The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-11-30
rae CELEBRATION Ar PITYSB URIC. LETTER
or PRESIDENT BUCHANAN


WASHINGTON, Nov. ed, 1858.
GErnnns have had the honor to receive your in.
yitaton 70 be present the 25th instant the Cen
tennia Anniversary OF the capture OF Fort Duquesne and
regret that the pressure Of public affairs at period
the meeting Of Congress- renders II impossible that
l should enjoy this privilege
Every patriot must rejoice whilst ~
tury What ~-- Il country within the last cen
Ga, b -, at its commencement, an obscure fort
-ssold the western frontier of civilization has now
become The centre OF populous commercial and manu-
featuring city, sending i productions % largo and pros
porous sovereign states s further west whose terrific
ries we're en vast unexplored and silent wilderness
From the stand point at which have arrived the
anxious patriot cannot fall whilst reviewing the past to
cast glance into the future and to speculate upon what
may be The condition OF our country when your poserty
shall assemble to celebrate the second Centennial Ami
yersaIy OF the capture OF Fort Duquesne Shall os
country then compose united nation more popuous
powerful and free than any other which has ever existed
Or will the conederacy have been rent ssunder and div
ded into groups Of hostile and Jealous States Or may il
not be possible that The next celebration all the flag
mentc, c-hausted by intermediate conflicts with each
other may have finally reunited and sought refuge under
the shelter of one great and overshadowing despotsm
These questions will i firmly believe under the Proyi-
dencc of God be virtually decided by the present genera
ton. We have reached crss when upon their action
depends the preservation of the Union according to the
letter and spirit of the constitution and this gone
all Is Loot.
regret to say that the present omens are far from pro-
pous. In the last age of the republic it consider
ed almost reasonable to pronounce the word ds,i9n
Times have since sadly changed and dsunion free
ly prescribed the remedy for evils real
imaginary which, if left 10 themselves, would speedily
vanish away Id the progress OF events. ~
Cur revolutionary fathers have passed away, and the
generation next after them who inspired by their
personal counsel and example, have nearly all disappear
ed The present generation, deprived of these lights
must, whether they will not, decide the fate of their
posterty Let them cherish the Union in their heart
hearts let them resist every which may tend
to relax dissolve its bonds let the citizens of different
States cultivate feelings of kindness and forbearance
towards each other and let all resolve to transmit IL to
their descendants in the form and spirit they have in
herted it from their foreiathers and all will then be
well for our country in future times
shall assume the privilege of advancing years in
ferring to another growing and dangerous evil In the
last age, although fathers like ourselves divi-
ded into political parties which often had conflicts
with each other, yet heard until within
cent period, of the employment Of money to carry cleo
tons Should this practice increase until the voters and
their representatives In the State and national legislatures
shall become infected the fountain of free government
will then be poisoned Mt its source, and must end
history proves, in military despotism democratic
republic, all agree cannot long survive unless sustained
by public virtue. When this is corrupted aud the people
become yera there canker at the root of the tree of
Liberty which must cause it to wither and to die.
Praying Almighty God that your remote posterty may
continue century after century for ages yet to come to
celebrate the anniversary OF the capture of Fort Duquese
in peace and prosperity under the banner of the oons
! tuition and the Union, tenaih,
Very respectfully, your friend
JAMES BUCHANAN.
To Russell Eret j. Heron Foster James p Barr Charles
Midnight, j. g. Backofen, William NJ Darlington,
and I. j. Bigham Esquires, Committee Of huiahoa.