The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-01-30

partly out Of a dispute over the common do
main of the United States Hitherto the
Union has confined this controversy within
the bounds of political debate by referring il
with all other national ones, to the arbitra-
ment of the ballot box. Does any one sup
pose that disunion would transfer the whole
domain to either party. or that any other
umpire than war would, after disuhion, be
invoked I?
Thirdly, this movement arises in another
view. out OF the relation of African slaves to
the domestic population of the country
Freedom is to them, as to all mankind, the
chief object of desire Hitherto, under the
operation of the Union, they have practically
remained ignorant Of the controversy, es-
pecially of its bearing upon themselves. Can
we hope that fragrant civil war shall rage
among ourselves in their very presence, and
yet that they will remain stupid and Idle
spectators? Does history furnish us any
satisfactory instruction upon the horrors OF
civil war among people so brave, so skilled
in arms, so earnest in conviction, and so in
tent in purpose, as we are? Is it mere
chimera which suggests an aggravation OF
those horrors beyond endurance when, on
either side, there shall occur the intervention
of an uprising ferocious African slave popu
lation of four, or six, perhaps twenty mill.
ions?
The opinions Of mankind change, and
with them the politics of nations. One hun.
dred years ago all the commercial European
States were engaged in transferring negro
slaves from Africa to this hemisphere. To-
dav all those States are firmly set in hostility
to the extension and even to the practice OF
slavery. Opposition to it takes two forms:
one European, which is simple, direct abol!.
ton. effected, if need be, by compulsion';
the other American, which seeks to arrest
the African slave trade, and resist the en-.
trance of domestic slavery into Territories
where it is yet unknown, while it leaves the
disposition of existing slavery to the cons;d
crate action of the States by which it is re.
tanned. 1t is the Union that restricts the
opposition to slav, ry ia this country within
these limits If Dissolution prevail, what
guarantee shall there be against the full de.
velopment here of the fearful and uncompro
missing hostility to slavery which elsewhere
pervades the world, and of which the
recent invasion of Virginia was an i!lustra
ton.
Mr.. President, have designedly dwelt SC
long on the probable effects Of disunion upon
the safety of the American people as to leave
me little time to consider the other evils
which must follow in its train. But prac
tically, the loss Of safety involves every other
form of public calamity When once the
guardian angel has taken flight, everything
is lost. .-. .... .. ....- ....
Dissolution would not only arrest, but ex
tingush the greatness Of our country. Ever
if separate confederacies could exist and en-.
dure, they could severally preserve no share
of the common prestige of the Union. lfthe
constellation is to be broken up, the stars
whether scattered widely apart or grouped
in smaller clusters, will thenceforth shed
forth feeble glimmering and lurid lights. Nor
will great achievements be possible for the
new confederaces. Dissolution would sig
nalize its triumph by acts Of wantonneSs
which would shock and astound the world
Itwould provncialize Mount Vernon and
give this Capitol over to desolation at the
very moment when the dome is rising over
our heads that was to be crowned with the
statue of Liberty. After this there would
remain for disunion no act of stupendous in
fanny to be committed. No petty confedera
cy that shall follow the United States car
prolong or ev, n renew, the majestic drama o.
national progress. Perhaps it is to be ar
rested because it's sublimity is incapable Of
continuance Let it be so, if we have in
deed become degenerate. After Washing
ton, and the infexible Adams, Henry, and
the peerless Hamilton, Jefferson, and the
=. ils.i. -. '" .ks,c'' a.l h a"@." O.
EoGa, Ja-&loa, tue Modest Taylor, and Scott
who rises in greatness under the burden o
years, and Franklin, and Fulton, and Whit
ney, and Morse. have all performed their
parts, let the curtain fall
While listening to these debates, have
some times forgotten myself in marking theii
contrasted effects upon the page who Gus
toinarily stands upon the dais before me-
and the venerable Secretary who stands be.
hind him. The youth exhibits intense but
pleased emotion in the excitement, while al
every irreverent ward that is uttered against
the Union the eyes Of the aged man are suf
fused with tears. Let him weep no more
Rather rejoice, for yours has been lot o
rare felicity. You have seen and been {
part Of all the greatness of your country, tn,
towering national greatness Of all the worl6
Weep only you, and weep with all the bit
terness of anguish, who are just stepping or
the threshold of life; for that greatness
perishes permanently and exists not for you
for me, nor for any that shall come after us
The public prosperity! how could it survive
the storm? Its elements are industry in tht
culture of every fruit; mining of all tht
metals; commerce at home and on every
sea material improvement that knows nj
et, a. o,,I hac nd inv tho,
ranges throughout the domain of nature in
crease of knowledge as broad as the humaI
mind can explore; perfection of art as higt
as human genius can reach; and social re
finement working for the renovation of al
the world. What guarantees will capita
invested for such purposes have, that viii
outweigh the premium offered by politica
and military ambition What leisure Wi
the citizen find for study, or invention, o
art, under the reign Of conscription nay
what interest in them will society feel wher
fear and hate have taken possession of tn
national mind? Let the miner in California
take heed, for its golden wealth will becom'
the prize OF the nation that can command tn
most iron Let the borderer take care, fo
the Indian will again lurk around his dwell
ing. Let the pioneer come back into on
denser settlements; for the railroad, tn,
post road, and the telegraph, advance no
one furlong further into the wilderness
With standing armies consuming the sub
stance of our people on the land, and ou
navy and postal steamers withdrawn from
the ocean, who will protect or respect, o
who will even know by name our petty con
federacies? The American man-ofwar is
noble spectacle. have seen it enter al
ancient port in the Mediterranean. All tn
world wondered at it, and talked of it,
Salyos Of artillery, from forts and shippin