Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-01-17
Fighting for the Union.

II is matter OF surprise tnaG any SERIOUS aP'
prehensions as TO the stability Of the Union
should now be felt 10 any quarter. With the
exception of the Insignificant faction OF ultra
abolitionists at the North and q few equally in
sane gentlemen of the fre-eating stripe at the
South, nobody seems disposed at present to toll
crate the idea of a dissolution. On the contrary
the prominent men of all the great parties, OF
both sections of the confederacy, are bold in the
declaration that the ''Union must and shall be
preserved" The Democratic party, it is graft
flying to perceive, are taking the true grouLd
here at the South, that disunion Is no remedy
for the evils under which we have naturally be-
come very FESTIVE, and are waking up to an
appreciation of the fact that the Union and the
Constitution belong to the South as well as the
North, and that the rights and privileges guar
antied to US by the Constitution. which Is the
bond of Union, may and ought to be maintained
within the Union and under the Constitution
It seems now to be the general opinion that 1t
is not only unwise and ridiculous, but absolute
" cowardly, to think of abandoning our rights
under the Constitution and retredtiDg nglorious-
ly from the glorious American Union, because
some of the parties confederate are disposed to
trample upon and abuse US; but that, on the
contrary, the true and manly position to assume
is, that we have rights in the Union, guaranteed
by the Constitution, which we mean to sssert
and maintain sat all hazards and to the last ex-
tremity." Gov. Wise placed his foot upon this
solid ground first, in his speech to the medical
students at Richmond, and following his lead
many of the prominent men and presses OF the
Democratic party have taken the same sensible
position. Mr.. Pryor, well known TO be aeham-
pion par excellence of Southern rights and in
terests, has made up his mind to save the Union,
and declared in Congress that the South does
not intend to abandon the Union, but will vim
dictate her rights in the Union, "peaceably il
possible, by force if necessary" Heretofore
says the Baltimore American Southern pol
itiaians seem never to have thought it possible
for the South to do anything but run away from
Seward and his fanatics-dissolution Gin other
words, backing ouD being the only resource O
the s.despoiled pationalities'' below Mason and
Dizon's line. But Mr.. Pryor, for the first time
in the history of Southern Eloquence, takes 6
more courageous stand. He thinks it just as
easy for the South to whip the North into the
Union as for the North to whip the South ill.,
At all events, the South, according to Mr.. Pryor
rather than secede under any provocation, is
fully bent upon violence-"force if necessary
instead of backing ont, it is going to fight te
keep in.
While this strong position is taken by Southern
Democrats, Mr.. Hickman, of Pennsylvania, an
anti Lecompton Democrat who has been voting
With the Republicans, and therefore repre-
sentative of both, is equally positive that the
Union shall not be dissolved. "No matter what
the antagonism between sections" says that
gentleman, "the Union must and shall be pre-
served"
In addition to these developments of de-
termination to preserve the Union, on the part
of two great parties, both Of which have hereto
fore been inclined to its destruction, we find a
movement in progress under the lead of such
men as Crittenden and Broom and Stuart, hav-
ing for its object the organization of another
great national party, to aid Messrs. Pryor and
Hickman in their patriotic intentions.s
{ In view of all these facts who. cansapprehend
any danger to the Unions Who is to accom-
plsh the work of dissolutions AS the Ameri-
oansremarks, if Mr.. Hickman shall resort to arms
toprevent the South from leaving the Coined
eracy, and Mr.. Pryor is resolved that the South
shall nrge war to keep from leaving, it is pretty
clear that the Union is tolerably safe-we con-
tess We like the idea of the South's fighting to
keep in, while the North is lighting to make the
SoHtli stay in.