Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-02-11
Letter from Hon. A. H. H. Stuart.

mem would gladly unite with you IN
tribute of respect to Mr.. Peyton. His name
is intimately associated with the glorious
DAYS of 1910 and 1914; when there was
throughout the confederacy, "a union OF the
Wings for the sake ofthe Union" It'll true
that in the contest of 1874 Pennsylvania,
under the banner of "Polk, Dallas, and the
tariff of 1872" was induced to repudiate the
champion of American industry. But |
trust that, admonished by the past, she will
not permit herself to be cheated IN the III
/ ture.
1t would give me pleasure to have an OPP
portunity of discussing before you the inter
est of American labor in all its departments,
and showing not only the harmony that e1,
lists between the systems of Northern and
Southern labor, but, also, their mutual de-
pendence on each other. Each is adapted
to its own locality Each produces what the
other cannot produce, but what is essential
to the other. Each opens to the other Its
best market and thereby invigOrates and
sustans the other. Destroy Southern labor
and you withdraw the pabulum which feeds
the factories OF the North, treights It's ships,
| stimulates its commerce, and ministers to
| its prosperity in all its ramihcations OF the
social relations On the other hand ii you
paralyze the industry of the North, you re-
duce the South to q condition of lgnominous
dependence on foreign countries. Providence
| designed the two sections for each other
Weare necessary for each other prosperlty as
man and woman. The Union has welded US
together, and am willing to exclaim, IN the
language of the ritual which sanctihes the
most endearing relation of life, Those
when God hath joined together, let no man
! put asunder.'
! But we must remember that our Union,
| like the marriage relation, imports obllga-
tons of a reciprocal character. Happiness
and harmony can only be secured, in either
case, by scrupulous fidelity in the tulilment
of those obligations, and by the practice OF
| mutual forbearance and charity.
| The present condition of the country shows
that there has been great fault somewhere.
| Instead of the harmony and domestic tran
guilty" which our constitutional union was
ordained to secure, discord reigns through
out our borders. Jealousy and distrust
pervade the minds of the people in both por-
tions of the confederacy, and n national dl-
yorce is a subject now Familiarity spoken OF
| This is melancholy condition OF things
1t would be needless to trace the cause now
Suffice it to say, there have been faults
grievous faults, on both sides. Each por-
| ton of the country has tcstered a narrow,
sectional spirit As a natural result, states
men of enlarged national views have been
driven from the public councils, and "mous-
ing politicians" who are ready TO pander to
| local preudices to secure personal advance
ment, have taken their places. The COM
prehensive policy of such statesmen as Clay
and Webster, and Fillmore and Everett
men who had heads to comprehend and hearts
to embrace the interest OF the whole coun-
try--has been repudiated, and the dogmas
of sectional antogonism and "irrepressible
conflicts" have been substi utcdfor them
Unhappily, the country Is now divided
! into two great sectional parties; Democracy
ruling the South and RepublicanSm the
! North. Both look to disunion. Both tend
| to disunion. Between the two, the conser-
yatiye sentiment is smothered, and we are
| fast drifting into division, conyulsion, and
possibly civil war Will not the friends Of
the Union, in this, the hour of EXTREMIST
peril, awake from their apathy VIII they
not snap the pack-threads Of party, which
| bind them to sectional organizations, and
resolve, in the language Of Jackson, that
"tkis Union must and shall be preserved"
| The question presents itself, how eau this
| be done? | answer, only through the agency
of u great National Union party "A party
whose name shall be significant Of its mission
"a party aational in its character and policy
| and devoted to the preservation 0t tie CRloR
"a party that will know no North, no South
| no East, no West, but look to the welfare Of
! the whole country-a party that will foster
| American labor in all sections OF our wide
spread confederacy, and stimulate industry
to exertion, by securing to it its Legitimate
| rewards.
The triumph Of either the Democratic or
Republican party will be fraught with peril,
for it will be the triumph of one section over
the other. \ sense Of sectional pride and
arrogance on the one hand, and Of humilia-
| ton and discomfort on the other, will precl-
plate the catastrophe Of disunion. Let me
invoke patriotic men Of all parties to pause
and ponder the condition Of the country
Recent events. which are regarded as the
legitimate fruits of the doctrines OF the Re
publican party, have exasperated the Southern
mind to the last degree. | am no alarmIst,
as my friends, who are familiar with my
character and temperament, well know.
But, assure you, there is danger ahead
The Southern people feel that they are inse-
cure in the presence Of such an antagonist
US the Republican organization They re-
gard the Brown raid as the first act IN a
bloody tragedy, hereafter to be enacted
They see before them the knife Of the assas
sin and the torch Of the incendiary. They
are arming for the 'irrepressible conflict"
Yesterday the popular branch Of the General
Assembly Of Virginia passed, with only two
dissenting voices, bill appropriating half a
million of dollars to arm the State. To-day
"a commissioner, appointed by the State Of
South Carolina, is here to make known to
| our Legislature the views Of his State. They
are significant facts. Their Interpretation
may be found in bloody future.
Again, beg leave to point you to the
dangers of these sectional EXAMINATIONS "
Again, invoke you to recur to the prophetic
warnings of Washington, against all such
organizations. Again appeal 10 all patri
otto men, of all parties and all sections, 70
rally to the standard Of a Union party. Let
them follow your patriotic example. Let
them repudiate all sectional purposes, and
discard from their confidence all those
designing men," in both sections who seek
to array section against section and TO rem
/ 40, 90 oo,.;o, &c opr oonfadaronv allan m