American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-04-02
f a most powerful and dospo,ic mon.

"a Host poWeIiut ana 0oSpotiC mon
archy uponthe soil consccratcd to free
dom by the blood Of tho Rcvolution.-
Foreign influence, the germ of all these
terrible evils, and against which tho
American party in vain invoked the
solemn warnings of our patriot faith
ers, has been permitted to grow and
spread abroad its Upcs branches until
its fatal shadow da,kens the whole
land. The integrity Of the Union,
the sheet.anchor of our national pros,
pcrity, is seriously menaced; and all
the horrors of an internecine civil war
are momentarily expected to be precip-
itated upon our country.
Such is the fearful emergency in
which the American party is called up
on to manifest anew its most unselfish
patriotism, to exert its most determin-
cd efforts, and to concentrate all its
great energies to save the country from
the terrible evils by which it is threaten
ed, and to protect and preserve the
rights of the States, the integrity of
the Union, and tire ii5ertics of the
people by the successful establishment
of American principles. 1t is "a task
worthy of the heroic devotion of patri.
OTIS. ltisan undertaking equalled ,n-
ly in its glorious greatness by the rev,
olution which gave birth to our nationl
freedom. 1t is in the power of the
American party, and only of that par
ty, to achieve this splendid act of pat
riotism. The Democratic party, be-.
sides being torn and distracted by in
ternal dlssessions, is the miserable a.
gent by which these terrible wrongs
are threatened to be inflicted upon
the country. The Republican party,
at best "the growth of sudden emer-
gency,' the mere expression of sec
tlonal tanatlcism, is rapidly approach.
ing its dissolution Its purposes are
effected and its occupation is gone.-
1t devolves upon the American party,
and upon it alone, at this dangerous
crisis to press forward boldly, detcrmin-
edly, and triumphontly to the rescue
of our imperiled country r. n..|. a
1t is no time now for hesitation or
for lethargy among the friends of A.
merican principles. They are appro-
we'd in the hearts Of the masses of the
people everywhere. Their truth and
patriotism and the necessity for their
establishment are acknowledged by the
conservative and Union loving men of
all parties. All that is necessary now
to insure their success is the perfect
and separate and distinct organization
OF the American party in every State
and county and precinct in the confed-
eracy, and jealous determination to
battle manfully and heroically for these
principles in every election, however
unimportant, until glorious victory
shall be won for our cause and our coun-
try in the national contest of 1860.
We have never in our lives been so
deeply impressed with a sense of the
Importance and necessity of the ear
nest, active, and untiring exertions of
the friends of American principles as
at the present moment. Let them
now prepare, and at once, to put forth
all their energies, to exert all their in
tluence, and to win the victory in ev-
cry contest, local, State, and national.
The rosy dawn of success is already
blushing upon them. Tons and hun
dreds of thousands Of their country
mon, who have hitherto stood aloof
from them, are ready and waiting for
their signal to rally around their stand
ard and swell their victorious ranks.
Now is the time for action. Now
is the time for the exercise of that zeal
by which only patriots are animated
Let our American friends everywhere
remember that the country now calls
upon them to do their duty. Let
them recall the solemn warnings of the
patriot founders of our Republic. Let
them regard the pure patriotism, the
undimned brightness oftheir principles.
Let their council-fres be relighted in
every valley and upon every hillside
throughout the land, and let their hosts
be gathered to march forward to victo-
ry, shoulder to shoulder, and side by
sue, as ala the men OF 10, at the call
of distressed nation, Americans, to
the rescue!' .a .... ..... ..
For ourselves, we shall not fail to do
our duty and our whole duty. What
ever Of energy, whatever of industry,
whatever of zeal, whatever of devotion
we may have given in the past to the
promotion of the Americap cauao oboll
be excellod by our efforts in this emer,
gency. We are convinced that the
safety of the country now rests only
upon the success of the American par
ty. We believe conscientiously that
the destiny of the nation will be final,
ly and forever decided by the success
or failure of American principles in
the contest that is already begun, and,
as q religious and patriotic duty that