Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-12-19
HENRY WARD BEECHER ON THE
DISSOLUTION OF THE UNION.

! DISSOLUTION OF THE UNION.
/ At the close Of his Lecture on Young
America at the fremont Temple in Boston
last week, Henry Ward Beecher said
Here ends my leoture-but not my ad-
dress. (Applause.) There is almost but
one question. 1t is no longer the weather,
or the health of the family, or prosperity,
that men question when meeting each 9TH
er in the car or on the street; it is, DO you
think the South will secede?' My answer
isl don't believe they will; and don't
care if they dOl' Loud and prolonged
applause.) When say that don't care
if they do mean that there is no terror,
in so far as our own prosperity is concern
ed If you ask me whether, for tLeir
sakes, do not care, 1 should modify my
answer and say, For their sakes, 1 trust
better mind may be given them, and that
they will remain in the ship for they are
like Paul's men Of whom he said, Except
these abide in the ship, they shall not be
saved daughter and applausc) If they
left the ship, they would swamp, and there
are too many of them to be lost; and really
do not think they are in a fit state of mind
to die. Uaughter.) But in so far as the
free States are concerned, l hold that it
will be an advantage for the South to 60
off | cannot reckon myself among those
who have advocated disunion, either for
policy or from principle. L never have
gone, cannot go, with them: and there
fore l hold it to be the duty of every pat
riOtic man to resist it by all proper meth
DDS, in a spirit of kindness and honor
But if, against our honest endeayor and
full intent, this does take place, in the
providence of God, then, say, let US ap-
point day of thanksgiving. cloud ap-
plause) We have never been advantaged,
nor do see any near prospect of being aa-
vantaged by remaining in their company.
If we are to join the old ascetics, if to wear
a shirt of hair-cloth for the modification of
the flesh be good, if it be good for our
souls to be kept in a perpetual turmoil
and fret and rub, then we will continue to
wear hair shirt. But if quiet and lib
erty be prosperity, 1 hold that we shall be
better off without these uneasy neighbOrs
than with them. And l therefore say, it
is not for our sakes that we hesitate.
would not have that impression go to the
South. l would not have Carolina think
that there will be tear shed if she goes. /
1 would not have any of the Gulf States
think that we are unwilling to part company
with them. We are willing to keep COM
pany with them so long as is necessary to
maintain pact, honor, citizenship and true
love for ths whole country. But if against
this spirit, they insist on going apart, let
them understand distinctly that we count
it their loss, and our gain. (Applause.) /
The time has come when the public !
mind must take some position and make I
some expression. ], for one, do not be-
lieve in Union for the sake of it. l saw
upon some of the meagre banners carried
about in the late conflict this poOr-housc /
inscription-'Union for the sake of the
Union. When this Union was founded, .
it vas an alabaster box, made for precious
ointment, and that ointment was Justice,
Humanity, Liberty, Reetitude; and so
long as these precious qualities are in it,
L love it, for their sakes. But when the
alabaster box has emptied out the oint-
ment, do not care what hand breaks the
bOx-it is good for nothing after the oint-
ment is gone. The idea of maintaining
union for the beggarly sake Of uniOn!-
Union for honor, union for truth, union
for vigOr in liberty, union for power in
free institutions, unieR for humanity now,
and greater growth-for that l would sacri-
fee almost anything in life. But union
without liberty, union without humanity
is but the corpse Of my friend, and not his
living and soul inspired body. Bury the +
corpse when the soul has gone out Of i'll
Don't keep it to stink abovs ground
Nor do L believe in union for any pur- !
pose of intimidation. For thirty years !
past, those States have elected themselves
nallets with which perpetually to threaten
10 strike, or strike, the North. l think it
S high time that this part of patriotism .
should be done away with; that the North
should let the South understand that they
ire neither to be bullied nor intimidated.-
Already We hear of new compromises. AL ,
ready it has pleased the South to say,
hat if we will repeal our Personal Liberty
Bill, they will be gracious to US, and take ]
is into favor once morel 1t is suggested /