than ever yet
tongue has pleaded or trumpet proclaimed
If such minds and hearts are reached, all
is safe. But how specious and how mani
fold are the sophisms by which they are
courted?
They hear and they read much ridcule
of those who fear that a geographical party
does endanger the Union But can they
forget that our greatest, wisest, and most
hopeful statesmen have always felt, and
have all, in one form OF another, left on re-
cord their own fear of such party? The
judgments of Washington, Madison, Clay,
Webster, on the dangers of the American
Union, ARE they worth nothing to con-
scientious love of it? What they dreaded
as remote and improbable contingency
that against which they cautioned as they
thought, distant generations--that which
they were SO happy as to die without see
ing, is upon US. And yet some men would
have us so on laughing and singing. like
the traveller in the SATIRE with his pockets
empty, at a present peril, the mere appre-
hension Of which, as a distant and bare pos
sibility, could sadden the heart of the Fa.
ther of his Country, and dictate the grave
and grand warning of the Farewell Ad-
dress
They hear men say that such party
oughs aot to endanger the Union: that, al
though 1t happened to be formed within
one geographical section, and confined ex-
clusively to it; although its end and aim is
to rally that section against the other on a
question of morals, policy and feeling, on
which the two differ externally and unap-
peasibly; although, from the nature of its
origin and objects, no man in the section
outside can possibly join it, or accept office
under it without inflmy at home; although,
therefore, it is a stupenduous organization,
practically to take power and honor, and
full share of the Government, from our
whole family of States, and bestow them,
substantially, all upon the antagonists FAM
lily; although the doctrines Of human rights,
which it gathers out of the Declaration of
Independence--that passionate and elo-
quent manifesto ola revolutionary war, and
adopt as lis fundamental ideas, announce to
any Southern apprehensions a crusade of
Government against slavery, far without
and beyond Kansas; although the spirit
and tendency Of its electioneering appeals,
as Il whole, in prose and verse, the leading
articles Of its papers, and the speeches, of
It's orators, are to excite contempt and hate,
OF fear of our entire geographical section,
and hate or dread or contempt is the natu-
raj impression it all leaves on the Northern
mind aud heart; yet, that nobody anywhere
ought to be angry, or ought to be frighten-
ed; that the majority must govern, and that
the North is a majority; that it is ten to
one nothing will happen; that, if worst
comes to worst the South knows it is Who'll !
ly to blame, and needs the Union more
than we do, and will be quiet accordingly. /
But do they who hold this language for
get that the question is not what ought To
endanger the Union, but what will do it?
Is it man rs he ought to be, or man as he is.
that we must live with or live alone? In I
approaching the Influences which may dis
turb political system, and especially one
Ike our, do you make no allowance for pas
sions. for pride, for infirmity, for the burn
ing sense of even imaginary wrong? Do
you assume that all men, or all masses of
men in ali sections, uniformly obey reason,
and uniformly wisely see and calmly seek
their true interests? Where on earth is (
such fools Paradise as that TO be found?