The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-12-15

UNITY OF the balance OF the nation but
would simply be diminution from its az
RTegate power to the extent of her resources
and population. Notwithstanding the !
American revolution terminated so disas-
trously to the British Government, after an
enormous expenditure of blood and treasure,
accompanied by such humiliation of the ma
tiOnal pride, still it preserved the integrity |
of the remaining portion of the Empire
Had our claims to independence been at
once recognized and conceded by the mother |
country, and the thirteen colonies peaceably |
allowed to constitute a separate government |
and take their place among the nations of
the earth, an example would have been set,
and an admission made, of which every
colony, island and dependency of the en-
pire would have speedily claimed the bene-
fit The Canadas, the East and West Indies
and Australia woald, in turn, point to this
epoch in British history as palpable and
unconditional avowal of the doctrine that
they had the right under the British const-
tuition at any time peaceably to terminate
their allegiance to the crown, and secede
from the Empire. An admission of the ex-
istence of right so made, could it be re-
tracted at all, could only be at the end of
numerous civil and bloody wars.
Shall we now surrender the Nation with
out struggle, and let the Union go with
merely a few hard words Shall we en-
courage faint-hearted traitors to pursue their
treason by advising them in advance that it
will be safe and successful If it was
worth bloody struggle to establish this
Nation, it is worth one to preserve it.
And / trust that we shall not, by sur
rendering with indecent haste, publish to
the world that the Inheritance our fathers
purchased with their blood, we have given
up to save ours.
Seven years is but a day in the life of q
nation, and l would rather come out of
struggle at the end of that time, defeated
in arms and conceding independence to
successful revolution, than to purchase pres
ent peace by the concession of a principle
that must inevitably explode this nation
into small and dishonored fragments. But
of the result of such struggle, should
entertain the utmost hope and confidence.
He who compares our glorious war for
liberty and independence against grinding
oppression to another war to be set on foot
for the propagation of human slavery, to
crush out liberty Of speech and of the press
and to inaugurate and revive with all its
untold and indiscribable horrors the Afri-
can slave trade, must have an Indifferent
idea of the justice OF that Providence who
holds 10 his hand the issue of battle.
To employ the language of a great states
man, "Surely, the Almighty has no attribute
that could take sides with them in such a
contest"
| will not stop TO argue tue right of Sc
cession. The whole question is summed up
in this proposition: g Are we one Nation,
one people, or thirty-three Nations, or thir-
ty-three independent and petty States? The
statement Of the proposition furnishes the
answer If we are one Nation then no
State has right to secede. Secession can
only be the result of successful revolution.
I answer the question for you, and know
that my answer will find a response in every
true American heart, that we are one peo-
ple, one Nation, undivided and indiyisible
AT the conclusion of Judge Norton
speech a paper was handed TO him, of which
the following is copy;
"This is understood to be meeting tC
rejoice over the election OF Abraham Lin
coin.
Will the speaker please to state TO hi
audience
al. Whether or not his party reioic'
over the universal bankruptcy and ruin now
about to fall upon our country, as q conse
Quence of that election.
2. Whether they rejoice that the FIRE
labor, and the free laborerS, about which
they have told us so much are on the ev
of being turned out of employment an,
starred, as a consequence of that election
g. Whether they rejoice at the prOspec
of fraternal strife and internecine wal
which now presents itself, in the immediat
future, as a consequence of that election
"a. Whether they rejoice in the h,aniia
tioa of being compelled, by the exigencie
of the times, to accept the very, principI
announced and maintained by Stephen
Douglas, (whom they have denounced an
vilifed for his steadfast advocacy Of it, a
the only basis of Union and peace here
after; or, on the other hand, whether the
rejoice in the certainty that the honest &C
herence to their own principles and doc
trines, will assure the speedy destruction
their country, and demonstrate the iailuI
of Republican governments to the worl'
GORDON TANNER.
November %, lS6o.'
Mr. Morton read the paper and then SAID
AS recognize the person whose name
signed to this paper as a gentleman, wi
with pleasure attempt to respond to his il
terrogatories
answer to the first question, that we r
ioice over our victory because it is the tt
umph of truth and the success of CORE
aud time honored principles. Should banl
ruptcy and ruin fall upon the country, "
should deplore it most deeply. But "
should not regard it as the consequence
the election of Abraham Lincoln, or fe
tnaJany responsibility EeSteu upon u.s. buG
it recognize the legitimate results OF Il
means employed by our adversaries to e
feet our defeat and destruction.
To the second question, l answer tn
should I" free labor" lose its reward an
''free labOrers their employment and
brought to starvation, we would mourn ov
their calamities, seek to alleviate their su
ferings and redress their wrongs, and, as "
know the authors of the crime, we inter
to hold them to a just accountability IN til
world, and believe that the Almighty wi
IN the next.
To the third question l answer, that v
do not rejoice " at the prospect of fratern
strife and inferno cine war" From such
prospect we would turn away with horro
But should they come we can rejoice in Il
conviction that they are not the Just co
sequence of the election of a President a
cording to the forms of the Constitutions
Rut we know those who would rejoice