Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1860-12-01

calm aud deliberate. They appreciated
fully the d ficulty and delicacy Of The
task imposed upon them. They laid
their plaus slowly. cautiously, with deep
sagac'ty. Let us trace their course.
Passing over their preliminary COM
plants and remonstrances, we will take
the calling together of the Congress al
Philadelphia, in l774, AS the first sys-
tematic proceedings of the American
Colonies in the assertion Of their liber-
ties. They began by uniting their coun-
ellis. No colony seeded alone. They
formed a Congress for joint delibsraliou
and action.
The Congress so formed assembled in
September, 1874. They did not begin
by dissolviug the Union; they adopted a
declaration Of rights: they issued al
dresses to the people Of the United Col
onies, to those Of Canada and of Great
Britain ; they petitioued the King they
adopted resolutions to import no goods
from Great Britain or Ireland. and TO
export none to those countries; they
prepared arms; they formed 10 recon-
mended associations (; they still delayed 3;
they knew that in reforming abuses the
last step is to dissolve the Government :
they were firm, but patient. Boston was
occupied by a British army. The battle
Of Bunker Hiliewts fought; the victory
Of Fort Moultrie was achieved still The
resol"te, moderate patriots Of Congress
kefpe' open the door of couciIiation.
From September 1874, 70 July 1876,
they made every effort that WAS honora-
bic to preserveg.he Union. They still
hesitated to abolish it, even in the midst
Of battles, se'gss, aud frequent blood
shed. 1t was at the end only OF nearly
two years, when every appeal to tue
justice, friendship, and interest Of Eng
land had been made in vain, that Com
gress severed the bonds that united The
Colonies to the mother country. There
wa no boyish petulance, no indecent
haste, no blind rushing into the mire Of
revolution with a vague dependence on
some contingent Jupiter 10 assist them
in getting them out oil it. The leaders
of America were s!atesmen-calm, firm,
moderate. They took care to secure and
vs;abiish a new Union before they dis
solved tho old. They strovs 10 preserve
the old BY every fair and proper effort.
We ask you, gentlemen, wbeth her you
a devise any better mode Of proceed
ing in the emergency that awaits yoar
couosels. If you canno,, then adopt tue
one prepared 10 your hands. You pro-
pose to follow them faithfully. Do not
disregard the pregnant teachings Of
your W history, OF The fathers whom
you so much respect, and whose l.acitv
and spirit you profess 10 emulate. Lis
ten 10 no rabia enthusiasm, no chime,;-
cal projects Of ieverish impotence. Tx
hibit the courage Of your ancestors, but
take care 10 preserve also their wisdom
and prudence.
We can forfeit nothing Of seIf:respec.
by deliberate proceedings. We owe
them not only TO the teachers whose les
sons We have been learning, but to the
worlds jud gment, and 10 the sympathy
OF a large portion Of the North and
West who r~epadiaIe the foul faction of
Sumner and Seward. W. shall weaken
the hands Of our friends by bas1v coun-
sells, and strengthen their enemies and
ours. By a contrary course, we shall
prove the truth Of our a~>everations that
we desire 10 preserve the Union, pro-
vided it be a Constitutional Upion.-
We shall deprive our opponent, Of
every preteyt for assailiug US, and render
ourselves impregnable 10 their attacks.
We do not profess 10 enter Into de.
tails. We point only 10 our W bis
tory, to the textbook Of American Rev
olutlon, az your only safe and certain
guide. We say nothing as 10 what
States or how many States should unite
their councils tEat is for your Judgment
and honesty TO determine. But in view
OF u Rev dictionary examples and the
duties Of those who profess to follow
them, we hold these propositions 10 be
unquestionably true-that no State
should secede singly under present cir
cumstances; that a Congress of the
States proposing to seceIe should pre-
cede their action that the Congress 50
formed should exhaust all honorable
efforts to reform and restore The purity of
the present Union on a safe basis before
they proceed 10 destroy it. Hasly add
impatient advisers are bad advisers.
Even the virtues Of ardent and irregular
minds, impracticatls in temperament,
dogmatIc in understanding, are copious
sources Of calamilous cou1seIs. Let Us
reserve bold celebrity for a%clionj when.
ever it comes. But In our councils. in