Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-10-25
The Union Cannot be Preserved by Force.

read the article below from the Boston POST Such
sentiments worthy of the days when Boston STOOD
foremost in the cause of the rights OF man
SHALL THE UNION STAND UPON BASIS OF MORAL oBLI
CATION OR OF PHYSICAL FORCE!
IF there is any act of misrepresentation meaner
and more dsingenuous than another, which Mr.. Doug
las has been guilty Of during his eectioneering tour
is his repeated nsnuation that the supporters OF Mr.
Rrecknrdge are not sound and reliable upon the que
ton of the maintenance of the Union and the enforce
ment of the laws. Although he and every person OF
common sense knows well enough there is no antaw or
anti Union party in the field in this canvass excepting
the Black Republican organization, ne gratultously
raises this with the friends of the latter candidate
in order to prevent reunion of the Democracy, and to
give color of pausbity to bis coalition with the
Know othDgs, who have set up the unfounded claim
of being the champions of the Union and the Consttu
ton par excellence.
AS to the enforcement of the laws, Mr.. Douglas is
well aware that no portion of the Democratic party has
ever placed itself liz antagonm to existing statutes ex
cept some of his own parsans, who, in the rump Con
venton which nominated him for the Presidency, ar
gued in favor of reOpenng the slave trade And IN as
suming this overt position he himself set them nota
BILE example in proposing to override the decisions OF
the Supreme Court by aboshng slavery in the Terri
tories through the medium of squatter sovereignty IN
spite of Congress and the judiciary Indeed he has been
unable to adduce single plausible fact in support OF
his assumption that the Breckenridge wing of the De-
mocracy less devoted to the Union regard the Con-
stutOna laws of the country less sacred and binding
than the most orthodox OF his own supporters The
people, who familiar with the antecedents OF all the
Presidential candidates. and the characters OF the public
who espouse their respectively are not to be
duped by any such barney.
But when Mr. Douglas declares himself in favor of
maintaining the federal authority and enforcing the laws
an any contingency what political emergencies In the
future does he contemplate His free soil friends say
aud he himself gives cOuntenance to the idea that he
takes this decided stand in view OF any possible cOmp
cation of our federal relations which may arise under
Black Republican, hgheraw Administration OF the
Government. Does he to say, that such an Ad
mnistraOn should frame laws manfestly infringing the
constitutional rights of the South las its controlling
minds, such Sumner, Hale, Wilson, Seward, Lovejoy
Andrews &c, would insist upon its dong,) that any
noncompliance with resistance to such laws must be
forcbly put down? Does he mean that if such Ad-
mnistratiOn shall repeal the fugitive slave law and ig
the Compromises of the Constitution touching the
institution of negro servitude the South notwithstand
ing this violation OF the compact, shall be compelled to
submit and remain in the Union subjugated pro-
vince shorn of the attributes of sovereignty 1t this
sense that the Black Republican press and leaders
derstand him and hence they applaud his stump per-
tormances and count him effective oily, if not
pronounced champion of their cause When he affrms
boldly and unequivocaly that the laws and the execu
tive supremacy must be enforced IN ANY CONTINGENT
CY" they satisfied that he is of them and with them
that he will give his cordial support to the admnisra
ton of Abraham Lincoln, and prove worthy
to him in the Presidential chair. But in thus catering
for Republican success and sympathy he has evidently
forfeited the confidence and support of the national De-
mocracy whom he vainly essays to sell out and betray
into the hands of the Philstines.
1t is not to be doubted that Mr. Douglas is in favor
of perpetuang the Union and the sectional op
ponents OF the Democracy, upon certain nadmissible
terms and conditions. They would compel South
ern eowctzens to remain in the Union, contribute to
the support OF Northern commerce and manufactures
and help to deray the expenses of the General Govern
ment without enjoying that protection and equality
which are the fundamental objects and conditions of the
Union. The partisans of Lincoln and Hamln propose
to crcumscribe the domestic institutions of the South
and, on the hypocritcal plea of barbarism to extrpae
by unfrlendy legislation her system of labor and the
profits of her industry. They would virtually disran-
chise her n the national councils and make the
OF her political rights the concessions of the will of an
arbitrary majority. Then, if she refuses to remain in
the Union on these humatiDg conditions, they are
ready to let loose upon her the demon of civil war; and
imbrue their hands in raerna blood and Douglas pro-
claims that he is ready to join them in this unhaowed
crusade But will the unpreudiced, liberty loving
es OF the North in such emergency suffer themselves
to be led to the slaughter OF their own kindred carry
desoaton to their homes and plunge their hostile steel
into the bosoms of the descendants of their
cesors OF glorious memory because they dared to assert
their equal rights and privileges in the Ccnederacy es
tabshed by those ancestors? Never!
AS Union men. there is this important difference be-
tween Mr.. Douglgs and Mr. Breckenridge While the
former proposes to maintain the Union lin any contin
A4A"U'CA
ceding States may be involved in t) by invoking the
strong arm of the military power, by employing the
brute force welded by the federal army and navy the
latter desires to maintain it only by the moral power of
justice, equality honor fidelity the Constitution and
traterna affection. This is the broad distinction which
makes the dividing line between rival candidates for the
surages of the Democracy, and which every true and
rejecting Union man can fully appreciate Let every
such candid and patriotic eector at the North Judge for
himself what would be the value of this Union when no
longer enshned in the hearts of the people, its laws and
obllgl atoms shall be enforced upon reluctant and out
ragged community at the mouth of the cannon and the
point OF the bayonct If those who love and cherish the
sacred bond which has made of the American people one
great and happy family, would avoid the alternative of
degrading the Union to hollow mockery and curse ;;
If they desire to preserve in the true spirit of ratern
ty and upon basis of peace and mutual good WILL they
will not fail to give their votes, their influence their
whole mental and moral energies, in favor of the Union
candidates, Breckenridge and Lane.
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Later from California.-AIrivaI of the John Ste