Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-05-10

from power. The great instrument IF L,,.
lar deluson which they WELD for TIN, rpr.
pose, and to which alone they owe their m.
natural toothold in the South, j. III. iu,..
SAINT and perniciUus agitation of uue,ti.r.
connected with slavery
They put themselves forward 4, the .ra
cial snd exclusive friends of the righr, ,
the slaye-holding States They ofhciousv
volunteer to make political issues for r..
South; and when by means Of these h,,..
tious ISSUES, they have inhamed the SOM,
and secured her votes Il part Of them e,r.
yocate about the meaning and import Of tb.i,
pledges, and others betray her int, Ia.
and untenable positions, where she /, dom,
ed to humiliating defeat, and where. war..
than all, she is shorn 81 that which h..
hitherto constituted her chiet and in IT,.
invincible strength the prestige Of a cb,r
acter for high moral principle, that won
disdau communion with fraud. unfairo..,
orindirection OF any sort Let the late pem,.
cratic embarrassment III the Senate or IA,
United States on the true meaning and im,.,r
of the Kansas Nebraska Billet the humir
iating history and sequel OF the Lecomptor,
Constitution and the English bill--say how
far this representation is justified by facts,
No, fellow-citizuns, never should the South
consent to barter her principles and honor tor
such miserable delusiye SUPPORT. =,
this. She has never gained anything she
never can gain anything BY unhallowed polit-
icsl bargains. Have We 80 sovn forgotten that
be who obtained her votes for the Presidency
~ THE Northern man with Southern princi.
/ Piles, was afterwards the head and Presdcn-
/ tial candidate of the frersoil party Her
I rights have far better and higher guarautr.
( than any political combination can give
They are written in the Constitution q. the
country. There they are impregnable. Let
us disiain to hold them by any lower tenure.
Political agitation can do them nothns
but harm. They are under the sacred guar.
danship of Il tribunal instituted for the de-
fence Of Constitutional rights, tribunal
which no political agitation can reach. Tha;
tribunal, in the serene. undlsturbed exercise
of its lofty functions, has covered them with
the panoply of the national Justice. On each
successive question, involving the rights Of
the Southern States ~ they have arisen.
upon the Constitutional obligation aud VA.
lidity Of the fugitive act-upon the ri ht Of
transfer from one State Ia another, free from
the control which had been claimed under
the power of regulating commerce amcngthe
States--upon the limits of Congressional
power with regard to tine common ierr,orir,
Of the Union--on all these questions, the su-
preme judic al tribunal of the nited State,
has, by its solemn and i-reversible Juds
ments, surrounded the rights and institution,
of the South, in the only points in which
they have ever been supposed to be open to
invasion, with HI impossible wall OF de-
fence.
lie who would under these circumstance,
indulge any serious apprehension Of en-
croachment, either from Congress or the 9th
or States. on the rights and institutions Of
the South must be very creiulous. OF u
very timid man. Such Il man, ~ DIR. John.
son said of the M property aarmlst III hl'
day, would have been apt to cry fire. in the
midst Of the universal deluge. trust, fr!-
low-citizcns, there is no son of Virginia Who
would 90 further in defence of the Constita
tional rights Of the South. in case Of any roa.
danger, than would. But, as cherish b.,
honor as value her rights. loathe and de
precate all simulated panics to fright her
frem her propriety"-to seduce her from her
ancient loyalty to the cause oi pure aud un'
corrupt government, and to enlist her in the
obedient service of party that would practice
upon her fears only to betray her principle
and interests.
Felluw-citzens, there is one real, one
pressing, one oversbadowing aud imminent
danger which threatens the whole country
1t is the danger 10 the public liberty
public morals--to our free institutions them.
solyes-frum the widespread corruption and
abuses which have invaded every department
OF our national administration. To reform
these abuses, to purify the government ir"n
it's pollution. to bring II back 10 IT. accountn
bility to the people--to replace the public
liberty upon the firm pedestal Of the public
morals-to "drive the money changers from
the temple"-this is high and holy work u
patriotism, which demands the united AMI
best exertOns of all for the honor and intere.'
Of all
1t is the common cause Of good men ani
patriots everywhere in the north, the south,
the east, the west Shall we permit our
selves to be diverted from vital and eN,
gent work ns this, by the stale device Of H.
adversary in attempting to SOW division
among the friends Of honest responsible goy
eminent, by the revival Of extinct and pest.
lent sectional ISSUES for which there is 10 ~
listing foundation by the absurd cry OF hrr
III the midst Of the deIuge Of corruption whIrh
0verwhelms the land.
We have recently heard most honorable
and truthful voice from the North speukIns
IL the name ola numerous, enlightened. AMI
patriotic body Of our tellow-citizen- there, ds
claring thsir willingness and earnest da-,r3
to sink, hencetorward and forever. these M
chievous and dangerous ISSUES 70 our natlyn-
al politics. From opportunities OF Intorn1-
ton, which late visit OF a wholly private
character, to that portion OF the Union afford
ed me- sincerely believe that this is the un.
equiyocal, the deeply fult sentiment Of alagss
majority Of our fellow citizens in the entr,
north. Shall we not accept this peace offer.
ing and be willing with them, to consgn t,
tho tomb Of the capulets--a tomb, alas that
already contains 80 many victims OF unna'u
raj striie-an ill omened controversy, which,
by the IMMUNITY it has hitherto ensured g.
official abuses, has brought mt
the EXTREMIST peril those glorIou, In-ilo.
tons which the wisdom and yalor 81 NORTH
ern and southern men united in establlshms
and which their descendants are alike inter
ested in defending and perpetuatlng.
At all events, tellOw-citizens, you are IN
gagged in noble effort to yindcate tie honor
and Liberties Of your country. Ii is an eff.
worthy Of the ancient fame vi Virginia i
the best days Of her patriotism and ren"wh.