Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-05-08
from the Danvilo Quarterly Review
OUR COUNTRY: ITS PERIL IT.
DELIVERANCE.
By REV. ROBERT J. BRECKnNRIDGE, D. D..
Dsnville Kentucky,

lNhCtuutd'l
~, In attempting to deyelope the
topic which remains, We are fully aware
ofthe difficulties OF the task. Both at
the North and at the South, there are
great parties thoroughly organized and
acting in precisely opposite directions AS
to opinion, but one direction as effective
as the other toward the common object OF
their labors namely, the tearing Of the
nation to pieces They who agree in no.
thing else, agree in the common desire
for that result. which involves our nation
al ruin. In the meantime, the IMMENSE
popular masses at the North which have
only partially co-operated with the organ
ixed parts bent on destruction, or have
fallen into minoritics openly resisting
that party-are neither organized in part,
nor OF one accord amongst themselves.
except upon the single point, that they
are suddcny awakened to the extreme
peril ofthe situation, and are rapidly set
iling into a resulute purpose to avert the
danger. if it is still possible. In the
whole South, the condition of ati1irs is
similar, but more perilous. The disrup-
sion of The Democratic party at Charles
ton aud at Baltimore, is susceptible of but
three possible interpretations it was an
act Of mere passion-or it was an act OF
deep Intention, designed to produce eX-
nctIy what has followed-or it was an act
looking TO the reconstruction of that par e.
II and TO new epaelvors for its perma,
nent triumph as II national party. Re-
oent events tend TO show, that the disrup-
tion was made in the fixed sense of the
second Of these three possible interp' TIA
.tious or at any rate, in the contempla-
.tion, and perfect preparation OF many
leading men to take that alternative,
even il they are not chargeable with hav-
ing Intentionally procured it. What oc.
Cured was. that the cotton growing South
suddenly awoke 10 consciousness, that
a great and perfectly organized party in
her bosom, vas precipitatlng State alter
State into secession while In every sece
ding State even in S.Caro.na-masses oi
the people, stunned by the suddenness
and vehemence and thorough organiza-
tion Of the movement, were borne along
by IL, or made resistance only collateral
points, or remained in dissatisfied ST.
ience as the storm swept over them. And
IN all the remaining slave States, State af-
ter Safe became suddenly the theatre OF
conccrted agitation propagated original
ly from South Carolina, aid tending
everywhere 10 the same violen. result by
the same seditious proceeding in the ven
erable names of State sovereignty and
constitutional power. In these latter
States, the resistance on the part OF the
community to this revolutionary tanatl~
cism, was more in accordance with what
became free people and whatever the
issue may be, the most of them, possibly
every Que of them, will reach it with a
decorum, gravity, and public decency
inscparable even IN death itself from all
true greatness, on all great OCCASIONS
But these great popular masses through
out the fifteen slave States-embracing all
uien who were not ready to rush into i'm
mediate secession, and embracing, there
fore, the immepse majority Of the people
in that half of the nation-were taken by
surprise-cut up into three mutually hos
tile political parties-disorgani by nm
INFINITE diversity Of opiuion-and desti-
tute for the moment OF great leaders to
whom they could turn with A common
consent. Rapidly, and b, movement
almost spontaneo public, opinion. over
borne E tho moment III the six secedino
States, and trembling in the balance in
several other States, appears TO us to be
consolidating in the greater number and
the most powerful OF those States, in q
determinate manner, and upon fixed
points. In them there is none of tina
frantic hostility to the Union which ha,
been ostsnta ntatiously manifested in othe
places but on the contrary, an avoweC
3ktechmelt to the Union, and declared
ppfppse to maintain it, if it can be done
combs emily with their security, thei
honor, and their rights. In them, there
hno disposition to contend for extreme
rights, or to demand conditions which il
changed circumstances they would mol
grant themselves, much less to Ay to arms
by way preliminary menace, or to look
y forcign nations for aid in tho execution