The national Republican., 1861-01-18
DUTY OF UNION MEN IN THE BORDER
SLAVE STATES,

Dorder slave states, who wish TO preserve tne
Union, to give up all illusions, and address
themselves with resolution and energy to the
work before them. Quite enough Of precious
time has been wasted in dreaming of impossible
adjustments, and the difficulties have only been
increased by exciting popular expectations Of
that sort. The truth must be looked in the face.
The party which has elected Mr. Lincoln to
the Presidency, and which is about to come into
power, will not destroy itself by abandoning or
compromising its principles. 1t refuses, as
Mr.. Jefferson did, to stake the Government by
cdpitulation." Nothing else could have been
expected, and nothing else will happen.
These principles of the Republican party,
luminously set out in the Chicago Platform,
guaranty oil the rights Of the South as concerns
their domestic institutions, protection from in'
reference, protection from invasion, and the
rendition of fugitive slaves. If Union men in
the slave States cannot maintain themselves
on that basis, they must go down. Not one
single inch will the Republicans advance in
the direction of recognising, establishing, or
protecting slavery in the Territories, in any
latitude, or under any circumstances whatever.
There never was the least good ground for
misapprehending their position on these points,
and any possibility of misapprehension is now
ended by the unanimous reputation Of MIR.
Crittenden's propositions by the Republicans
in the Senate, and which will be equally unan.
imous and emphatic in the House, whenever
vote is reached in that body.
We have had quite enough of a sort Of Union.
ism at the South, which is nothing but contingent
dsunion, and disunion upon q contingency, al
ways certain to happen, and which has now
actually happened. The question is not, who
is for the Union, if they can have the Constitu.
ton remodeled to suit them. JEFF. Davis and
Mr.. Toombs are both ready for that. But the
question is, who is for the Union as it is, under
the old Constitution of 1887?
To all such, of whatever party, in Maryland,
in Virginia, in this District, and in every slave
State not already drawn into the vortex of revo
luton, our urgent entreaty is, that they 60 to
work forthwith and work without ceasing. Ad-
dress the people. Circulate documents. Show
the madness of disunion. If men complain
cient promptness, tell them that the whole
right Of reclaiming them is lost by dsunion. If
men complain that Congress will not protect
slavery in the Territories, reply, that Congress
does not prohibit it, that as yet, the courts sus.
tain it, and that the worst that can happen to
Shareholders in the Union in respect to the Ter.
ritories, is sure to happen at once and rretriev.
ably as the result of disunion, which yields
everything to the North. If men complain that
public sentiment at the North is untavorable
to slavery, show them, that with disunion,
which cuts off all political means Of influence
at the North, this adverse public sentiment will
become more vrulent and more dangerous.
Show up the misery of every sort which seces.
sion has already inflicted upon South Carolina.
Point them to the social disorganization all
through the Gulf States, the reign of the mob,
the depreciation of property, the stoppage of
trade, and the widespread bankruptcy.
Expose the miserable delusion that secession
can be peaceable or that it is anything else
than revolution, which cannot be successful.
Let them know, that the coming administra.
ton, backed by twenty millions of people, is de.
termined to collect the revenue, whether its
collection be resisted by one State by two
States or by fifteen States.
Expose also, that refuge of imbecility, that
the border States have no option but to secede,
because the Gulf States have seeded. Show
them that the Gulf States would never have
entered upon this career, but for the assured
hope of support from the border States and
that, if that hope falls they must beat retreat.
1t is the border States who are the masters of
the situation. Their destinies are in their own
hands.
In short, waste no more time in the vain pur-
suit of unattaiuable compromises, but rouse
yourselves to the work Of saving your property,
your families and everything that you prize,
from the swift destruction which will enguf all,
if this mischief of disunion is not stayed. Con-
front its emissaries everywhere, on the stump, on
the cross roads, in the highways, and in the by
ways. Consider nothing done so long as any
thing remains to be done. To quote words
never used for more urgent occasion, if you
are asleep awake! If you are standing, move
If you are moving, run! If you are running,
fly to the rescue!
THE BEGINNING OF THE END.
The news from Arkansas will cause a thrill
of pleasure, in every patriotic bosom, from the
St. Croix to the Rio Grande. 1t marks the
beginning of the end, and from this time out,
secession will go down. The handwriting is
on the wall.
All attempts to dragoon the Legislature of