The national Republican., 1861-12-14

Lecture OF Dr.. Brownson.
| At the first lecture Of the popular course, at
the Smithsonian Institution last evening, the
xsnorabis and witty psst and divine, Rev. John
Of the course, Abiding Ii tHs lecturer ss =
man who investigated al sides d a sutJect. and
refused TO submit himself to the drill Of timid
lyceum managers before mounting the lecture.
| stand. lA5l ~
The lecture viii be given in full 10 future
| issue, hence our readers must be content with
the briefest possible synopsis. The hall, large
with men and women Of every shade Of opin.
Ion. r.4F..- .a-.s. ..'' ID.
His suhjsot was, "THE NATIONAL CRlsIs.p
He believed this TO be a nation, because It 10
so recognised by foreign nations, has ex.
listed, as such, for nearly u century, has q ma
tional flag and motto, has exercised the funo.
| lions u nation, and discharged nations
obligations and not that 1t WAS oonfedersted
league to be dissolved at will, NJ was held by
those who had appealed from the last reason
from the argument OF ballots to the argument
of bullets. He wished TO know whether this
was the capital Of the nation or The capital of
the District of Columbia whether he was
here at ,me, on native soil, speaking to his
Whits he believed ours to be one people, one
race, with one tongue and \ common destiny,
he also believed that States have rights which
the Federal Government never gave and cannot
obligations to civil society; but because indi.
viduals have such rights, II does not follow that
there Is no such thing rs civil society. Yet he
would say, so long rs he did not abuse his lib.
At yeur peril" he believed in State pride;
there was no spot so dear to him as the State
in which he was born. All that 10 local should
DO administered by the State government, all
that Is general by the national Government,
which I, the supreme Government. Union IL
one of nj my; unless there is unity, there is no
unipn-Only juxtapOsitiOn. We have still a
Un'o that shall subsist when you and are no
moe. Be 1t n compact-it was = contract in
solido, one that could not be broken but with
the consent Of others, without preach Of faith,
which Is rebellion, y crime. He here alluded
to the faith breakers of our nation, who had
sought not only 10 set up an establishment for
themselves, but also attempted to drive the old
folks FROM the homestead.
He would have averted the war, but now II
was upon US. There we're worse things than
war. Slavery In the South had sought to rule.
Young America Ia the North had become reok.
less In following the lead of Fernando Wood and
tho New York Herald-the nation was becom.
Ing efsminste. Our position was more aus.
pioious than four years sgo. War would purify
our political atmosphere, and give lis II nation
Of heroes. The highest on the list Of humanity
were ever the martyrs in religion; next were
ranged sOldiers dying In lighting for n noble
cause. These SACRIFICES do mrre 10 rejuvenate
and invigOrate nation in three or four years,
than century OF peace. We need the oo:reo.
lion which war is bringing us. He did not
lament this war, but Its causes; and now let Il
be ,odr; not mere mimic fray, but stern, de-
ter mined, relentless war. We must not only
have the courage TO die, but the courage 10 XIII.
He wanted no war carried on upon peace prin.
Giples. Either give up the war, and call our
selves potroons and towards, or work in earn
est, and
And damned be he who first cries hold, enough"
Let us show that We can preserve n nation,
and beauty and adOrn 1t.
THIS war was brought on by slavery. Which
shall we sacrifice, the nation or slavery! The
war should not be prosecuted for the destruc.
ton Of slavery, but II II stood In the way, let
slavery perish, but the Union must be pre-
served. He would fight for his liberty, and
what he wished for himself he would give to
others, be he white, black, red, yellow or cop.
percolored. But let this question be settled
forever, and so settled that the eternal Niger
should be heard no more. When the rebels
we're whipped, or bOtne back, he would insist
on their full rights, with no Niger thrown into
the scale. As far 40 our forces advance, We
should advance to govern and protect both
black and white within our lines. He would
then have, not u despotic Government, but a
strong Government, which should yet become
in fuller sense than ever before, the pride
and glory Of the whole earth.
-N