Red Wing sentinel., 1860-11-28
THE CRISIS OF THE UNION.


THE CRISIS OF THE UNION.
and Interesting Letter from
Senator Douglas.
New ORLEANS, Monday, Nov. IL, 1860.
Hon. STEPHEN A. DoUGLAs-&r::
We; the undersigned citizens Of New
Orleans, irrespective Of party, being
desirous Of hearing your views on this
present condition of the affairs of our
country, would earnestly request yod
to designate time Wien it would be-
agreeable to you to address your fel;
low w-citizcns:
I'VE omit tile namcs.} 49,
MIR. DOUGLAS REPLY.
Gentlemen: Your request to addres
the citizens of New Orleans con the
present condition Of the affairs of our
country" has just been placed in my
hands. An invitation 50 numerously
signed by the most eminent business
men of this great commercial city inn
plies compliment which duly APP
prcciatc, and am exceedingly reluc:
tant to decline. ii s.ssta.:
These are not times for patiotic;
men to affect Indifference, or to degen-
crate into despondency, or to ruslI
mad}y into violent and extreme meas
ures. Just in proportion is our
common country is cnvironed with
peril, it becomes the imperative duty
Of every patriot in the land to increase
his efforts and exert his utmost pow:
ers and energies to rescue the Republic
from the disasters which threaten its
integrity. ra7aa
No man in America regrets the clccI
ton of Mr.. Lincoln, more than I; mono
made moro strenuous exertions to
defeat him; none differ with him moro
radically and ircconcilably upon alf
the great issues involved in the con-
test. No man living is prepared to
resist, by all the legitimate means
sanctioned by the Constitution and
laws Of our country, the aggressive
policy which he and his party are ,i,n-
derstood to represent. But while I
say thir, am bound, rs good citizcn
and law abiding man, to declare my
conscientious conviction that the mere
election of any man to tho Presidency
by the American people, in accordance
with the Constitution and laws, odoes
not, of itself, furnish any just cause
or reasonable ground for disolving the
Federal Union. ..5' ~ -
1t is not pretended, assfar as am
informed, that any provision Of the
Constitution has been violated by tle
recent election. No act has been
done which impairs or destroys the
constitutional rights of any, State or
citizen. Nothing has: yet occurred to-
releas any citizen from lis oath of tidcl-
ity to the Constitution of the United
States; which is the supren,el .1a,o of
every State and ofcvery citizen: But
while it was conceded that no act has
yet been done which impairs the right
or endangers the peace and safety of
any portion Of our country, It is aopre-
hended that the election of Mr.. Linz coin
carries with it the assurance that tho
policy And principles of the party by
which he was elected will prevail; and
be carried into practical effect inevery
department OF tho Federal ;Gever,.-
mcnt, and thereby qciN enddhger the
peace and safety of the slave
holding States. Is this apprehension
we'll founded? Do the results of the
recent election justify this apprehen.
sion? The President can do nothing
except what the law authorizes His
duty is to sec the law faithfully execu-
ted. 1fhe fails to perform hisduty ho
will soon find himself a prisoner before;
!, the High Court Of Impeachment:
Fortunately that tribunal is so consti-
: tuted as to command the confidence of
the people of the entire South, .as we'll
. as Of the conservative mcnsfof the
North. We have this security that
the existing laws will be faithfully
(executed. eeas z5f ss,,orr
have yet to learn that the people
of the South complain of the acts of
Congress, now on the Statute book,
upon the subject of slavery, as applica-
BILE to the States or tile Territories or
to the District of :Columbia. q These
} laws were enacted mainly, if, not en-.
|tircly, BY the Joint, action Of the con-
servative members Of the North and
; South, in exposition TO tie Abolition.
lists and free sellers, and have been
acquicsced iii by the Southern pcople.
Jas well as Fy their, Senators aud Rep.
resentatives, undef the present and
preceding administrations, OF, The fed
eral government. Consequently it is
fair to presume that the South, SO far
from demanding the repeal ( 81 the cx-
lsting laws upon the subject Of slavery
as essential to her safety and equality
in the Union,will insist upon their be-
ing retained upon tho Statntc book and
executed faithfully. Nor are We per-
United to infer that the Southern peo-
pic require any additional legislation
by Congress on this subject, for tho
reason that the Southern ,Represent.--
tivcs have not introduced Or advocated ,d
any changes in the existing legiislation
upon the slavery gssstionS e,p,RRde p,RRder ,he
|DTe9Qnt QQNlDIytrafiAn aHI fknt AcHC.