Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-02-05
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE AND VIRGINIA ADVERTISER AIRY 1853
WHAT would en.ue should the union DC

WHAT would eu.ue should the union dc
Dissolved.
1t may, certainly, We think, be taken tor
granted tlat when a Dissolution Of this Union
shalt take place, be the cause what 1t may,
neither the Southern nor the Northern Cot
federacy which may follow, will be any more
! Of compact, solid and permanent structure
than the subverted one Each will in the
course Of lis limited existence experie nee
/ like deterioration under the operation OF Ike
causes, and each will tumble to pieces 10
its turn.
Thus, the work Of disntegratiDn once be
gun will 20 on with increased rapidity until
the States which are now bound together IN
union, With cUmmUn Constitution and i
common head, will be separated, and form
So many distinct and petty repabilcs. Nor
will the fatal retrogressiJn stop here. Even
the llttle republic itself will DE, IN the course
OF few more years. torn with internal dis
sensiOns, and the counties aud cttteS Will lml.
tate the pernicous example set by the first
( dIsunIOnlsts, aud organize themselves, alter
the medieval Italian fashion, into republics
and thus, in century or two, perhaps
that portion of tue American Continent now
covered toy the graudes, CUnfedcracy ot free
aud equal com nOnwca!ths that the sun ever
shOue upon, knit together by IOlItlcal ties
and mutual obligations that would seem 10
he Irreiragable by u sane pcOp.e--wpuld be
cut up intO hundreds Of miniature contempt
lille sOvereigntjes, which would be Just So
many dlscUrdancles in that shape. Either
lp ha IN "A
ton Of things after u dissolution Of the pre-
sent Union or there would be In the progress
of subdivision such temptation, from lm-
testlne distractions and consequent euieebie-
ment, t. military chieitlirs to seize upon the
rlcketty government, and trampie upon the
unprotected rights OF the people, that either
one vas: Tyranny or scoIe Ot petty ones
would wind up the drama.
We express the opinion honestly and bold
ly that if the people cannot live IN peace t.
gether under our existing institutions they
will never live more peacefully tIgether un-
der any change, organize their government
Is they may-tUr 1t cannot be denied that
these institutions are as near PERFECTION hs
any that mans wisdom can devise, and II
the ends OF II representative and tree govern
ment cannot be wrought out by them II Is
only because the people, IN the aggreg gate, are
incapable OF seli-rulo. This Union, with its
constitution, was designed to be an expert
ment 60 test the long contrOverted and still
unsettled question of the practrcabllity of
popular government, as cOntradIstInguished
from al otacr forms; and it it shall be dis
solved, the failure Of the experiment will be
total and fatal. All further efforts t. maIn-
tain ine affirmative of the disputed question
will be vain, and popular institutions will be
laughed 10 scorn by their enemies, who viii
point 10 triumph to the explosion Of the
great American republic rs an all sufficient
evidence of the superiority of klngIy and
Imperial dyoasties aud prerogauVes, to re-
publican elective Presidents and written
CunstitutiOns -IeLrSLNrg Int.