Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-01-25
Speech of the Rev. R0bt j. Breck-
iEridge OF kentucky. I&I

Dpo0C0 OF th0 Rev. 8Obt j Brock.
icridge OF kentucky. @I
This Distinguished slervman delivered
sermon OF rather a speech on the state Of
The Union on Fast Day, at Lexington, Ky.
He was emphstically for the Union, and
opposed to the action Of South Carolina
We quote:
Now It is my profound conviction shat
nothing has occurred, and nothing exists
which jus:ifes the revolution which has o.
CURED in South Carolina, and which seems
to beimpending in the Other Southern States.
Beyond all doubt nothing has occurred OF
that description, connected with any other
interest or topic except that OF negro Slavery /;
and connected with that my deep assurance
il that the Just and necessary cause Of the
Slave States may DO otherwise msin'ainea
than by secession, rebellion or revolution
maintained otherwise nay, that it may not
the attempt 80 to maintain it will be fatal,
% regards the svowed object, and pregnant
with inca.culable evils beside.
In suoh discussions as this, the nature Of
the institution Of Slavery is perfectly imna.
survives, the Constitutional guarnties OF the
Fedora! power, which have proved adequate
for seventy years, are that much added to
whatever other toroe States or sections may
possess to protect their rights. Nor il there,
in tie nature of the case, any reason why
States with slaves and States without slaves
should not abide in peace as parties Of the
same great nation. is they have done from
the beginning The unhal,owed passions OF
men; the tanat;cSn Of the times the muiu-
al injuries and insults which portions of shs
people have inflicted on esca other /; ths
cruel use which poiitiea! parties have made
Of unnatural transient ;,opulsr exeitemsnt.
and must add. the unjust, offensive ant
unconstitutional snactmenss BY vsriops Sts.e
Legislatures at the North tie repeal If tbs
Missouri Compromise by Congress the s..
tempt of the Supreme COURT to settle pruci
pies deemed to be OF vast importance BY al
parties in the nation, in the bred Scott case
which principles were NOT necessary in th,
case at all; the subsequent conduct in III,
Federal Government to the people in Kan
sac the total overthrow Of the " hig AM
American parties, anc the division and defes
OF the Democratic party, snd ths triumph Q
the Republican party; The secession ordi
nance Of South Carolina the agitation per
vading the whole nation, especially the great
er part of the Southern States, and to crow
all, and, if possible 70 make all desperate
the amazing conduct Of the President of II
United States amid so great disorders-thi
il the sad outline OF tue Slavery agitation
the posture of which for moment is thu
no one knowing how soon new and tst.
steps may hurry Us still further.
hot T ~ h. e. 80. A.
is painful and full of peril, and what cont
IDENTIFY rely Will be the verdict of posterit,
is that all this trouble, az it is, afford
no justification for the secession Of any singl
State-none for the disruption of the Anne,
lean Union They who make the attem,
will find in it no remedy for the evils frol
which they flee. They who goad othe,
oe-eq this fatal step will find that they hay
themselves erred exceedingly They VIII
have the lead in both acts Of madness hay
no hope so good for coming ages as that the
may be utterly forgotten. Posterity will r,
ceive with scorn every plea that can be mad
for thirty millions of free people, prof,ssin
to be Christians, in extenustion Of the q,
paralleled folly of their self-destruc ton, b
reason that they could not deal successful
with three millions of African slaves sea
tered among them. Oh |! eternal imam,
that the children of Washington did NJ
know how to be free Oh degredatio
still deeper that the children of God d
not know how to be just and to forbcar on
with another
1t seems to me, therefore, that the imm
diate duty Of Kentucky may be clear
stated in very few words First, to stan
by the Constitution and the Union 10 II
last extremty: Secondly, to prevent IS f,
the moment, TIE impending and im.nedis
danger, OF All attempts to seduce her; ali a
tempts to terrify her into thu taking Of an
step inconsistent with her own Constitute
an1 laws !; any step disregardful Of the Col
stitution Of the United States any sre
which can possibly compromise her positio,
Or draw her on otherwise than by her frs
choice, deliberately expressed Of the poll
ACCORDING to the existing laws and Constit,
ton, whereby she will choose her DESTINY
Thirdly. to settle in her heart that the rene
irg Of this Union on the slave line, is for be-
the most fatal Issue the times can have, an
the doing Of this IN such g way as to subies
her to tie dominion of the Cotton States fc
aii time to come, is the very worst form {
that most fatal issue.