The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1861-03-06

heretofore unexampled 10 the history Of our
land, the horrors of civil war should be
threatened and that this glorious fabric Of
constitutional liberty should be endangered
It is doubtless true beyond cavil or doubt
that long and terrible fanaticism in the
North has eventually provoked q correspond
ling bitterness Of feeling in the South, and it
may be urged that because Of a seeming
identity Of action between ultraists north
and great party, there should be powerful
influence here fatally arrayed against the
South. But when you press home, upon
the great body Of the northern MASSES, the
mere thought Of disunion,' We find them
aking decided stand for tho Union-not a
Union looking to the disturba Of slavery
in the South, but q Union contemplating
stability to- a common government and q
stern execution Of law in vindication of the
rights Of every people within that Union.
Many OF us have battled for years with your
people in naturalization ofyour rights under
the constitution, and now we are requited for
our toll with the universal charge of bad
faith towards the north. Your people make
no discrimination between friend and foe
here. The charge Of violated faith has been
broadly made against US all. You give
those no word of encouragement who have
ever stood by you in all past times Of peril
Thousands upon thousands of us yet stand
forward in your behalf, and although un.
availing in the great political canvass re.
Gently upon ua, we have not yet struck our
colors, nor have We denied you as brethren
in great and common government, and
whether our labors and professions of brother
hood are to be accounted rs worthy of con-
fidence or not, we are still, in the Union,
willing to assume any responsibility and to
discharge all and every obligation of out.
towards you, that our common government
and obedience to its laws may exact at our
hands. Out Of the Union and your position
loving portions Of the North are powsrless to
aid you. We cannot lift our hands against
the government that protects US. Your ex-
tremes Of complaint unite your people as one
against the north. II your friends here as
sumo the perils Of your antagonism to the
general government. they take grave risks
and incur perils at home, and therefore we
appeal TO you, as our brethren and rs friends
with whom we have battled long in political
conflict for your rights, not to press US
farther into danger. a. a.. sa .la I
! may here remark that while every days
excitement may be strengthening the seces.
sion feeling of the South, there is a cores
ponding strengthening Of attachment TO the
Union and government At the North. As
already intimated our people regard seces-
sion, il suffered, as the prologue Of ruin and
government is growing in strength, when
only few months since comparative in.
difference to its preservation prevailed. This
active determination to stand by the Union
is the result Of no local prejudice against your
people or their institutions but it il the
quickened impulse Of affection assuming
tangible position for defence and eyideacipg
VIM, nav ASK, q 70: become Of the
great commerce Of the Mississippi in event
Of secession becoming 4 settled and deter.
mined fact! Have you even considered this
question: To ask the question / apprehend
is cncugh-no one can answer iii! This city
and New Orleans already begin 70. feel the
magnitude Of the question aud in time they
will have most terrible complaint to utter
in answer.
In conclusion allow me to remark 10 re-
'ation to the alleged usurpation Of our PEG.
pie in expressing themselves, land they did
no more) averse to the shipment of certain
guns from our arsenal. that rs soon as i pub |
ic meeting could b called, one was called. /!
md the result was, that We unan;nsously
resolved that the guns shosId 90 a ordered.
Not gun was disturbed, they we're all con-
Keyed to the wharf and many Of them loaded
eady for starting, when The o!de:: .sor their
S'pn,ent was countermapded. We conciu. /
led that even tito be seized and used against
IL, we would rather stand before them shot.
ed for our destruction rather than stand over
hem in disobedience to lava second sober
bought silenced all thought Of resistance to
heir removal, while no act was committed
0 hinder their shipment from the begin.
ing. 81 80
You will pardon me for trespassiug at
UGH length upon your attention. have
we'd many years among your people mean
outhern people but not of your particular
late) and have many warm friends, as we'll
$ near and dear relatives among them
,ore than AL, I am this day jointly with
theirs interested in a lot Of slaves Ia your
tate-1 therefore feel more keenly the
Foubles prevailing among you. have al
rays been identified politically with the old
ational democracy, voting for NJ. Polk in
Il. Clay Town district ii Kentucky, where
TT entitled 70 = v.ts and have never seen
ause TO depart that faith, except Upon one
ccasion when from motives Of local
haracter, voted will, the American Party
i labored hard to defeat the election Of
f.. Lincoln, but went down under . ban.
e weakened BY Party schisns. a's''s /,
Trusting that may have written uoth-
g to offend ia leisure hour devoted to the
'regcing pages and with the prayer that
our people and my people may again
unite 10 doing obedience 70 that !,
|orious Union Tor which our fathers died, !
i'd which hrs made 10 noble and arosper-
= people. ] remain s. 'stl -9s' .
1 .3s ia s 'aa ks7s7s d. ii.
iPittsbu1eh, Fob. llth. 1851. +, 81 Is Is.
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