The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-02-10
Edward Bates.

The Legislative festival passed OF in Saint
Louis very happily. At the dinner many
good speeches were made BY gentlemen from
the country and city, who seemed to vie with
each other in their efforts to promote cordi-
,ality of feeling between the commercial Me-
tropolis and country. The Hon. Edward
Bates was called up by the toast, "The States
Instinct as. the pillows but one as the Sea-"
lie said:
What would be the States without the
Union? lie believed he was the oldest resi-
dent of the State present. He might almost
say that he stood IN the midst Of posterity.--
He landed forty-three years since on the west
ern bank of the Mississippi. He had seen
this city grow from little village, that never
saw a barrel of -four made in its own bound
eries-grow to become this large city. He
was not here to speak Of these adyancements,
and these improvements, now. lie was to
speak of the States. What was the motive of
the Union he need not undertake to answer
for information, but the question could be an
swercd in a few moments. He believed that
this Union was hidden from Europe in the
days of her darkness, and that a little band
was sent forth to this country by the hand Of
Providence that mighty nation might spring
up from a people reared in school Of adver-
sity, that they might the better appreciate the
value of liberty.
He spoke Of the boundaries OF the States as
precluding the idea of disruption Of the
Union. Men do talk of the dissolution of the
Union, and he had heard men calculate the
benefits to result therefrom by rules Of arith-
metic. The young alligator in the Mississippi
might as well attempt to calculate the drops
of Shiny water that passes its den! Men can
not calculate! 1t is for the eternal welfare OF
man and the glory of God always. Ifit were
possible for . man to destroy this Union, his
name would be handed to posterity blot on
the page Of history, and, living, he would be
held up to indignant scorn. He was not one
of those who believed that the existence of
the Union was in danger at all. loud cheers. ]
He felt that the position and the resources Of
the States held them together. Did men ever
think that in this world no other nation OF
men, but the Anglo-Saxon, were governed
by piece of paper? His hearers might laugh.
Some have contended that the Constitution
held them together-he denied it! They
were held together by the strong arm of the law.
How is the union in danger? 1t is endan-
gered by the prevelancy Of sectional feeling as
err1yeu against the general Soou. IeehnS
gotten up by n set ofdemagogues, who want
ed power and office. Would any one look
him straight in the face and say that that pes
tierous African question was to be an essen
tial mode Of government? Would any man
say this though he be red Republican Of the
North, or q secessionist Of the South? This
thing that was accidentally thrust upon US? =
Would any body say that it was to become q
growing feature in our community, or, . uni
versal principle prevailing in our midst? This
question had tempted men to do what was be-
yond their power, men in Congress desired to
repca' the laws Of God, and to change the
significance of words as set down by Webster,
Walker and johnson. ~