Washington sentinel., 1856-08-05

Hon. J. u. Bright's Letter.
TO the great Democratic mass meetiatgat Indian
apolis on the l7th July.
WASHINGTON, July II, 1856
DEAR SIR: have seen Senators Cass, Doug
las, and Brown, and Representative Cobb, Of
| Georgia, and agreeably TO your request, have
invited them in behalf Of The State Central
| Committee to attend the mass meeting of our
| friends at Indianapolis on the 18th instant, Mr..
| Cobb has assured me that he would be present,
but the other gentlemen feel that they cannot,
consistently with their pressing duties here, be
absent for The length of time such visit would
necessarily require, and they beg to be excused
For myself, nothing would afford me more plea
sure than to unite on the occasion with the
democracy of our State in ratfying the nomi-
nations of that experienced and profound states
man, James Buchanan, for President, and the
equally worthy and gifted young son of Ken
lucky, John G. Breckenridge, for Vice Pres
dent, but my official engagements here are of
such character as to forbid my leaving at this
time.
avail myself, however, of the opportunity to
say to you, and to the mass gathering of our
friends, and TO my constituents generally, that
so soon as my duties hep will permit, shall
hasten home with the intention of visiting as
many counties as time will allow, and holding
converse with the people, face to face, on the
absorbing questions of the day. Iii there ever
was time when the constituent and his rep
resentative should be brought close together to
commune with each other freely tits the present
The systematic effort that is being made to
array one section ofour country against another
upon purely local question, and to inAape the
worst passions of men by misrepresentation
and falsehood, is calculated to alarm those who
love the Union and desireits perpetuity. Against
| the dangers of sectonalism we were early
warned by the Father Of bis Country; yet the
| tendency Of the public mind for the past few
| years, led on by men sometimes designing, and
always fanatical, has been toward that result
until now we see, for the first time in the
history of our country, formidable sectional
party, presenting sectional candidates for the
highest Offices in the nations gift, and basing
their claims to election upon purely sectional
grounds. 1t is appalling TO contemplate the
consequences which mustresult fromthe success
of such party; for it can end in nothing less
thar the lismemberment of that glorious Union
the work Of our revolutionary patriots--the
bequest Of our revolutionary sires--to which
We are indebted for our security at home and
our consideration and dignity abroad.
The Union had its origin in the wants and
necessities of the whole people and Of the
several States and every year OF its existence
has afforded fresh proofs Of its utility and its
blessings. Under its benign influences, agri-
culture, commerce-every industrial pursuit.
have Aourshed in an unparalleled degree and
we have grown, in the short period Of three
quarters of century, from an inconsiderable
power to be one Of the mightiest nations of the
n. A III
whether it would beSwse to throw all these
advantages away for the very illusory unsub
| stantial gains which sectionalism will furnish.
For myself, 81 have not" in the language of
the immortal Webster, "coolly weighed the
chances Of preserving liberty when the bonds
that unite us together shall be broken asunder.
have not accustomed myself to hang over
/ the precipice of dsunion to see whether, with
my short sight, can fathom the depth of the
abyss below nor could regard him as a safe
| counsellor in the affairs of this Government
whose thoughts should be mainly bent on con.
sidering, not how the Union should be best
preserved but how tolerable might be the
| condition Of the people when it shall be broken
up, and destroyed. While the Union lasts we
have high, exciting, gratifying prospects spread
out before rs, for us and our children. Be-
yond that ! seek not to penetrate the veil,
| God grant IN my day, at least, that curtain
may not rise. God grant that on my vision
never may be opened what lies behind. When
my eyes shall be turned to behold, for the last
time, the sun in heaven, may not see him
/ shining on the broken and dishonored frag.
ments Of once glorious Union--on States
discovered, discordant, belIigerent--on laud
rent with civil feuds, or drenched, it may be,
in fraternal blood. Let their last feeble and
lingering glance rather behold the gorgeous
ensign OF the republic, now known and honored
throughout the earth, still full high advanced,
its arms and trophies streaming in their origi-
nal lustre, not a stripe erased or polluted, nor
a single star obscured, bearing for its motto
no such miserable interrogatories as What IS
all This ,corth nor those other words Of de.
lusion and folly, Liberty first and Union af
tercards; but everywhere, spread all over in
characters Of living light, blazing on all its
ample folds as they float over the sea and over
the land and in every wind under the whole
heavens, that other sentiment, dear to every
American heart, LIBERTY AND UNION, vow
AND FOREVER, ONE AND INsEPARARLE."
A firm believer in mans capacity for self
government, will not allow myself TO suppose
that the people Of Indiana, hitherto devoted to
the Union, will become so blind and led away
by passion and prejudice, as to be willing to