The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-19
HON. WILLIAM C. RIvES ON THE NATIONAL
CRISIS.

CAsuIk Hnl, Dec 3, 1860.
Ny nEsE SUI observe that you have made n PROPOSE
tsn in your House for holding solemn family council
consisting of mher for each state upon The prcscn
disira I'd and cnincntiy critical CONDITION 81 the conee
rscy. THIS i right and proper. The great work of ou
fathers which has preserved IN peace happines,
for near three quarters of century aud given rise 10
spectacle CT Atonal growth and Development, without
sny, tho rcmOiesi parallel N the history % the world
ought not 70 be abandoned without the most earnest
Forts for its preservation But viii these any efforts
syail1 Unless a very different spirit from that which
Gems thus far TO have animated both of the extreme
parties can be successfully invoked, the prospect would
II IS useless hos to inquire into the causes which have
led 10 the present condition OF things THE recent tf
umph OF a powerful sectional party, election
tbe two highest Offices OF thc eovernment--with Us
candidates taken exclusively from il section.
voted FOR exclusively by lis section and with
pohoa creed avowely anapaisto to the interests and
institutions Of the other great division &c the cnnede
racyis ala event which necessarily avnkens both anxi.
cay ani resentment in the opposite section and
ding 10 the most ordinary maXims cf human prudence
and self respect, calls for an attitude Of vigilance, arm
ress, and Il meet be, inncxihlc rcsist;siec.
II : the first time our political annals that such a
thing has been attempted vcnurcd upoa aud argues,
10 say the least extraordinary degree q mcrty aud
beedessncss On the part ei these VIA" have made the
experiment the face Of the solemn and not unfrendly
warnings which were addressed 10 them II Is not tho
individual elected. whoever he may he bri tho hostile
sectional combination which elected HIM, that institutes
both the danger and the offence.
what then, j. 10 he dcnes shall We rush ut a
dissolution Of compact Of Union down the pillars
of the temple which The precious deposit of or
rights and liberties and bury our elves Tor tim, Al
beast, IN common vth delddcd offending
confcerateSs THIS would he the course ~ dies.
peraon and blindness, not ~ reason and dcncratou
There few. u any, among ne who do not fce and
scknow ledge That thu constitution of the United states II
honestly and faithfully pursued 10 ts letter and spirit
affords every desirable guarantee for the rights aud her
tie 81 an the parties a. We are entitled demand
and nss, upon loyal and upright fuihmcnt q az ~
ebligators the sole aud indispensable condition
whrh The Union can be maintained
The equal rights 81 the states ~ the common Territories
q tn mon, the immunity 81 thcr domestic Institutions
from all external Interference and control direct % ndi
and The Surrender of fugitiv~s from service
Fundamental principles 81 The constitutional compact
which however clear ~ theory practically denied in
various quarters and call, therefore Cor aud
securities Tor their future observanne II these
securities he demanded with calm and dignihed but ia
flexible irmncss-nut with buster and deuunciation-t
doubt that they will he yielded by large maJo
rty, not by al, 81 our coS;a;es IL any should refuse
Them by that act 81 reusancy they VIII rcnoanee the
authority uf the constitution tse and pat themselves
virtually out Of the pac II the Union.
such terms % settlement these here briefly nii.
rase-susc cIiibc, in their details ~ less de-
vclopem niw0ul ~ my epniun, satisfy the views OF
large MAJORITY Of ihe slayehoding states They would
be likely TO obtain the acceptance of south Caro-.
lima Who seems determined. by foregunc conclus
TO 80 out % the tuion, ~ spite of s,cry possible
conccsScn. aud 20 drag a. may ~ her sister
States she after her wha success her
policy 81 cocrcng other States into di-uninn
NAV have remains 10 be seen Hut II may, not
unrcasonaby b. presumed that Georgia who dii not
recognise her dcatorn authority IN is32 and ~ 1851
would stu prefer her own platform, lad down with 20
much wisdom and rncss ~ the latter year, aud wh
with two euggrsted additions. y well adapted
60 the rcqusgisis ~ the present crisis u Georgia,
10 tue WauUtAhN 81 inftnff kAifitN lAiiCN,
should be satisfied with an adjustment, reconcng the
rights &c the south With the preservation
uf the tnion the probability that her neighbours Ala
baula and Florida, would he equally -.
But whatever might hc the decision &C those states
there can be little doubt that Mary Aud, Delaware Nir
ginia Kentucky Tennessee, North Carolina, Missouri.
LOUISIANA Arkansas. Texas. aud, il Is 70 ne hoped, Nc
sissipy also would cordially unite IN such plan q az
justment
IN - arc the natural acs Of virginia IN every rrca,
crisis " the republic She never divorce herself
from Mary land kcnturky, Tennessee aud North Ctfuna
States which Immediately surround her, ami VITA which
she has 80 many interests of the most init
mate and vital character. And when y t. rccolece
that half her territory she - western state.
having Tor that portion o her domain her natural outlet
- the ocean ~ the river Mississippi she ~ by that cir
eumstance. well by the arFenumbcr ~ her chren
If Kindred Feeling and common destiny 70 those hol
rishug aud prosperous states whih have such
mage wealth and power upon is fertile borders
IL l. ai-o 10 Nc remarked that the savciolding
al the valley u The Mississippi by their position on tho
banks q great stream assigned by proydenceas com.
mon avenue ~ commerce Tor themselves ami other
powerful communities inhahtnr ts upppr parts ANA
having dsemilar domestic Institutions could never ight
~ regard a OF the Union hy such lne--ao
event which would bring with 20 them inevitable con
a. = Abundanty proved by the history q the river when
fts mouth held BY independents and urcgn Power
While these states. therefore, senstivcly alive 1,
whatever Affects tie security u their domestic iustu
sons or icopards their equai constitutional rights in the
Inon and are ready III times 20 make every sacrifice
% defend them tho commonly called the Ter
slave states also they yet not smtienany more
than these border Stacswh passion FOR dsunion Tor
ss sake disposed 20 rush INTO u hecdcssly and
unnecessarily.
n 70 be boped, BY Georgia and her two neshb~s-uniie