The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-04-18
IL DAILY DISPATCH.
Friday NfsrninG, April IS, 1886.
Uplen senttments.

Friday Morning, April IS, 1885.
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UnSoa Sentiments.
The patriotic Union sentiments expressed At the
late Henry Clay festival by distinguished members
Of Congress from various sections Of the country
are welcomed universally by the press IS OF nAppy
augury TO the preservation of the Union no DC
easien could be more appropriate to announce sucn
sentiments than the anniversary Of the o'rtnasy
of Henry CLAY. whose name fs 90 completely
identified with the Union that you cannot mention
the one yvi,hout recalling the other. Born In revo-
iu,ionarv tirnrs and on ground consecrased by the
birth of that other Henry, who set In motion the
bali of the Revolution, II would have been impossi.
bic for Henry Clay to prove recreant to the cause
Of liberty. which Is involved In the cause Of the
Union. "Liberty and Union" were, in his mind
lone and inseparabe, liberty, not only for the
United States, but for Greece, for South America
=. for the world, for all future time. After ma.
night of ages, In which not one solitary CLEAN OF
civil or religious freedom illumined the eartn'
full orbed Republican galaxy-thirteen glorious
stars. singing together for joy, broke forth IN tine
Western horizon. and It was under tnese lucky
stars that Henry Clay was born. All the magnin
cent memories and inspiring hopes that were asso'
cla,ed with the period and scenes Of his birth, de-
nended in his belief upon the preservation OF the
Irp;on and. If that persisted, the labors, wisdom
and vaIor of 70 had been expended foo naught'
Washington had been raised in vain, and the thir-
zee, stars instead of fixed constellation, guiding
the vosaries of freedom for ages, would prove bril-
liant but transient meteors, instantly swallowed up
in the darkness from which they had sprung.
II was fitting that in the native county and on
the birth day of such . man, statesmen Of an
American, National and Union loving character
should gather together and, as at some holy altar.
renew their vows of love and loyalty to the Union
We are not of those who blindly worship the
Union; we would not adhere to it for q moment
after it ceased to be Union of equals, become
a Union of the vassal and the lord, the province
and the empire. Such Union would be more
dangerous and degrading dissolution of the Union
which our fathers formed, than any which the nand
of open violence could accomplish But while
such sentiments as those announced In Hanover
at the recent celebration, animate the minds OF
men who lead and guide public opinion ana the
councils of the country, we will never permit our
selves to despair of the Republic. We will cling
to the hope that the good sense, the mutual inter
est, and the true patriotism OF North and South,
will be interposed efectually to arrest the progress
of fanaticism and ratification.
1t may become necessary Gin the course of hui
man events that the bonds of this confederacy
be sundered but 1t will be the sundering of the
last hope of human liberty. Independence, secu-
rity perhaps, purchased after long wars and al
the cost of large standing armies,) and material
wealth, each of the separated governments may
obtain, but Republicanism will receive shock
with the destruction of national unity that 10
can never recover neither here nor abroad; whilst
additional divisions, and subdivisions to the end
of the chapter, will lead to as many separate en-
pires on this continent there are now States IN
the Union. 1t may be necessary to encounter all
these evils; liberty. property, life itself may be-
come insecure in the Union, but we should look
upon all sides of the great question OF dissolution
before we decide it, 60 that we may not take
leap in the dark. We should struggle with united
energies for the equal rights and national harmo-
ny of the various sections of the confederacy.
We have said that the Union sentiments an
nounced at the Hanover celebration have been
hailed as suspicious to the peace and happiness OF
the country. Let these sentiments be accompa.
MED by corresponding deeds, and the integrity Of
the Republic will be placed beyond hazard. After
all, there is more eloquence in deeds than in
words A mans faith is best shown by his works
1t was thus that the devotion of Henry Clay to
the Union was manifested. His speeches, though
full of vigor fire, and loyalty, do not constitute his
chief claim to the great character of Preserver of
the Union. That is founded upon the practical
remedies which his wise head devised and his
strong hand executed for the salvation of the
country from impending periIs, and upon the self
sacrificing patriotism which would rather be
right than be President" They best celebrate his
memory who Ego and do likewise"