Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-04-02
CRITTENDnN on THE UNION.

marriages, Notices OF Funerals, and announcements
s.t-.,ons, "o eents. eaeh. : 2 s'Et hOyll'5s
CRITTENDEN on THE UNION.
AnExtrNet from His Speech at I.ouis-
Vile, on March goth. TE5lp
We find ihthe admirable specchr of Mr..
Crittcuden, at Louisville, sentiments that
ought to be engraven in letters of fire. on
the heart of every American citizen. Read
the following glowing extracts:
Our true policy is to, stand by tl,nt Union
whose blessings We have SO long exne-
rienccd-so long enjoyed-to stand fast by
until some great political necessity shall
drive us from it. In the Union we know
that We have found snfety-thPre our
fathersu ioundl salety--and these fathers
constructed itifor our safety. All cxpe.'
rience has taught us that we have the best
Government in the world. Abused and
maladministered as it freQuentiy-is, isAit
mot at last the best Government in the
world :? Is there any bettcr2 Where
else does liberty appear as she does here
She appears somewhere in the litlIc Re-
publiCs OF the old world, but SO insicnifi-
cant in their numbers as not to he noticed,
and of course TO be spared by the great
despots and tile great Emperors of Chris.
tendon. There she may he said to exist
IN her rustic siinplicity-iu tatters and
rags. Here she exists IN all her splendor,
with diadem on her head. Here is u
great Republic that has dvowed allegiance
TO her. She as queen beckons to all the
world, and sieuHlizes people that know
how to govern thGnseives-a people that
have entitled themselves to this liberty.
This has been the frnit of this Constitu-
tion and this Union by which advise YOU
TO stand firm Stand true to 1t. / saw.
until some great political necessity drives
you from that post. What You now to
do2 ; ~ portion of our ecOuntrymeu are
sPeculating on distant consequences. They
are resolving that we will.quit our place
OF safety and gOintO aulexperimeut-join
the new revolutionary GOvernmtnt-and
they say that Virginia. and other States
will follow. Then they say there will DE
no war, and then VIC will be in better
condition to reconstruct. This is all a
fancy, from beginning to end. Can we
trust our speculation upon causes that are
so dependent one upon Hnother-upOn con-
tingencies that lie in the future? Can we
come to Distant conclusions of that sort 2.
No. Tho safe way is to do that duty which
is nearest TO YOU. Do that first You can
see that. We have not the gift Of pretlic.
ton. This argument OF speculation, foun-
ded upon distant contingencies, founded
upon inlerences and infereuces from infer
as to what may follow from tile cOmplira-
ton. of .cRuses.' that is 1east of all to be
relied upon. There is no safe logic in it.
Every man can see and Understand the
duty that is next to him, and should not
attempt to copfouud his conviction by en-
deavoring to comprehend objects beyond
his reach.
What is our nearest dnty? You have
been told to maintain the Constitution of
the United States. It has never done Won
wrong, never desPOiled you of your prop
erty, never taken awnya a minute of Your
freedom or yonr liberty during your life
time. AreyOu to abandon that upon Al
contingency are you to go abroad for an
experiment. is that the next and wisest
step to he taken7 Is not the most imme-
dintc duty TO stand fast in your fidelity to
that tried Government until some necessity,
shall iorce you from it2 When that neces-
sity comes It will need no argument. Ne
cessity requires no speculation-no argu.
ment. When that great political necessity
comes which alone would justify US in sun
dering this glorious Union, il will speak
for itself II will speak for itself in Ian
guage not to be misunderstood. We need
not wrangle or debate or quarrel about it.
IL will tell all with its imprriOus tongue.
1t will wave us to Obedience. Conform to
1t we must. Is that the case now? mol,
Why then be in a hurry to abandon this
good Goyernment1which has sheltered US
so long2 Why commit ourselves to the
cold and Indictment skies oflan untried
country, an untried winter? Is that wise?
Is that the prudence Of great nation2
Excitement, animation and impetuosfty
may prompt us, and some may be lured
by, the very danger of the experiment, but
that is not the pnrt OF wisdom-that is not
the part Of that wisdom that ought to gov
ern you and govern commnnity-that
wisdom which is of deliberate rejecting
mind, Yun are to divest yourselves of
these passions when you come TO decide
such question. Let me ask yOu, Was
ever such . question submitted to people
before? Here arc thirty millions of people
constituting the greatest tile freest and
the most powerful nation on the face of
the earth. Is she to fall dOwn'inla day?
Are we hastily to go of;-to tly from ait
the greatness we have Inherited aud 'ae-
qutred, and madIy, wildly seek in the wiz
derness an experimental government, and
substitute It for the better one We now
enjoy2 ia,B
The moment ne are divided, what are
wei BefUre all the nations of the earth
our greatness is given up. Is there any
one of you, any whose heart sReIis with
pride and love Of country, that would not
mournioVer the slightest diminntion of the
greatness Of his country's power. We ex-
perienCed the ehaughtinessands superrilious.
ness of a naughty nationls prince when We
were hut a feeble colony. I;might say, m
volved in revolution. Now your flag car
ries respect and fear and lave over sen
aud over land It Is everywhere hailed
With the proto6ndest respect. When you
are compelled to blow from its folds sever
this waning sonsteIlation shall sbov its