The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-04-16
THE uN1oN-w1LL IT STAND OR FALL.


they may contain. Every age has its er-
prcudices and traits Forms of government,
like religious rites, however variant and
contradictory, emauate from similar sources
and have all the same object and aim
The lIindoo widow, feeding the flames of
her husbands funeral pyrc, with her own
flesh aud blood, or invoking the Ganges for
mercy OH his soul, is actuated 10y Il faith
and animated with tervor worthy the most
sublime spcctacles of Christian sacrifice, the
most earnest appeals of Christian prayer
And SO in social organization; the bIood!est
and darkest deeds of seemingly lcartless
inhumanily, have been pcrpetrated IN the
name of liberty and justice. The reign OF
terror and the American revolution were
results Of the same elements of human ma
ture. The object Of all religion is TO attain
happiness hereafter; the honest aim OF all
good governments is to dispense prosperity
and give contentmcnt to the people. 1t Is
Inherent in the heart Of man to seek So
cely; and government of some sort or
other is always found following his foot
steps, whether they traverse the wilderness
or the desert, among the widest Indian
tribes as well as the most enlightened OF
the Anglo Saxon race, in the lla.nlnocks of
Florida rs in Washington or London.
Man must be governed: wisely 1t he'will,
and justly if he can. -.
In earlier DAYS, when the human niteilcct
had not attained that majesty and might,
which now give 1.-THE mastery of every
thing within its reach, politics was an art.
Now it is science As intelligence has
increased, the artificial edicts of necessity,
enforced through the tyrannic rule of dcs
pots, have given place to more wholesome
laws in justice and right and in the rccip-
rocal relations OF man with man, as equal,
but mutually dependent members of the
same society. The great theory of self
government has been aifirmatively deter
mined by the American people. And it
remains their mission, now that they have
established a philosophical fact, founded in
the noblcst attributes of human nature, 20
amplify their great work, to encompass its
collateral advantages, and accomplish all
that a nation Of free, independent, inteli
gent and cnterprising people can. Our Union
is the admiration and wonder Of the world.
And though we regard it rs something sa-
crcd, as long as it answers the purpose for
which it was devised, VIC cannot concur in
the opinion that severance of the South
crn from the Northern States would be Il
death blow to our political institutions, that
it would be the explosion of IN cxperimen,
in politics, or that the interests Of other ma
tions, now following in our footsteps, would
bc rrcvocably ruined. 1t is the substance, not
the shadow, that is regarded. The Consti-
J tuition is the great charter of freedom, which
! the civilized world will eventually copy
The Union is only the corporcal clay con-
| tanning the soul of liberty. Let the Consli-
tuition be perverted and prosti,uted, and we
would willingly admit, that sef-govcrnmcnl
is not fact, but failure. Dissevcr the
{ Union rather than disregard the genius o
: our institutions, and that section which sep.
;, crates sooner than submit, carries with it
4 and will ever retain, the vital principles o.
/ our government. In such an event, tht
= North would doubtless be in danger of all
, archy and despotism. With no conserva
: tive element Of society, with license in lie,
g of liberty, and with no appreciation of tn
y sacred covenant which expresses the con
l. tidcncc, and guarantees the rights of Re
publican people, the free States might readi
c y relapse into original absolutcisn. Blu
c the slaveholding States would he very dill
!, fcrcntly affected. The North would be tn
n violator of the government, the South it
|e protector. I'D, in strictly political poin
te of view, it is debatable question, whethe
re- purcr republic would be established in Il,
- South, than even now exists under th
O. manifold advantages Of the Union. Blu
ID while we hold that the South might ross
~ bly, be benefited in the end, we are far fror
d. admitting that any such emergency has "
or arisen as to justify disruption of the col
Sc federacy.
ke Within the elastsix months there have bee
We fearful forcbodngs of such a state of thin!
as would render it the duty Of the Southe,
d, people to dissolve their connection will, Il
u North. But the crisis has passed; the da
,is ger has been diverted and we trust forevc
he The maiady that has so long ranked
.u- every fibre Of the body polite, we are i
an clined to believe, has done its worst. Alb
nd itionism has been rchuked by the peopl
ter and the highes: Judicial tribunal Of the n
bi- ton has sanctioned the popular verdict
ne We entertain the hope that a majority
cir opponents Of slavery, or at least such n n
nd nority as will render the rest incapable
cy accomplishing their designs, will now
ICE constrained to bow obeisance to the Cons
re- ton.
all The extension of slavery is of little cons
nuence to the security of the South, if t
cen Union is to be devoted to the objects
rn- which it was originated, and the understar
ich ing between the States is not to be abus,
RE- But, if "mght makes right" and t
70 slaveholding States are to be imposed up
md and oppressed, rs soon as there is a su
ore cient force Of tine opposition in both IIou.
nch Of Congress to alter the Constitution, I'll
not there is already determination on the n
iere Of the North to violate the compact and bri
s of about dissolution rs speedily as possible,
,rts, And the Southern people are manifestin,
ar heroic devotion to the Union i'm their effo
l an to battle the dark designs of the faction;
and fanatics of the North.
lour The administration of Mr.. buchanan
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