The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-12-21

injury reused the heart of tie young giant,
and brought him into renewed conflict with
his former oppressorl That attempt to crush
us failed, had the previous attempt
| Why did the first fail? Because the heart of
our nation was infused with the spirit of the
Bible and patriotic unity. Why did the Sec
ond fail? Because the increased multiplied
States of this Republic felt that they were
bound together by hooks of eternal steel: as
one man, they met the enemy, they conquer
ed, they triumphed. The invading foe, with
fallen crest, were commanded to return to their
own shores and let us alone.
This spirit of jealousy is, we think, mani
fest;' and the monarchies, the despotisms of
Europe can to-day see no hope of triumphing
over this Western Continent in any other way
than by breaking us to pieces. They cannot
break us; but we can break ourselves. The
combined armies and navies of the whole three
continents not equal to the task of seve-
ring this Union, if we be true to ourselves.
Seeing, then, no hope, other than by divid-
ing US against ourselves, our adversaries are
apt, as matter of course, to seizs hold of that
whereby they may most readily engender strife
make US sectional-lift the heart from the
| great ark of the convenant of the Union, and
put it down in little spot here and little spot
there. Hence it is you find England particu-
larly, most impertinently officious in attempt
|
press, her pulpits, her forum, her Senate
chamber, roll out anathemas upon us, and en-
deavor to stretch forth the hand to lay it upon
that which belongs to US, with which they
| have no business And as the Lord lives, if
they are not careful, that arm will one day be
smitten from the shoulder, in its intermed-
ding attempts. We are a long-sufering peo-
pie; but, brethern, there was point at which
we found encroachment unendurable; and
| Il I III q
working out the great problem of self-eovern-
ment, we are capable of taking care of cur
own institutions, whatever they may be-ccm-
mercial, agricultural, domestic, civil, religious;
we are capable of takiug care OF our own in
stitutions, and we must be let alone.
If, however, the enemies of republics can,
| by the utmost strength of their cunning and
their power urge US on to spirit OF mutual
jealousy, of anarchy, of confusion; if they can
discover, (and they think they have discover
ed H. the means by which entering wedge
of separation may be introduced between these
States, now bound together by ten thousand
ligaments of the human heart, and cemented
by oceans of holy and patriotic blood, If they
can discover how they may divide and disrupt
this Union, they will do it; and when it shall
be done, they will put the iron heel of despo-
tism upon the scattered fragments, as may suit
their pleasure or their interest But, o God!
that day cannot come, that day will never
come, if we be true to ourselves!
have no apprehensions from the malignant
influence of any power, unless 1t be seconded
by our own folly. Sometimes men tell me
'sIf we should have war with England, our
enemies would burn Boston, and burn New
| York, and burn Philadelphia, and burn Baiti-
more; they will burn every city on the Attain
tic shore" I do not believe word of it
That is not the kind of stnff that we are made
of, to be thus burned. But we may burn our
selves. while no other hand dare grasp that
helm of the ship of state, and drive the noble
vessel upon the quicksands or on the rocks, we
may do it,
In viewing the aspects of public morality in
this country, one of the most alarming signs
of the times, to my mind, is the utter inditer-
ence that seems to prevail with regard to the
solemnity, value and importance of OATH
Every President, every governor, judge, all
the MAYORS and lawyers and marshals and JUS
tices OF the peace, an the members of Congress
and of our respective State Legislatures, are
sworn, solemnly before God, as they will ans
wer at the Great Day, to stand by the Consti-
| tuition and the laws of the United States
This is the oath that they take. 1t is no tri-
fe. The question is, now, is this oath COM
Piled with !? All naturalized citizens-(and 1
want this heard, 1 want it understood)-al
naturalized citizens are, if possible, more SOL
emnly bound to the Constitution and laws OF the
United States by oath, than either the Presi-
dent, the Governor, the Judge, the Lawyer, or
the Magistrate. For the man tEat comes to
this country from abroad and IS naturalized,
first solemnly rcnounces allegiance to-the Gov
ernment under which he was born, solemnly
declares his abandonment of that Government,
and then he solemnly swears or athrms before
the great Am, that he will maintain tie Con-
stitution and laws of the United States.
ask, then, are our official men faithful to
their oath? Are our naturalized citizens faith
full to their oath? What do they swear?-
They swear to stand by the Constitution and
laws of the United States. What do the Con-
stitution and the laws require? 1t is your
business to know; it is your duty to know. If
as al adopted citizen of this Republic, you
have not examined that Constitution and those
laws, you are bound to examine them that you
may know what those laws teach and what are
your duties in regard to them.
The Constitution is the compact. 1t does
not belong to the North nor to the South, to
the East nor to the West. 1t is the conve-
nient, my brethren, be9wceu the States of this
Union; and while that Constitution remains as
it is and what it is you are bound by it.
You may possibly say to me, ''But am ma
tiye-born [ never took this oath of fidelity
to tie Constitution and the laws" But my
brother, your bilthright holds you to that
Constitution as solemnly as the oath which
binds the adopted citizen. You are born un-
der its obligations. Being born here, you are
bound to obey the Constitution and the laws.
No man has a right 30 set them aside.
Now, for example, the Constitution most
positively and absolutely-in the plainest and
most unmistakable manner-provides that
fugitive from labor, escaping from one State
80 ,notbar shall he delivered m This is
the Constitution. 1 am not to day touching
slavery, right or wrong. I am looking at
things as they are. This is the provision of
the Constitution. If, then, the President or
Governor, the judge, the lawyer, or the magis-
trate, the citizen (native born or adopted) does
not comply with that provision, when it is
within his jurisdiction to do so-if he con-
nives at its envasion, if he aid or abets the fu-
gitive in his fight, he is before heaven pur-
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