Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-08-14
The Paramount Question.

pany the order.
The Paramount Question.
Believing as we do, sincerely and honestly,
that there is at this time, on the part of many
influential persons, cool, calculating, premedi
tated and reasonable purpose to precipitate a
dissolution of the Union, we feel that it becomes
the duty of patriots to consider, for the present.
all questions which have heretofore divided par
ties, subordinate and of minor Consequence to
the great question-the preservation of the Union
which now addresses itself with such poten;.
tial force to the minds and hearts of our people.
1t would be madness on the part of ssr'vessels
crew to expend their time and energies in ~.
cussing whether piece OF machinery of this or
that character should be used ia the navigation
of the ship, when all the force at command was
needed at the pumps to prevent its4fom sinking
beneath the waves. 1t would be WORSE than
madness for us to be wrangling about mere
questions of governmental policy when the Gov
eminent itself is fearfully threatened with de
struction. What folly to be disputing about the
particular kind ofarchitectural ornaments which
should crown the columns of the. temple, when
the sappers and miners are busiy at work to o.
verthrow the temple itself The magnificent
temple of our liberties, erected by our patriotic
sres, and bequeathed to US and our posterity as
the richest legacy ever enjoyed by any people
since that early dawn of creation when the
morning stars sang in unison together" is now
being undermined by the combined efforts OF
-, riot3o
masses, the true custodians of our liberties, do
not arise in the majesty of their strength and
effectually Illustrate the traitorous Vaccinations
of the dsunionists, the glorious temple OF Amer
lean liberty will, in short time, be a mass OF
ruins and our country present but one wide
scene of fratricidal strife, where brother will
shed the last life's drop OF his brother, and the
son, it may be, imbrue his hands in the hearts
blood of his aged father.
We would beseech all who have patriotic
hearts in their bosoms, to avoid political asso-
citation with disunionists as they would avoid
the company of lepers. Flee from the party of
disnnionists as you would house of plague ;
for it is thousand times better to have the
plague-spot upon your cheek than the stain o
treason upon your soul. All should be inspired
with that devoted spirit of patriotism which
glowed in the noble bosom of the "Father of his
Country" wheE, in bis farewell address, he earn
estly appealed to his dearly beloved countrymen
to esteem the Union as the palladium of their
liberties, which they should defend, protect and
preserve as they would their lives or their hon.
or. Washington believed that the only guaran-
ty for the preservation of American liberty con-
sisted in the preservation Of the Union. He
seemed, by prophetic vision, to have foreseen the
dangers which, at this time, threaten our co I'M
try, and took that occasion which would give
most solemnity to his paternal advice to warn
his countrymen against the danger of sectional
parties He foretold that ambitious persons.
intent alone upon personal ACKNOWLEDGMENT,
would arise, who would seek self-elevation upon
the ruins Of their country, aud who, whilst pro-
Tossing honest devotion to the Goddess of Lib
erty, would destroy the temple in which she
dwells. The persons against whom he warned
his countrymen have now appeared upon the
theatre of action. There are now those who de-
that they may climb to more elevated position
upon its broken arches and PROSTATE columns
They should be elevated by q rope just high Q.
nough to cut the pigeon wing in the air. AS
for ourself, we are determined, s'sink or swim.
live or die, survive or PERISH" to do all that is
within the compass Of our power, to protect the
Goddess from violence, and the temple from the
Vandal hands of the destroyers. We have laid
our hands upon the horns of the altar and have
sworn lifelong allegiance to our whole country,
embracing every foot of it-from the stormy At
lantic to the placid life, and from the ice
clad North to the fower-wreathed South. A.
gainst the enemies of our country, whether a.
broad or at home, whether open and bold or
disguised and cowardly, whether masked or I'm.
masked, with their visors down or up, whether
exposed or concealed, whether avowing their
enmity or protesting friendship, we will "cry a.
loud and spare Motive will oppose them to
the "bitter end" and, if needs be, will sscry
havoc, and let slip the dogs of war;" and will
wage war to the knife and the knife to the hllt.
when "d--ned be he who first cries, hold.
enough"