The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-12-19

power upon the subject-my duty is empha
tically pronounced in the Constitution.-
Those who told you that you might peace
ably prevent their execution, deceived you
they could not have been deceived them.
selves. TSey know that forcible oppoSi.
ton could alone prevent the execution Of
the laws, and they know that such opposi-
ton must be repelled.
Their object is disunion but be not de-
ceived by names disunion, by armed force,
is TREASON. Are you really rc1dy to iucur
its guilt! II you ere, on the head Of the
iustigators Of the act be the dreadful cone
qnenccs-on their heads be the dishsnor, but
on yours msy fall the punishment-on your
unhappy State (Souih Carc!ino) will inevi-
tably fall all the evils of the conhict you
force upon the Government ofyour country.
It canDot accede TO the mad project of dis
union of which you would be the first VIC
tims-its first magistrate cannot, il he would
avoid the performance of his duty-the con-
sequence must be fearful for you, distressing
to your fellow citizens here, and to the
friends Of good go7eroment throughout tha.
world.
Its enemies have blEeld our prosperity
with vexatiou they could net conceal-it
was standing refuta,ion of their slayisb
doctrines, and they will point to our discord
with thetrur,ph of malgnaatjoy. II is yet
in your power to disappoint then. There
is yet tine to show that the descendants of
the Pinckneys, the Sumpters, the Ru,letgos,
and of the thousand other namea which
adorn tbs pages Of your revolutionary hiat3-
ry, will not abandon that Uniou 10 support
which SO many of them fought, bIfd and
died. adiurs you, 90 you honor their me-
mory-as you love the cause of freedom, to
which they dedicated their lives-ss You
prize the peace OF your country, the lives Of
its best citizens, and your own fair fsme, TO
Fetraca your steps.
Snatch from the archives Of your State
the disorgauizing edct Of its Convention
bid its members to re. asse mble snd promul.
gate the decided expressions Of your will to
remain ia the path which alone can conduct
you to safety, prosperity and hoDor-tell
them that compared TO diSunon, all other
evils are light, because that brings with it
an accumulation of all--declGre thit you
will never take the field uneas the star
spang'ed banner Of your country shall foat
over you that you will not be stigmatzad
when dead, and dishonorcd and ecorned
White you live, az the anthors of tie fi-st
attack on the Constitution Of your country
ills Gestroyers you cannot be, You may
disturb It's Peace-you may Interrupt tha
course Of its prosperty--you mgy cloud it;
reputation for stability but its tranquility
will be restored. its prosperity viii return
and the stain upon its national character
will be transferred and remain an eternal
blot on the memory OF thoee who caused the
disorder.
Fellow ctizcnB Of the United States the
threat of unhalIowed disuuion-the names
OF those, oDce respected, by whom it is ut.
tered--the array OF military force to support
it-denote the approach of a crisis in our
cffairs on which the continuance Of our un
exampIed prosperity, our political existence,
and perhaps that of all free governments,
moy depend. The conjunctrro demanded
free, tuil and explicit enunciation, rot
only OF my intentions, but Of my principles
OF aCtioL and as the claim was asserted Of
right BY State TO annul the laws Of the
| Uni0n, and even to secpde from it at plei.
sure, frenl exposition Of my opinions in
relation to the origin aud form Of our gov.
crnmcnt, and the construction give to the
instrument by which it was crested, seemed
to be proper.
Having the fullest conilance in the just
ness OF the legal and constitutional opinion
OF my duties which has been expressed, |
rely with equal confidence on your undivided
support in my determination to execute the
laws-to preserve the Union by all cons,itu.
tional means-'o arrest, if possible, by mod
crate but ftm measures, the necessity OF a
recourse to force and, if it be the will OF
| Heaven that the recurranco Of its primevaI
curse on man for the shedding OF a brothers.
blood should fell upon our land, that It be
net called down by eny offensive &C, on the
part of the Uaited States.
Fellow. citizens! The moment,us case
is before you. On your undivided support
of your government depends the decision oi
the great question it involves, whether youl
sacred Union will be preserved, and the
blessing it secures to US as one people shall
be perpetuated. No one can doubt that the
unanimity with which that decision will bt
expressed, will be such as to inspire nea
confidence in republican institutions, anC
that the prudence, the wisdom, and the cour
age which it will bring to their defence will
transmit them uaimprired and invi sorOted to
our children.
May the great ruler Of nations grantthal
the signal blessings with which he has ia.
vored ours, may not, by the madness OF p1r.
ty, or personal ambition, be disregarded and
lost, and may His wise providence bring
those who have produced this crisis, to see
the folly, before they feel the misery. oI
civil strife, and inspire returning venera,
ton for that Union, which, i we may dare
to penetrate His designs, He has chosen, at