The Van Buren press., 1860-12-14
Our Country.


United States. is attracting the attention o
the civilized world. whiIst the powers o
Europe have been embroilei in wars, dis
turbed 1t home, their affairs complicated
abroad. America has maintained q dignifi
led neutrality. Without attempting to dis
turb the status Of any other nation with.
out materially changing her own. In tn,
National world ahe has been the admired
the feared. Her position in the great fam.
lily of nations has been truly an enviabls
one. No bloodshed by civil war her trea
sury has not been drained. nor debts accu.
mulated by fruit!ess contests abroad. She
has presented to an astonished world 9
practical demonstration of the theory o.
self-government. She has changed the thso.
ry OF democratic Rspublicanism from an
idle whim. inhabiting the brain of fanciful
politicians. to practical form of govern.
ment. Having applied and adopted it, she
has. SO far, found it strong enough to repel
aggression and command respect. The
British lion has been twice overwhelmed
and cowsd BY the patriots whose hearts
were fred and whose hands were nerved bv
its inspiring influence. The haughty bear
ing Of the tawny Mexican hes kaen num.
bled by it. 1t. influence has excited hope
IN tie heart Of labor. strengthened the arm
OF commerce until now the commerce OF
America stretches out its swollen streams
to the farthest lands Of earth. She has
put bread into tho mouths of furnishing
millions who toilei in vain upon the bar
rem soil of unhappy Erin. Sho.has stretch.
ed ont her arm in mercy. into the jungles
Of Africa and brought thence her sooty Ia
borers. gave them hope. and poured upon
their benighted hearts and minds, food
of light which streams from the ie weled
throne Of Him whose will we often work
unwittingly. Her soil has been the Mec.
ca OF unfortunate millions, the refuge oil
the oppressed and suffering. Despite the
efforts of some disloyal sons her welcome
has always been warm and hearty. AS
victory and glory have always pcrched side
BY side on her banner of war, SO her ban
ners of peace have also ever been adorned
by prosperity and happiness. Yet all this
past glory, present grandeur. prosperity
and happiness. indcstructiblc by foreign
foe. is now endangered by internal enemies
The world abroad is waiting in esgsr nxiety
for the result Of the political storm which
now RACES with such violence around us,
some hoping for happy deliverance 9TH
ers caring not if we sink beneath the turbid
waters, leaving no ripple to mark the grave
Of SO much national magnifccnce and pow
er. Alas, for us, the latter class have but
too many counterparts in our own land
Reckless men formed into reckless parties.
desperately endesvoring to tear assunde,
the cords which I;.-I ..s,a. h.- -. /. ".
tion thus breaking the magic wand. which
called into being nation without parallel
in history. At the North we have a trium
plant party, flushed with recent victory,
We arc to demand of them those rights
which. humb:ed by defeat. denied US. Hol
ding in our hands the power to raise whom
We chose into the chair of the Chief Mag.
istracy. we asked these same rights and
our request was tauntingly denied. Now.
holding the flag of victory in their hands
will they listen to the loud demands of q
defeated. though brave. indignant. inlepen-
dent South. They warn us to have care
lest the "giant who sleeps in the ashes on
our hearth" be not awakened by the hand
of servile insurrection to devour us and on,
homes. All !! boastful fools whilst they
are being slowly drawn into the centre of q
whirlpool which will PROSTATE and destroy
them. they heedlessly call to us to be warn.
ed of our peril. Wholly engrossed with
their thoughts of insurrection :" they for.
get to note the traces of the finger OF hun
ger which sink deep into the pale faces Of
their suffering poor. They fail to note the
fire which lights up in tine eye of that un-
employed laborer ~ he, endeavors to stop
his ears to the cries of his family for bread.
Each day they pass unheeded a +" gian,
monster more terrible than the one lying
on the Southern hearth, he gazes at them
from every noisome cellar, he lowers upon
them from every miserable garret. he eyes
them defiautly from each street corner
Who, or what is this monster whom they
heed not FAMINE /! The promise of .
liberty worse than Southern slavery, may
be An incentive to insurrection but life,
dear life 10 sweet. and - soon as the north
m laborer learns that his bread depends mp.
on the sweat Of the negroes brow, and dis.
covers that his employer is indirectly flch.
ing his and his fsmily's substance. then
will We 6ni who it is that lives in proxim.
| ity to the most fearful giant. Then will
honesty rise up and rebuke hypocrisy
then will the fires Of fanaticism be extin-
guished in the blood Of those who kindled
them-then will pseudo-philanthropy hide
its bead in the lap of mercy. and beg for
giveness for unnumbered transgressions
These are pictures about to be realized. no,
existing aloEe in the imagination. Fanat-
icism has urged the Legislatures of some
OF the Northern States to pass laws null