Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-11-30
A Letter from the President.

Letter from the President.
10 reply to an invitation to attend the recent
Centenary Celebration at Pittsburg, the Pres
ident addressed to the manager the annexed
letter, which, both for the sound and patrl.
otto sentiments which it inculcates as we'll as
for its clear and transformations style, does
credit to the Chief Magistrate,-Nm. Int.
WAsHINGT y, November -, 1898.
GENTLEMEN: / have had the honor 20 re-
ceive YOUR invitation to be present, on the
18th instant, at the centennial anniversary
of the capture OF Fort Duqaesne; and regret
that the pressure OF public affairs, at period
near tho meeting Of Congress, renders II I'm
possible that should enjoy this privilege.
Every patrio. must rejoice whilst rejecting
upon the unparalleled progress OF our COUP
try within the last century. What was, at
it's commencement, an obscure fort, far be-
yend the western frontier of civilization, has
now become the centre CT populous, COM
mercia and manufacturing city, sending It's
productions to large and prosperous sover-
eign States still father west, whose territories
were then vast unexpiOred, aud silent Will
derness.
From the standpoint at which we have ar
rived the anxious patriot cannot lall, whllss
reviewing the past, to cast glance into the
future aud to speculate upon what may he
the condition OF our beloved country when
your poste-i,y shall assemble 70 celebrate the
second centennial anniversary OF tho capture
of Fort Dlquesne. Shall our Th0le country
then compose one united nation, moro popu-
lous, pow erful, end free than any other which
has ever exist d? Orwill the Confederacy baVe
| L Il, laI ,ntn fa
of hostile and jealous States? Or may 1t not
be possible that ere tho next celebration all
| the fragments, exhausted by intermediate
conflicts with each other, may haze finally
reunited and sought refuge under the shell
ter of one great and Over.shadowing Despot-
ism?
These questions will, | firmly believe, un-
der the Providence OF God, be virtally decided
by the present generation. We have reached
a crisis when upon Their action depends the pre-
servaton of tho Union according to the letter
and spirit of the CONSTITUTIONS; aud this once
gone, all is lost. | regret to say the present
omens are far from propitious. 10 tho last
age of the Republic it was considered almost
reasonable to pronounce the word Dtsuni0n.
Times have since sadly changed, and COW
dsuuion is freely prescribed as the remedy
for evauescent evils, real or imaginary, which
if left to themselves would speedily vanish
awny in the progress Of events.
Our Revolutionary fathers have passed
away, and the generation next after them,
who were inspired by their personal counsel
and example, have nearly all Disappeared
The present generation, deprived OF these
lights, must, whether they will or not, decide
the fate of their posterity. Let them cherish
the Union their heart of hearts; let them re-
sst every measure which may teod to relax
or dissolve its bonds; let he citizens of diff
ferent States cultivate feeiings OF kindness
and forbearance towards each other; and let
all resolve to transmit 1t TO their Descendants
in the form and spirit they have Inherited 1t
from their fOretstbers, and all will then be
we'll for our country in future times
shall assume the privilege o! advancing
years in referring to another growing and
dangerous evil. la the last age, although
onr fathers, like ourselves, were divided into
political parties, which often had severe con-
hicts with each other, yet We never heard,
until within o recent period, OF the employ
ment Of money to carry elections. Should
this practice increase until toe voters and
their representatives IN the State ana Nation-
al Legislatures shall become infected, the
fountain OF free government will then be
poisoned at its source, and We Gust end, as
history proves, in military dcepotsm. a de-
mocratic republic, all agree, cannot long
survive uoless sustained by public virtue
When this is corrupted and the people become
gena, there is canker at the root OF the
Tree Of Liberty which must cause it to wither
and to die.
Praying Almighty God that your remote
posterity may continue, century after century,
for ages yet to come, to celebrate the anniver.
sary of the capture of Fort Duquesne in
peace and prosperity, under the protecting
banner of the Constitution and the Union, |
remain very respectfully. your friend,
JAMES BUCHANAN.