The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-17
PRESTON s. BROOKS AND DIS
UNION.
Letter from the Hon Preston s. Brooks, read at
the Ratification Meeting at Charleston, s. c.
WIsuJycTnp II e. Efue 16 1874

Letter from the Hon. Preston 8. Brooks, read at
the Ratification Meeting at Charleston, S. C.
WASHINGTON, d. G., June l6, 1856.
GENTLEMEN Circumstances of personal
character, and over which L have no con.
troll, will prevent me from uniting with you in
the ratification meeting at Charleston.
The issue in the pending election of a Presi-
dent is the Issue of Union or Disunion for if
the strength of the Fusionists, who now pre-
dominate in the lower House Of Congress, be-
comes augmented by Presidential power and
patronage, as surely as there is a heaven above
US, the temple of Republican Liberty, which
our Revolutionary sages erected in moderation,
wisdom, and honor, viii cTumble into ruins,
and every fragment Of the wreck will be attained
with blood 1t can never be, that the people
of aftean sovereign States will passively " walk
under the yoke" while weapons of defence are
to be found, and. there orc the hands of white
men to use them.
regard it as the highest duty of every pa,
triot in the land to contribute his best energies
to avert this fearful catastrophe, and am per-
suaded that 1t oaa be avoided only by the
triumphant success of the Democratic party.
Mr.. Buchanan was neither my first nsr sec
ond choice for the Presidency, but, as the rep
resentative of q type of principles, and standing
boldly as he does upon The Baltimore platform,
upon which General Pierce was carried into
power, enlarged, improved, and strengthened
as it has been by the supplemental resolutions
adopted at Cincinnati, and by which resolu'
tons our principles, as practically applied to
the Territory of Kansas, haze been re endorsed
by the American Democracy, and by their nom
inee, could not be unfaithful to the man, with.
out tEeaehery to the principles he represents.
We have reached the turning point in the
experiment of the people to govern themselves.
Ours is yet youthful Republic, and 80 far we
have made only trial trips to test tia machinery
of our Government; but the perils of the OCEAN
of uncertainty are now to be encountered, and
every man and every timber of the ship OF
State viii hs subjected to the severest proof.
Let US do our duty to the Constitution and the
country, in an earnest and concerted eIoyt 9Th
the law.abiding and conservative men of every
State, in driving of the piratical grew of Black
Republcanism who hover around US, With the
emblems of death at their head, aud rule or
ruin for their motto.
The high moral duty of forbearance, when
fortified BY q consciousness of having, as far
as is consistent With honor, AVOIDED the neces-
sity of collision, will steel the arm of eny maa
with soul in his body, to strike against every
odds in resistance of insult or oppression. To
this condition of mind hope to see brought
every man in the eoata Sto 70 capable OF Dear
ing arms. If, with the aid Of the psts;otic Pc
mocracy of the North-a Democracy which il
honored By haying on its muster roll the names
of Pierce of New HaNpshiFe, Douglas of Hi
nois, and Toucey of Connecticut--sas issTe o
disupiea may be avoided, 1 will praise GOD fol
it; bat, after doing our whole duty, If the issue
| of blood must come, Why then Ys VII be pre-
pared to meet Il, and III thank God for That
We have friends throughout the entire North
| who are true to us. Good and true men are
| confined to no one region, and not only the
| political fortunes of such are embarked in this
contest, but in many instances their social pc
sition and pecuniary interests will be affected
by the result. Should the Democratic ermy
be victorious, they will become more jealous
in guarding the outposts of the Constitution
They will be brevetsd, and their influence in
creased,