New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-01-08
SPEECH OF TIE REV. pNTT. J. BRECNIN-
Ridge OF KENTUCKY.

This distingurlcd Clergyman drverci n sermon or
rather a speecl, on tho State Of the Union Frfi,y
. 1t, at Lexington ky. He was emphatically f." the
nion and opposed 10 the acton of South iroin 1.
We quote:
Now il ia my profound convection that nothing has
occuIed asd nothing exists wiHc usie5 the rccOlI-
ton Licl has occurred in South Carolina, and which
TO be imTenGng in the other Southern States.
Il, yord all doubt nothing has occurred Of that deep-
liz connected with any other interest topic except
that of negro slavery; and connected with that my
ceCp l. that the Just and necessary cause OF
tie Slave States may be- OtherWl'e man aimed than by
se,essiou, rebellion revoEtion. Nay, that 1t may
be incomPar'bly better maintained otherwise; nay,
Il at IT may not be maintained IN that way at all and
that the attempt To maintain IL will be fatal,
CARDS the avowed object, and pregnant with incalcul-
able evils beside.
In such discussions this the nature Of the institu
iion of Slavery il perfectly mu'aterid so long AZ the
Union of the States survives the Constitutional guar
antics of the Federal power which have proved ade-
quaie for seventy years that much added to what
other force States sections may possess 20 pro-
oct their rights. Mr. is there in the nature OF the
ca.e, a. reason why States with slaves and States
ii f,; sSyes should not abide in peace parties Of
i great ration, ~ they have done from the be-
lii ing. Tie M allowed passions of men; the ianat-
i ir o. he tines, tie mutual injuries aud insults
vi cf poriIF If ihe p''lle have inflicted on each
other; the crli, hc political rarirs have nude
OF unnatural TIM. lent popular eAriiements, and i
must add, the M u, oiienNe and un onrl ~ )nnI c-
actments by various state Legisbtue- NJ the NORTH
tie rel eal OF The Missouri Compromise bv Con eSs
tie aiiemJl Of the Supreme Court to a. Il" pnnri.le
deemed be Of vast importance by all .arir7 IL tie
nation, in the bred Scott care, which principles were
OF neceffary in the case ut ALL the subsequent ON
duct in the Federal Cover ment 10 The people III Ia
sas; tie totgl overthrow Of the Wing and American
Taries ard tie division and defeat of the Democnic
Iany, ard q g triumph of the Rcpubican party; the
Scce-, ion ordnance # SOuth Carolina; the agitation
pervading rbe whole nation, espe,,lly the greater
part Of the Southern ates and 10 crown ALL and. II
otsble 10 make all desperate, the amazing cOndnct Of
lie President Of the United States amid great dis
ordeTsihis is the sad outline of the slavery agita
iioi the posture of which for moment II thus, no
ore kl owing how new and fatal steps may harry
us still further.
What I assert in the face Of % much that il painful
and full Of Ieil and what ! confidently p.ly will be
he verdict If po.ieliiy j. that a this trouble s
affords no justification for the secession Of any single
Stgte-none for tie disruption Of the American Union.
hoy wi make the attempt will lind in II no remedy
for the evils from which they lice. They who guad
oil err 10 this fatal stcp VIII find thai they have them
selycs er,d exceedingly. They who have hal the lend
in 10th acts of ma0nes have hope 20 good Tor
ing ages that they may be utterly forgotten. Poe
teiity will receive with scorn ey ~ plea 'hsi can be
made for q iry millions Of Tree Ueo j, protecting Ia be-
Christians in eAteuuaion Of the unparalleled folly OF
n cir -efderi nciion by thai they could not
do8l successfully with three millions Of African slaves
scattered among them. Oh eternal infAmy, that the
q idren of WIel ngton did not know how 10 be free
oh degradation sill deeper hat the children Of God
did not know how TO be ust and to forbear with
another
II recms 10 me therefore that the immediate duty OF
Keniuoky may be clearly stated in very few words.
Pint, to stand by the Constitution and the Union Of
the country TO the la- extremity Secondly, 20 prevent,
as for the moment, the impending and immediate
darger, OF all attempts to rduce her; all attempts 20
tey her into the mixing ofany -ep inconsistent with
her own Constitution and laws any step dsrepardful
of tie Constitution Of the United Sraies; any step
which can possibly compromise her position or draw
her otherwise than by her free choice, dclibe,oly
expIesrtd the yolls, according To the existing laws
a. Constitution whereby she will choo-c her destiny
liirdly TO settle in Ter heart that the rendng of ts
UIicn the slave line il fer her, whatever il may be-
for oihers The most fatal Issue the times have and
the doing Of ls in such lway To subject her 10 the
dc ni,n of the Cotton State for all time come, L.
tbe very wort form Of that most fatal Issue.