The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-01-26

The London Times of the 9th of January, in
formed its readers that Gin few days more the
"United States of America, as the world has hith-
''erto known them, will cease to exist" OF the
hundreds Of Americans abroad who read this
humiatng announcement and believed it TO
he true, there was not, we imagine, q single one
in whose bosom the bitterest anguish and indig-
nation did not struggle for the mastery. As they
thought of the impending ruin Of their country,
grief must have excluded from their hearts all
other emotions, but when they reflected on the
recklessness, the selfishness, and the apathy of
those who might have saved the Union, but who,
nevertheless permitted it perish, scorn and anger
must have usurped the place of sorrow Nor do
we believe that any enlightened man Of any ma
ton whatsoever, could have reflected upon the
ticipated downfall of the great Republic without
profound feeling of regret at the event and con-
tempt for the authors of its destruction Through
out civilized Europe and throughout the whole
habitable globe, the tidings of the Times must have
produced q deep sensation and the people of every
land are waiting with anxiety TO know the fate
OF earth's happiest and most prosperous nation.
Tho world, which some short time since was all
expectancy 10 know whether Sebastopol had
fallen or Lucknow was relieved, or Italy delivered
now stands at gaze, watching the progress of q
movement which involves more momentous inter-
ests than have been staked upon the issues Of
all the battles of the past two hundred years.
The great experiment which our fathers
ventured to inaugurate cannot yet be said 10 have
succeeded. Eighty-four years are as nothing in
the life of nation: and unless the system of self
government which we have adopted shall far out
last the present century, posterity will pronounce
it to have been splendid failure. 1t is subjected
now to severer trial than it has heretofore expe-
rienced; and unless it comes triumphantly out of
this present crisis brief and gloomy future only
is before it, If there is not courage and sense, and
patriotism enough in the land to prevent the over
throw of the existing Government, then the theory
on which it is constructed is false and the struc-
ture itselfis founded on the sand. If this Confed-
eracy -overshadowing the Continent and en-
bracing within its limits one united people-can-
not withstand the shock that now assails it. there
is little likelihood that any similar Confederacy
can ultimately stand the test of time, for the dam
gers that now threaten us are less perilous than
those to come. With the increase of population
hicting interests. With hostile and powerful neigh
bors will come rivalres and disputes, and the in
herent weakness of the Government will be some
day greater, will also be its liability TO assault
from without. If, therefore, the people of this
Union cannot maintain it to-day they cannot up
hold it, or any like it, for all time to come If men
will not now abandon the Chicago Platform to
save it, they cannot be relied on in the future to
make the serious sacrifices that may be needed for
its preservation. If the experiment of our fathers
fails now, it fails forever
Upon the people of this generation then, is de-
volved the awful responsibility of preserving our
institutions from the fate which has overtaken the
Republics of earlier ages. If they are equal to the
task, the Union may even yet be maintained. The
concessions which the Border States demand are
just and moderate, and if the North will grant
them, the secession of Virginia and Kentucky,
North Carolina and Tennessee, will be prevented,
and it will heno difficult matter, under such cir
cumstances, to induce the Cotton States to return
speedily to their allegiance to the Federal Govern
ment. 1t rests with the representatives of the
North TO save the Union. Will they do it?