, 1860-01-27

Il Southern Un1onfst,
RcT. Robert ]. Breckenridge. Of Kentucky,
widely known ~ III able aud venerable divine,
addresses to his nephew, the Vice President of
TIE United States, calm and cousideyatc letter
on tho uaion. Upon the agitating questions
which seem to eudanger the perpe.uisy Of the
Union he is moderate in tone, Or as some would |
say, consesratire- But the tone Of tie whole |
letter is patriotic, aud its denunciation of the |
heresies to which the Democratic party is giv- |
ing in its adhesion. most foscible aud punsept.
Our limits allow Us to extract only few pas
sag.J. Of the Legality Of Kentucky IL the
Union, he says:
i. to the dissolution Of the American Cnion
the settled and deliberate conviction Ut Ken.
lucky Is TINT 1t is no remely tor anything wn2,-
ever, but that IL Is Of ltse!f the d'sess Of all
ealutnilivs. Kentucky never had any existence
as cor1nonwealih, except as ons cf the States
Of the American Cnion. She never hal . dis
}oyal thought towards that Lnion-or towards
auy sister State she never for one instant de-
sired to enlarge her tights under the Feteral
tonstituticn-ort to exercise any OF those rights
ofiensively-or 10 deny TO others their equal
rights unler tLut Constitution. Wholly unable
to compxehehd how it eau be to tbe interest os
@us 1ANAe ~ @~-Ne ~ Ae'AA sSA~
the ght to sccede caa ha consider ed anything
else but purely revolutionary; she sees n1sh'ng
10 sAr pass couduct Of the Federal to esrneEt
to Justly secession if it were = constitutional
remedy; nnth:as in the aspect Of the times
promising anything css disaster 10 the country
70 every secet!.ns STATE, and meat espee'any u
herself. from the application Of any such RENE
dy, whether By war, BY revolution, by this form-
alton Of new eot''cdcEac'es. OF oy the secession
Of iudivlduAi States. As far Is she can uader-
stand, II IS manly tho un!u'y passions OF nnfea
sonable 1ncn, aud the violent assertions Of du,
bious, or 10 say the least, extfeIe F,:hss-aho
the lEsdnes, Ut polltica! parties III theaF SsFn.-
gae 10: power, iaat nas ee- uShs me eoan'fE %
ITS present Fer,lous cooollioa; Inc tshe 1emeaE
for such disorders - hos the breaking up o. tne
government, but shs uue enforcement OF the
laws; and posterisy Will execrate to the end OF
time whatever ,sern.nens shall allow the Law
TESS conduct OF any portion OF tho people to run
into secession, or IL d1sve others INTO IL
His closing paragraphs are eloquent. He
..
10 fena nas'oh IN IVAN Is lar more ees9,-
ole procedure 1aau luz nxuo' 10 1eeotes iIseh a
" an nse1nal sstueSss- Notalns eAn oe uiot9
eertain tnao tha9 slavery cannet 9c pc'Pstea3eu
on TITS contlnsnt ~ means o! ths stndang u
.nis h&t'oa- "nh slnR'e nat'ona1''. !1As oe1s,
Internal struggles. no matter 20" olten lucy
| may oeeuf: eau never oe s1eat:s proassesea: anu
cAo never iata'iy arrest the progress 91 society.
But IN precisely sucn case as OURS the petma-
the progress Of which promises nothing 80 assa-
rediy as tue mutual dissolution al bota me
parts-and tue sni Of which caa produce aoth-
1og more certainty than tue tosal ae'eat VI t1e
avuwsd object OF It's pespetrAs1ou: Inc atni
descrminallen Of every portion Of Tie mon 10
ul1lntaln Its rights With the l. aion. under every
extremity, would soon put IN euu 10 a1l heees-
sttv ior any toraion oi II 10 elect pct"een tefri"
bic nleaus Ct doing ao- II Is the hotdl1s4 IN r.
serTe ot Ills laeA u tend1u::, !he na'lon, Is ine
weakening OF the idea Ut our glorious nataon:t'i-
y, that G'sss vl:or If not existence TO 10 many
lucas :" Inch can escape benz: tFaitoFous oaiy W
deny lnk taaa VIC ure q ptopie of HAVE any No.
t,"ual!sy. III the restoration OF that great idea
there Is moral force competent 10 Aas9 tne
| country oy "sasnafF niean*. even III suco
Crisis as hits. Ur, Il there IS not, tneTe -
practical force 10 It con'pe'en: to save sAs coun
try bS arms, ~heusver Law Is silent and arms
ara tie only remedy. 1t is horrials to reflect
that the ehlidsrn Of The REVOLUTION might oe
| Obliged 10 sued each others blood. ITO" moen
uiorr HORRIBLE to slled It III such manner tha,
oceans OF II could never restore what we tut
DESTROYED while every drop ot y "orld lie az
eternal Testimony against our folly!
Eur my tt, a'u pot ashamed to conisss
the depth OF MY love tor my whuie country
and the Mingled SORROW antl lut'snas'ot
with Which l witness every attempt 10 weak
en- amongst the rcople the sense Ut what W
owc to the mother OF Us all So psop'
ever did anytApK :.sorlouss viz u1a ~
believe n God, who were not faithful Il
.oat!.s, and who did not love their country
When / reflect on what Tod has a'readJ dou
By us for his o~n glery, and tor tue advance
our position anil our influence amongst nati"n
| t.ft the nth u1uSt z when become buUufr