The Placer herald., 1856-10-18


But do they who hold this language forget
that the question is not what ought to en-
danger the Union, but what will do it 1t
is man as he ought to be, or man as he is,
that we must live with or live alone? In
appreciating the influences which may dis
turb a political system, and especially one
like ours do YOU make no allowance for pas
sions for pride, for mfrmity, for the burn
ing sense of even imaginary wrong! DO
you assume that all men, or all masses of
men in all 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 tound:-
Concerning to the people of the fifteen States
the ordinary and average human nature its
good and its evils, its weakness and It's
strength, |, for one, dare not say that the
triumph of such a party ought not to be eN-
pected naturally and probably to disunite
the States. With my undoubting convic-
tions, know that it would be folly and i'm
mortality in men to wish it. Certainly there
are in all sections and in all States those
who love the Union, under the actual Con
sttution, as Washington did, as Jay, Ham
ilton, and Madison did as Jackson as Clay
as Webster loved it. Such, even, is the he
reditary and the habitual sentiment Of the
general American heart. But he has read
life and books to little purpose who has not
learned that "bosom frendhips" may be 'to
resentment soured," and that no hatred is so
keen, deep and precious as that.
"And to be wroth with one we love
VIII work like madness in the BRAIN
T., a. &c IictOrx II
still less purpose, who has not learned that
the friendships of these States sisters but
rivals sovereigns each with public life, and
a body of interests each, and sources OF
honor and shame of its own and within inself,
distributed into two great opposing groups
are of all human ties most exposed to such
rupture and such transformation.
| have no time in these hasty lines, and
there is no need to speculate on the details
of the modes in which the triumph of this
party would do its work of evil. Its mere
struggles to obtain the government, as that
struggle is conducted, is mischevous to an
extent incaculable. That thousands of the
good men who have joined it deplore this is
certain, but that does not mend the matter.
appeal to the conscience and honor of my
country that if it were the aim of a great
party, by every species Of access to the pop
ular mind-by eloquence, 10y argument, by
taunt, by sarcasm, by recrimnation, by ap-
peals to pride, shame, and natural rght-to
prepare the nation for a struggle with Spain
or England, or Austria, it could not do its
business more thoroughly. Many persons,
many peakers-many, very many, set
higher and wiser example, but the work is
doing
If it accomplishes its object, and gives
the government to the North, turnm eyes
from the consequences. TO the fifteen States
of the South that government will appear an
alien government. 1t will appear worse. 1t
will appear a hostile government. 1t will
represent to their eye a vast region of States,
organized upon anti-slavery, flushed by tri
umph, cheered onward, by the voice of the
pulpit, tribune and press; its mission to in
augurate freedom and put down the oligar
chy; its constitution the gittering and sound
ing generaities which makes up the Declara
ton of Independence. And then and thus
is the beginning of the end.
If necessity could be made out for such
party, we might submit to it as to other
unavoidable evil, and other certain danger.
But where do they find that? Where do
they pretend to find it. Is it to keep slavery
ont of the territories? There is not one but
Kansas in which slavery is possible. No man
fears, no man hopes for slavery in Utah, New
tional party to give them to freedom is about
as needful, and about as feasible as national
party to keep Maine for freedom. And Kan
sas Let that abused and profaned soil have
either within its borders: deliver it over to
the natural law of peaceful and spontaneous
immigration; take off the ruflian bands; strike
down the rifle and the bowie knife; guard
its strenuous infancy and youth, till it comes
of AGE to choose for itself-and it will choose
freedom for itself, and it will have whatever
it chooses.
When this policy, so easy, simple and Just,
is tried and fails, it will be time enough to
resort to revolution. 1t is in part because
the duty of protection to the local settler was
not performed that the Democratic party has
already by the action OF its great represen-
tativc convention resolved to put out Of office
its own administration. That lesson will not
and must not be lost by anybody. The coun-
try demands that Congress- before it adjourns,
give that territory peace If it do time will
inevitably give it freedom.
have hastily and imperfectly expressed
nv opinion through the unsatisfactory forms
of letter, as to the immediate duty Of wings.
We are to do what we can to defeat and dis
band the geographical porty But by what
specific action we can most eifectuallv con-
tribute to such result is a question Of more
difficulty. It seems now to be settled that
we present no candidate Of our own. If we
vote at all, then, we vote for the nominees
of the American or the nominees Of the De
mocratic party. As between them I shall
not venture to counsel the wings Of Maine
but deem IT due to frankness and honor to