Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-09-18

the very commencement Of the govern
ment, is upon US. A party--a sectional
party-which has no existence South OF
Mason and Dixon's line, has arrayed it.
self IN the North upon single idea, hos
tllity to the Southern institution of Slavery
and has determined, at the expense of rights
guaranteed by the Constitution, and at the
risk of destroying the Union itse.f. to carry
out its designs, and to force the Southern
States III very self-defense to withdraw
from the confederation Was it not believ-
ed in 1929, when Missouri was admitted
into tie Union, that everything WAS in per-
il from the agitation of the question of Sla-
very? What else was the contest about,
and what was the cause that as a measure
of pacifcation the so-called Missouri Com
promise was produced? 1et there aeos no
PARTY orroyed distinctirciy upom This lsses-
tion Why was it that in 1850 gloom
was upon the whole land, and the hearts Of
the bravest and best patriots quaked with
fear for the country? Was it that we were
threatened with foreign war? Was Il that
our shores were desolated by the invasion
of foreign enemies? No, thank God all
that the world outside ofus could do would
have broughtno terror to the hearts Of the
glorious men who then welded the desti-
MES of the Nation. They were terrified
because spirit Of fanalicism had been
raised in the land which threatened not on
ly a fratricldal but suicidal war; the hand
Of Cain was again raised 10 strike down his
brother Abel, and he himself in conse
quence Of his blow, to become the accursed
of God. Fellow citizens, this is no fancy
picture. What at that time did Mr.. Clay
tell you? and how did he depict he conse-
quences likely to ensue upon the continued
agitation Of this miserable question of slav-
ery-the offspring Of fanalicism, and the
tool Of politicians.
In his great speech upon the Compro-
mise resolutions of 1850. he told You that
''if the Union was to be dissolved for any
existing cause, it would be because slavery
. is inerdicted or not allowed to be introdu-
ced into the ceded territories; or because
slavery is threatened to be abolished in The
District Of Columbia; or because fugitive
slaves are not restored, as in my opinion
they ought to be, to their masters. These
| believe would be the causes, if there be
any causes which can lead to the dreadful
event 10 which | have referred"
He told us in the speech upon the same
Compromise in 1850, that if the Union
were dissolved, dissolution and war were
/ identical
Mr.. President, have said, what | sol
emnly believe, that dissolution Of this I'm
ION and war ae identical and inevitable:
and they are convertible terms; and such
a war as it would be. following dissolu-
tion Of the Union! Sir, we may search the
pages of history. and none so ferocious, so
bloody, so implicable, 50 exterminaing-
not even III the wars Of Greece, including
those of the Commoners of England and
the revolution il France--nonc, none of
them at al would rage with such violence,
or be characterized with such bloodshed
and enormi-ies as would the war which
must succeed if that event ever happens,
the dissolution Of the Union. And what
would bc its termination? Standing ar
mics, and navies, to an extent stretching
the revenues of each portion Of the dissev-
cred members, would take place. An ex-
terminating war would folow--not, sir,
war of TWO or three years duration, but Il
war of interminable duration--and exter-
minaing wars would ensue, until after the
struggles and exhaustion of both parties,
some Philip or Alexander, some Caesar or
Napoleon, would arise and cut tie Gordian
knot. and solve the problem of the capacity
ofman for self-gov.rnmcnt, and crush the
liberties of both the several portions of this
common empire. Can you doubt ii?
Look at all history--consult her pages,
ancient or modern--look at human nature:
look at the contest in which YOU would be |
engaged in the supposition of war follow
ing upon the dissolution of the Union, such
as | have suggs sted; and ask you if ii is
possible for you to doubt that the final dis
position of the whole would be some despot
treading down the liberties Of the people
the final result would be the extinction
Of this last glorious light which is leading
all mankind. who are gazing upon it, in
the hope and anxious expectation that the
liberty which prevails here will sooner or
later be dillused throughout the whole Of
the civilized world. Sir, you can lightly I
contemplate those consequences? Can
you yield yourself to tho tyranny Of pas
sion. amid dangers which have depicted
in colors far too tame of what the result +;
would be If that direful event to which | ,
have referred should ever occur? Sir. {
~, nlnra rentlan,an I ,h;ura lo,, r.o,s, H. - =