The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-07-17

reared the beautiful structure of the CON-
stitutton and the Union: a structure, like
Solomon's temple, whose every part fitted
with such exact nicely, that it more resem-
bled the work Of the Supreme Architect of
the universe, than of human hands. Turn
we to the other scene and what do we be-
hold? Instead Of thirteen colonies, we see
an empire Of thirtyf four powerful States,
the like of which the world has not till now
seen. But instead of band of brothers,
their breasts a bullwork to the foe, we be-
hold States discordant, discovered, bellccr-
ant, and the land just aboht to be bathcd
in fraternal blood. The citizen of Massa-
chuSctts is hunted and outlawed on the soil
of s. G. The citiztn of Va stands in hos
tile attitude to prevent the descendants of
the Pilgrims from dropping the tear of af-
fection at the tomb of Washington. while
the very ground of the Old Dominion, the
mother of Washington and of Presidents.
trcm6les with the tread Of hostile and op
posing armies. King and Pinckney, Ham.
Iton and Madison no longer sit together,
laying, in the cement of brotheriy love, the
foundations Of the republic. Davis and
Tombs, Wigfall and Mason, names immor
tai with infamy, leave seats in the Senate,
and with the oath to support the constitu
ton still warm on their lips, retire to plot
in secret the overthrow of the Constitution
and the Union. Yancey, that polished
American Cataline, has bidcd his time to
precipltate the Cotton States into revolu-
ton, to ALLEVIATE the hearts of the people
from, and to destroy the best government
the world has ever seen Standing on the
battle fields of the Revolution, the sons of
those who there laid down their lives in
lhberty's name, are treated as criminals.
ifthey do but salute that flag beneath whose
folds the priceless boon Of freedom was won
And all this in single lifetime! From the
safe moorings of constitutional law. we
have drifted to the dreadful verge of civil
war! Standing, as we do, on the very
brink of this 'irrepressible conflict, surging
with human passions, along which courses
the dark tide ofpoitical animosities, engen-
dered by sectional hate, how do the hearts of
good men throb with apprehensions as they
contemplate the near future, and survey
the great battlefield, on which the armies
of the Union and the myrmidons of treason
have taken their respective positions. Oh,
that some potent voice might be raised
high and clear above the tempest of this
strife, that it might bid the angry pillows
''peace, be stiW" But no voice comes: or
ifit comes, it is lost amid the storm of pas.
sion, or the din of preparatiDn. -.
The .+ssons taught US by our fathers
have uassed, forgotten, or unhceded We
have thougsdessly doated on the tide of
dangerous exper,nent, caring not whittier
we drifted. Like the pleasure party on
the coast of Norway, near :he fatal Mael-
stroom, who were all life and JOY, as they
pushed from the shore, amid the parting
injunction Of friends, ''beware of the Maei
stroom.' The warning was unheeded, and
they swept off in great circle around the
whirling center within. AS they neared
the shoreward side, the warning voice in
louder tones, was sent across the waters,
"beware of the Maelstroom!'' The care.
less laugh and joyous strains Of music were
the only response, as they swept off in a
narrower circle than at first. On a prom
ontory, jutting into the sea, were gathered
ANXIOUS friends Apprehensions filled each
heart, lest the careless mariners might
drift within the vortex ard be dashed to
pieces. AS they again came round, from
an hundred voices came up the cry, ''be-
ware Of the Maelstroomr' But the happy
crew were intoxicated with the dancing
motion OF their little barque. On, and on
they sped. The rapid tide began to dash
the foam high above their heads, when
another cry from friends on shore, now
family heard, smote their fearful hearts,
Death stared them in the face! With the
energy eff despair, the crew pulled on their
bending oars, but, alas, in vain! Nearer
and nearer, in circles smaller at every
whirl, they sped, swift as the wings of the
storm. Their puny efforts We're spent in
vain to stem the rushing tide. beware
OF the Maelstroom!' In response was sent
back the wild wall of despair, as young men
and madens went down to sleep, amid the
coral caverns of old oceans depths.
So we started off, at the close of the
Revolution, in the old ship of the Union,
treighted with the worlds last, best hope;
We weighed our anchor with selfconfi-
dence and joy, and as we moved off, the
voice of Washington, all tenderness and
love, bade us remember "that it was of in
finite moment that We should properly es-
innate the immense value Of, the National
Union to our collective and individual hap
pincss; that we should cherish a cordial.
habitual and imnovable attachment to it:
accustoming ourselves to think and speak
oft, as the palladium of our political safe
ty and prosperity, watching for its preser-
vation with jealous anxiety, discountenan-
cling whatever may suggest even a suspi.
cion that it can in any event be abandoned
and Indignantly frowning on the first dawn
ing ofany attempt to ALLEVIATE any portion
of our country fr"m the rest, or to enfeeble
the sacred ties which link together the va
rious parts" Prophetic words! Uttered
as though from the serene heights ofanoth-
er world, he gazcd on the revealed future.
With this parting injunction, the great
WAsnINGToN laid him down in the tomb to
repose. The cid Union swept off in the
circle of events, and at the first signs of
danger, standing on the watch tower of the
Constitution, JACKSON babe us ''beware of
the Maelstroom of disunion," uttering the
rallying cry, 1.-The Federal Union, it must
and shall be preserved" A momentary
shudder ran through the nation at the dan
ger we escaped. The vessel righted, and
pursued its course, and as it winged it's way
amid sunken rocks and treacherous quick
sands, the clarion voice of CLAY rang out
the warning, "beware Of the Maelstroom of
Dlsunion!' and we paused but for mo
ment, to breathe with WEBSTER the fervent-
ly uttered prayer, "When my eyes are
turned to behold for the last time the sun in
Heaven, may not see him shining on the
broken and dishonored fragments Of once
glorious republic-on land rent with civil
feuds, and drenched with fraternal blood. .
Yet we dreamed not Of the danger ahead;
we saw not the phantom of dread that
haunted the imaginations Of Washington,
ofJackson, of Clay, and Webster, even
in their hour of joy r,.
Thus we have moved onward, trusting in
the manifest destiny Of our ocean bound
republic, closing our eyes to the perils
around us, until the terrible cry of she
ware of the Maelstrom Of disunion and
civil war comes up from every fireside in