Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-01-26

VI NN"'"u''B tue uulOn now, deeply lm.
pressed with the same generous and loyal
conviction. How could It be otherwise,
when, instead Of only thirteen, the country
is now composed Of thirty.three parts; and
the empire embraces, instead of only four
millions, no less than thirty millions of in
habitants.
The founders OF the Constitution, more.
over, regarded the Union as no mere na-
tional or American interest On the con.
trary, they confessed with deep sendbiIity
that 1t seemed to them to have been reserv.
ed for the people of this country to decide
whether societies Of men are really capable
OF establishing good government upon re.
fectlon and choice, or whether they are
forever destined to depend for their politi.
cal constitutions on accident and force.
They feared, therefore, that their failure to
continue and perfect the Union would be a
misfortune to the nations. How much
more, sir, would its overthrow be a calamity
to mankind.
some form OF government is ndispensa-
ble here as elsewhere. Whatever form we
have, every individual citizen and every
State must cede to some natural rights, to
invest the government with the reuusite
power. The simple question, therefore for
rs TO decide, while laying aside oil pique,
passion, and prejudice, is whether it con
duces more to the interests of the people of
this country to remain, for the general pur.
poses of peace and war, commerce, inland
and foreign, postal communications at home
and abroad, the care and disposition of the
public domain. colonization, the organza-
ton and admission of new States, and, gene
rally, the enlargement Of empire, one nation
under our present constitutions than it would
be to divide themselves into separate con-
federacies or States.
Our country remains now as it was in
l78T-composed not of detached and dis
tant territories, but Of one whole well.c
nected and fertile region, lying within the
temperate zone, with climates and soils hard
ly more various tnan those Of France or ot
Italy. This slight diversity quickehs and
amplifes manufacture and commerce. On
rivers and valleys, as improved by art, fur
nish rs o system of highways unequaled ia
the world The different forms of labor, il
slavery were not perverted to purposes oi
political ambition, need not constitute an
element of strife in the confederacy.
Notwithstanding recent vehement ex.
presSions aud manifestations Of intolerance
J in some quarters, produced by intense par.
tisan excitement, we are in fact, homogeu'
eous people, chiefly of one stock, with &C.
cessions assimilated. We have, practically,
only one language, one religion, one system
of government, and manners and customs
common to all. Why, then, shall we not
remain henceforth as hitherto, one peo.
pie ?
The FIRST Object of every human society
is safety or security, for which, if need be,
they will and they must, sacrifice every other
tion from foreign aggression and influence ;
the other, exemption from domestic tyranny
and sedition.
Foreign wars come from either violations Of
treaties or domestic violence. The Union
has, thus far, proved itself an almost per
feet shield against such wars. The U. s.
continually enlarging their diplomatic acqu-
antance, have now treaties with France,
the Netherlands, Great Britain, Sweden,
Prussia, Spain, Russia, Denmark, Mexico,
Brazil, Austria, Turkey, Chill, Siam, Mus
cat, Venezuela, Peru, Greece, Sardinia,
Ecuador, Hanover, Portugal, New Granda,
HeSse Cassel, Wurtemburg. China, Bavaria,
Saxony Nassau, Switzerland, MeckIenburg,
Schwerin, Guatemala, the Hawaiian Island,
San Salvador, Borneo, Costa Rica, Bre-
men, the Argentine Confederation, Loo
Choo, Japan, Brunswick, Persia, Baden,
Belgium, and Paraguay. Nevertheless,
the U. S within their entire existence under
the Federal Constitution, have had fragrant
wars with only four States, two OF which
were insignificant powers, on the coast OF
Barbary, and have had direct hostilities,
amounting to reprisals, against only two or
three more and they are now at peace
with the whole world If the Union SHOULD
be divided into only two confederacies, each
of them would need to make as many treat
les as we have now and of course, would be
liable to give as many causes of war as we dc
now. Bot we know from the sad experience
of other nations, that once legun, inevitably
continues until even the greatest empire
crumhles into many parts. Each confeder
alton that shall ultimately arise out Of the
ruin of the union will have necessity foI
as many treaties as VIC now have, and vii
incur lbiIities for war as often as we dc
now, by breaking them. 1t is the multipli
cation of treaties, and the want Of confed
GRAFTON. that makes war the normal condi
tion of society in Western Europe and il
Spanish America. 1t is union that, moth
withstaBding our worldwide intercourse
makes peace the habit Of the American Peo'
pie.
1 will not descend so low as to ask whethel
new confederaces would be able or willing
to bear the grievous expense ofmaintaininG
the diplomatic relations which cannot be
dispensed with except by Withdrawing from
foreign commerce.
Our Federal Government is better aoI'
to avoid giving just causes OF war thar
several confederacies, because it can conform
the action of all the states to compae's
II can have only one construction, ano
only one tribunal to pronounce that con
slrnction, Of every treaty. Local and TEN
porary interests and passions, or personal Gu
pidIty and ambition, can drive small con
federaeies or states more easily than grea'
republic into indiscreet violations OF Urea
ties.
The U. S. being great and formidable
nowar can alWays secure favorable and ga