Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-03-03


ners of Massachusetts, the stevedoreS Of New
York, the miners ofPennsylvRnia, Pixies Peak
and California, the wheat growers Of Indiana,
the cotton and the sugar planters on the Mis-.
sissippi, among the voluntary citizens from
every other land not ess than the native born,
ths Christisn and the Jew, among the Indians
On the pFaires, the eOntumacious Marmons IN
the Deseret, the Africans free, the Africans IN
bondage, the inmates Of Hospitals and Aims
houses, and even the criminals in the Penitens
tiAries, Tehearso the story Of your wrongs ana
their own neysr 50 eloquently and never SO
mournfuY aud appeal TO them to rise. They
will ask you, Is tais all" Are you more lQst
than WashingtoG, wiser than Hamilton more
humane than Jetfsrson!" "WhRt new fern OF
Government or Of Union have "yOu the power
20 establish, or even the cunning TO "devise,
that will ho more just, more safe, moro free,
'more gentle, more benefcent, or more gio>
rious than ''thisl" Aad by these simple inter
rOFatories you viii be aileneed and confound.
cd.
Mr. President, we are prepetuaiy forgetting
this subtle and complex,'yet obvious and la'
tural, mechanism of our Constitution; and be-
cause we do forget it, we are continually won-
dering how it Is that OoniedeTacy of 30 and
more States, covering regions so vast and rsgu-
Of men, constituted and conditioned so diverse
sely, works right on. We are continually look.
ing to see it stop and stand atiu, and tall
suddenly into pieces. But, in truth, 1t Will not
stop; it cannot stop; it was made not to stop,
but to keep in motOn-in motion always, and
without force. For my own part as this won
darful machine, when it had newly come from
the hands Of ts almost divine inventors, was
the admiration Of my earlier years, although it
was then but imperfectly known abroad so
now, when it forms the central figure in the
economy of the worlds civilization, and the
first sympathies Of mankind favor its continu>
anee, expect that it viii stand and work right
on until men shall fear its failure no more than
We now spprehend that the sun will cease to
hold its eternal place in the heavens.
Neverthless. do not expect to see this purely
popular, though majestic system always work
ing on unattended by the presence and exhibition
Ofhuman temper and human passions That
would be to expect to enjoy rewards, benefits,
and blessings without labor, care, and watch
fulness-a expectation contrary to Divine
appointment There are the discipline of the
American citizen, and he must inure himselftO
it. When, as now, great policy, fastened
upon the country through its doubts and fears,
confirmed by its habits, AM strengthened by
personal interests aud ambitions, is to be relax.
ed and changed, in order that the nation may
have its lust, and natural, and free develop
ments, then, indeed, all the winds of
controversy are let loose upon US from all
points Of the political compass, we see objects
and men only through political hazes, mists, and
doubtful and lurid lights. The earth seems to
be heaviug under our feet, and the pillars of the
noble fabric shat protects US to be trembling
before our eyes. But the appointed end of al
this sgitatiou comes at last,and always season
ably; the tumults of the people subside; the
country becomes calm once more; and then
we find that only our senses have been dis
turbed, and they have betrayed US. The
earth is firm as always before, and the wonder
full structure, for whose safety we have feared
50 anxiously, now more firmly fixed than ever,
still stands unmOved, enduring, and immova-
bla IH