The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-10-15


imperfect development, or the subversion of
the Democratic principle. But the Union, al
lowing for the painful exceptions produced by
Slavery, has constantly and powerfully favored
the growth and extension of this principle.
4. Another end was Peace. War is almost
as heavy curse as Slavery. War expenses
are as wasteful as the unthrift and idleness of
Slavery; war deeds and preparations as de.
moralizing as the influences of Slavery. How
can the masses of Europe be free, comfort
able, progressive, with mammoth armies tram
ping them in the dust, and hundreds of mil.
lions ground out of them, to pay for the sup
port of uniformed idlers2 Is the American
temperament so meek, 80 forbearing, so slow
to take offence, that half dozen Independent
republics in this country could move side
by side, TRANQUILITY, trustingly, forbearingly,
with no forts, no munitions of war, no means
of defence or aggression? The destruction of
the Union would be the commencement Of q
new era-the era of war, of stsndi ng armies
and strong governments-of centralism, cor
ruption, and tyranny. The very outline and
cessity. We have no great natural boundaries,
separating different sections. We all flow into
one. Our vast extent of country, with the
exception of the Pacific coast, is almost a
plain, so that artificial barriers, composed of
the bodies of men paid for shooting and being
shot at, would have to take the place of natu-
raj boundaries. Dissolution, too, in itself, is q
revolutionary measure: it could not fail to
awaken the profoundest feelings of luminosity
among those who had hitherto been friends
and friendship converted into hate, is the most
deadly of all forms of hatred.
The Union, then, subserves the great cause
Of Peace. 1t has preserved peace between SOW
ereign States for more than half q century !;
perpetuated peace over surface of country as
large as Europe, which meantime has been
convulsed by wars without number by the
force of this glorious example has given coun-
tenance and support to the cause of Peace
throughout Christendom; and it bids fair to
maintain peace between all the States that
may yet become members of the Confederacy
on this North American continent. And this it
has done, despite the malignant influences of
Slavery, that monstrous anomaly in our insti.
tutions, which is perpetually sowing dragons
teeth, and provoking i'll feeling between differ.
ent sections.
5. Another end arrived at was, Personal Sc
eurity. So far as twenty-five millions of peo-
pie are concerned, this has been accomplished,
although here again are exceptions, Great ed BY
Slavery. Personal Security in many of the
slave States is not to be enjoyed, except on
Terms revolving to an Anti Slavery man. But
in al the free States, and in some of the slave,
it is effectually guaranteed, not so much by the
direct act of the Union, as through its indirect
influence. Commanding peace abroad, and
harmony at home, it relieves the States indi.
vdualy from stringent Govern ments, standing
armies, and war xpenses-secures TO them
almost unlimited liberty-and the result is, no
man feels the most distant apprehension of gov
ernmental tyranny, exaction, or intermeddling.
There is deep, pervading sense of Personal
Security, without which there can be little
solid Progress.
6. Another and great benefit secured by the
Union Is, the establishment or Free Trade sO
- - -~--->-s-srV OAISHU. cOun-
try been cut up into Northern, Western. and
Southern Confederacies, or into smaller Sec
tons, each would have impaired its energies,
and retarded its progress, by what is called the
system OF Protection-acting upon the absurd
principle that it is important to raise or manu-.
iacture at home everything that it is necessary
m he - L.
this folly. 1t has taken off every fetter from
the industrial energies of the States, in their
relations 70 each other, and every new addition
to 1t IS an extension of the Principle of Free
Trade.
Such are some of the vast benefits confer.
red by the American Union-blessings. to
which we have so long been accustomed, that
we have ceased to appreciate them, or to at.
tribute them to their true source.
Now, in regard to Slavery, do we not err.
when We charge its extension and power mon
the Cnion2 The Union did not create. but
found it existing. 1t did not provide for its
encouragement, but announcement. Nothing
IN Its terms or conditions was designed to favor
its continuance, but there was much intended
TO promote the extension of Liberty. That
the just expectations of its founders have been
partially disappointed, in the growth of Sla.
very, we know but the Union is not in fault.
Slavery grew because cotton became pro6ta-
bic, and put slave labor at premium, but this
would have taken place had no Union been
formed, and we should have witnessed similar
extension of slave empire in the Southwest.
But may We not credit the Union with the
freedom of the great Northwestern Territory.
with the free institutions which now prevail in
the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wis.
consin? 1t was to the Confederation that V;r.
ginia resigned her claim to the North veste,r
Territory: the Ordinance of 1857, consecra.
ting it to Freedom, became part of the com.
pact of Union; and it is admitted that BY that
Ordinance the Territory was saved from Sla.
very. What would have been its fate. had no
Union been formed?
The cause Of Freedom and Free Institutions
owes much to the Union that it does not owe
more, IS the fault, not of the Union, but of the
People, especially those of the free States.
They have always been numerous enough to
prevent the extension of Slavery. The work.
ings of the Union and Constitution in favor of
Liberty have been aided by the operation of
natural laws, and, under their joint influences,
the free States have been constantly gaining,
until today they are stronger relatively than
ever before. Had their People been fully en-
hghtened upon the nature of Slavery, and acted
intelligently and steadily in carrying out the
real spirit of the Constitution and the great