New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-21
MISCELLANEOUS.
SPEECH OF THE HON. JAMES GUTHRIE OF
KENTUCKY. IN FAVOR OF THE UNION.

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KENTUCKY, IN FAVOR OF THE UNION
In compliance with public invitation, the Hon, James
Guthrie, Secretary Of the Treasury under President
Pierce, addressed the citizens of Louisville, KY on
Saturday night last in reference 20 the present cOnd
ton Of the country We print his speech in full;
FELLOW CITIZENS: This is important period,
perhaps the mos important period in the history Of
country fince the Inauguration Of revolution, in
l776, BY the OF independence and ~ hnal accom-
plshmsnt by The treaty OF peace with Great Britain
slnce the establishment OF tie COnfederacy OF States
and the subsequent formation aud adoption Of The Con-
ailulion 0f The United Saies. Frum the latter period
We have had uninie rupted peace ard tranquility in
the land with the sngle exception OF the W Risky In
surfectOu--a rebellion IN Pehrsy lvanI-for period
Of seventy 1--we years since III, Declaration Of indie
Iendeuce ard nearly eighty years since the establish
ment Of tie independence Of the United States by tic
treaty Of peace, and what have We ~itnesredf We
have seen the States Conedcrated which we're separate
c,louirs drpondeut Great Biaiu, confederaied for
the material strength and unity would give IA the
revolutionary struggle and after the accomplishment
OF our Independence, The Confederation beng found n-
Sufficient for the peace, prosperity, trade, and com
merce Of the country, then framed the COnsiitu-
ton Of the United States for the purpose expressed III
that instrument. II was submitted by Con,
grefs 70 each 81 tho Slgics, 10 be valid
Wien nine States accepted Il, but ultimately
II wa. unanimously adopted by al the thirteen States
aud under that Constitution, and under that Tag we
have prosJered never before have people prosper
grown 10 be than thirty millions of people, from
thteru SAtes we have progressed 10 thlTtyour, and
with territory enough for hneen or eighteen more
States. Then why should we not reverence the Con-
uituiion and love the Union under which We have
progressed and prospend II il true that good is
without ts ateudant evil and Washington the great
in point OF ability, virtue aud furehoug ha. the
rage Of history ever recorded ioresaw The evils That
might haypen, and in bis Farewell Address, when
leaving thc executive chair after having served two
Presidential terms and pat the Government ~ oreri
ton, be warned the people against scctionalsm and
what would lead TO divisions by geographical lues
rather than by psries. We now live to ace how wise
and forrseeing that great in relation 10 the
Government which be had won by bis sword, aud
who, atriotically abandoning al selfish considerations
retired from power aud lett tho greatest, the pu1est
and the Wisest reputation In the page Of history We
have the country since Len divided between Fed
ernls;s and Republicans; have seen pretty heated
contests between party orsarA.ious but the Govern
ment has been all the time IN seie ard patriotic hands
we have divided again and again under various party
nanes and fought for various sues but these did
rviard the progress Of the country, ai IL took rank
agpg The nighlesl and proude- nations Of the earth
Email spc6k Of secl.Unal-in terminated with the .
Abolition Party In the North, aud another small .neek
lew 40 Ia the South got M in South Carol ,ybers
lie Itsdquaicr u dIsunor Gre Sill we disregarded
these, for we felt Ourselves too strong in the panofy
Of liberty and prosperity; hoy continued to agi
tate and increase and sill disielaided them, Do,
now they have grown TO gigantic proportions, and
threaten tho run OF Tue country. NuW NdIh soA-
when tie Constitution framed all the States bui
one held slaves and Jealousy existed between slave
holding and nonslaveholdipg States, but IN tie gen
erozy Of Virginia all the territory north OF tie OHIO
River was given TO Free Labor now comprising the
1--WE States Of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, snd
Wisconsin While KentaCky, Tennessee, and south OF
the Inc werc reserved fox tho people who held slayes.
When we acquired Louisiana end tie Tree navigation
OF the Ohio--of which shall tpesk hercaiter-we adj
mitted her M Slave State. When Missouri was about
10 knock at the door Of The Union for admission, obec
lions were made becaus. her Constitution recognized
Slavery am not going into the particulars that quar-
rel perhaps there was Jealousy regarding political
power, and fenTs We're entertained that the slave
States would oyetW helm the Free States m the control
of the Governments the concessions were made and the
line of So 80 was established the north Of which was
occurred TO FREE Labor Sill the South felt strong and
secure under the Ccnstiluilcp. which protected orr
rights In process Of time, there cane tLe Wiinot
lrgYiso and ultimately Free-Soi party at The Eoithi
still we dsregarded them, and continued 10 progress
~ mover before had any nation prospered' bat at,
terly Republican party WAS SngTaned OF lormeu
with Free Soil prociyiiior, to which The Aooomsts
attached themselves; they nominated Fremont for
President aus aiIacst elected him. This alarmed the
South but 10 was defeated Another Presidential
election care round, and at Chicago the Republicans
adopted ree Soil platform, which disputed The riBh,
Il tho Souh TO any portion Of The territory 1cqso
nv the blood and treasure of ell, and denied 10 the
South its constitutional guarantees, as II they had the
rnt or the power TO refuse equal rights 10 the South
In the common Territories. They put up Ind elected
Mr.. Lincoln not practiced statesman, aud not wen
scauain,ed with public afinirs, but who, hope, is
honest ,ran, who will do better when he learns the
situation of the country and the wants OF the people
The other opponents Of the DEMOCRATIC party asSen-
bled al Baltimore and nominated Bell aud Everett,
mon the platform Of the Union, the Constitution and
the Enforcement Of the Laws. Our friends OF the
Donooracy--ior, gentlemen, am Democrat, o1was
met AT Charleston and split the psrtyi htty-one
Southern men seeding from tie Convention, they re-
assembled after AL adjournment in Baltimore, and there
tA. patty was w0rse split; both divisions nominated
candidates and thus there were three 3, candidates
agains, the Republican on the free-soh platform
OF such action and the result spated BY III
who looked over the field; Lincoln was elected. The
dsssised ia South Carolina Increased by the growth
Of Abolliicnism ia the North, had been gathering
strength and took the occasion Of Che election oil In
coin TO carry South Carolina out OF the tnion when
was followed bv the secession of Florida, Georgia,
Alabama Mississippi, Louisiana, and finally Texas
thus making States gone out before Lincoln was
inuuguraed US President. With bis election and these
acts Of secession came political and financial crisis