New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-09-20
THE HON. GEO. NJ. DALLAS on THE WAR.

THE HON GEO. NJ. DALLAS on THE WAR.
At the celebration of the adoption Of tho Federal
Constitution in PHILADELPHIA Tuesday last, the Hon.
George NJ. Dallas, the orator of the day, said:
l. In the first place then, fellOw-ezens frankly be
II aid there cannot be found in the sacred instrument
ON which my comments have been made word
giving warrant by any process Tor its own extinction.
X was net born TO die No functonary, no State. no
Coppfess no animation Of communities or indivd.
nals is authorized TO muate the Union, or kill the
Constitution. Tint is a crime which, ike parriclde In
Solon's day. il treated as inconcevable We hear OF
conventions, consultations conferences, ana compro-
uines: they are the vague and hltienng devices OF
gnxous philanthropy; but unless the hith article had
been strictly pursued, which We all know now 10 be
IMPOSSIBLE these expedients are utterly inappeable
and fuless. For, remember, this proylsion-not, IN
fact desis med TO Destroy but 10 srengthen-e2ncates
the necessity before the slightest alteration be At
tempted that frst tro-thUds of both Houses Of Con-
eress shall unite in proposing IT. or second that the
Legislatures Of tcOtdS OF the several States shall
apply for a General Conyention and h'rd that what
erer change NAV be contemplated, whether by two
thirds of both Congressional Chambers, or by two
thirds of the State Legislatures, must wholly fail I'M
less il lie subsequently ratified by the Legislatures or
Conventions Of Hre.fou,hs Of the States. The mere
recital shows the fuy If not impracticdbity, into
which the tempe stu0us course OF events have paayzed
this article. No fellow-ci,izens, you have not the
power to abandon your Constitution
2 But, if you had that power, what then Need
saw That without being recreant to all your ante
cedents ts exercise ia precuded by the boated ati-
tude aud armor OF those who demand 1t The tower.
log front Of armed and coutumeous rebellion is not
the presence in which concession il possible Give up
the Constitution rupture the Union, burn the archives
of your glorious history and open wide the oodgates
of disaster upon the country, il such can be your
choice hut never do il 10 subseryient meekness to
yenomed opprobium or while listening to the roar OF
our enemy cannon. The stigma Of an act 80 grovel-
ing dastardy and degenerate AZ that-so utterly un.
Amercan-wOud cover us for ages rs with poisoned
pail Fellow Citizens: There are formidable bat
teries frowning Mt Manassas; behind them CLEAN uu-
discriminating hatred and scorn, sharpening every
sword and speeding every ballet we would cease to
he men if we cTouched 10 either.
3. In this war; then, there Is really no alternative
for loyal Consituionalsts In the explicit language
of the unanimously adopted resolution Of Mr.. Crten-
den il forced upon the Government OF the United
States Retrospective narrative therefore, would be
alike tedious and useless. IL is on our hands. We
see H. hear H. feel it, Our fathers, brothers, and
are falling in hecatombs sacrificed to its fury. Every
breeze comes laden with its changing incidents, its
alarms It's hopes it's gloom, its taunts, its cheers, ia
covert shaving and its open struggles. The gates of
Janus are expanded wide. No room now LETT for di-
pomaey Of any soRt; none for soothing words Of
inonstrance. Fight must; fight foutrance, those
whom wehaye heretofore fostered aud taught how TO
fight dive them from ther infatuated and parricdal
plrpore of destroying their own country; and pause
ONLY when that country, It's Union aud Constitution,
are inaccessible 10 outrage.