Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-01-11
ROCKVILLE MARYLAND, FRIDAY MORNING. JANUARY H. 1861

y
fraternal affection, comfy, mutual SYM
pathies, and common interest in q COM
mon glory, than by the bonds of the law.
The body is worthless when the spirit has
left it; and he. has said that the triumphs
of sectional party would inevitably dis
solve the Union. So said Washington
long ago.
In these respects is not the Union dis
solved? Has not sectional party tri-
umphed? Have not the chords of fra
ternal affection between the slave holding
and non-slaveholding States been cruel
ly severed Is there common interest
in common glory now2 Have not all
the sympathies which spring from COM
mon pride in the glorious title of Ameri-
can citizen. and that comfy which was
the brightest jewel in the crown of Amer
lean character in, the better days of the
Republic, and that broad patriotism
which knew no North--no South--no
East-no West--been all witbered to
ashes in the fierce fires of sectional strife.
and elimination and recrimination p
And, Mr.. President, ere the week shall
pass away, hard by fort Moultrie, +" the
trumpet to the cannon, and the cannon to
the heavens" will proclaim that South
Carolina has cut asunder the ties which
bind her to the American Union. And
it strikes me, sir, that both sets of reso-
buttons recognize the fact of a broken ma
tional compact, for they both enforce the
necessity of reconstruction Of the gov
eminent by amendments to the constitu.
ton, containing more effectual guaran,
tees for southern rights and institutions
repeat, sir, let us look at the facts al
they are, and then we will better under
stand how to deal with them.
If | am right in the view which I tax,
of this matter, there are but two points
for us to consider here to-day.
The first thing is, what-if anything
can be done to place the government
of the United States upon a frmer-
more stable, and more substantial foun
dalton, than the crumbling, rocking one
upon which it now rests In othe
words--can the Union be saved--or NOR
properly speaking, reconstructed, SO a
to bring all parts of it together again, il
peace and harmony? Secondly: If al
efforts to preserve the Union should prov
unavailing--if the South must part wit
the North, where should Maryland 60 :?
If, through the midnight gloom, b,
which We are surrounded. there shone n
CLEAN of hope, should not be here to
day, sir, to address this large and highl
respectable audience would be content
sir, to await the current of coming events
fully satisfied as to where its resistles
force would bear us. But, sir, there
a substantial hope, whose light | shall
follow until o. last Pickering, tremblip
beam goes out forever. In my judgment
that hope leads but in one direction.
1t does not spring from the cry o
"Union Union" when there is no Union
1t does not leep from the thrilling strain
Of Yankee Doodle and the Star Spanglet
Banner, as full of stirring impulses ant
associations as they are. 1t is not tn,
peculiar gift of the american eagle.
comes from the mate patriotism of thu
American people, which may yet arts,
in the sublimity of great purpose, and
Fave the Republic by demanding a re
construction of the government upor
principles satisfactory to all sections anC
States-principles which will ensure tn,
destruction of the food upon which sec
tional agitation feeds and strengthens.
The cotton States will go out of tn,
Union in spite of all that can be done. -
Let those States, whose people thinl
there are not yet causes quite sufiicien
to break up the Union, or that tits wortl
another effort to save it, hold State con
ventions to consider the perilous crisis o
the times. Let these conventions ap
point delegates to general conference 0
all the slave States, which are willing t,
come into it.
Let this convention, when it meets
composed as it should be Of the wises
and most prudent statesmen, whose ser
vices can be procured--a grand Congress
of sovereign States, with calm delibera
ton, make up schedule of demands b
be made Of the North-of wrongs to b,
rcmedied, and of rights to be recognized
and protected Let this schedule be pre-
sentod to tho North, and be enforced b,
every appeal-which docs not partake 0
humiliation-that promises to impress
the Northern mind.
j Probably this ultimatum will be &C
ceptcd by the North, when the superla
tive piety and unreasonable fanaticism o
its people shall have been toned dow
to the level Of common sense and DOM
mon justice, by the fierce ordeal of suf
fering and distress. Then, Mr.. Prcsi
dent, when this ultimatum is accepted b,
the North, the border slave States will b.
in condition to 90 to their Southern sis
tiers and say TO them, See, we have &C
complished for you and for ourselves al
that you have ever asked. Your right
are recognized and guaranteed. You
equality is acknowledged. Your homo
is saved Come back into the Union
Let the time-honored ship Of State sal
on once more upon her course Of progress
aud of glory. Again, she will wall
the waters like thing Of life freight
cd with the best hopes Of the world
with every sail sct-with every yard
manned, and with the stars and stripes
floating from its flag staff, as it did in th,
days Of yore-rcadjusted and nailed fast
again to the masthead from which il ha,
been rudely torn by the mad spirit of re.
volution" When we make this appca
to our Southern sisters. IL will be receiy.