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

Tue lncufStOnS OF the late w llllam walker
into Mexico, and Central America all these
we're cases In which war was prevented
only by the imperturability Of the Federal
Government.
This Government not only gives fewer
causes Of war, whether just or unjust, than
smaller confederaces would but II always
has greater ability 10 accommodate them
by the exercise Of more coolness aud courage,
the use of more various aud more liberal
means, and the display, if need be, of great
er force. Every one knows how placable
we ourselves are in controversies with Great
Britain, France, and Spoiu; and yet how
exacting we have been in intercourse with
New Granada, Paraguay, and San Juan de
Nicaragua
Mr.. President, no one will dispute our
foreiathers maxim, that the common safety
of oil is the safety of each Of the states
While they remain united, the Federal
Government combines all the materials and
all the forces Of the several States organizes
their defences on one general principle !;
harmonizes and assimiates them with one
system watches for them with single eye,
which it turus in all directions, and moves
all agents under the control Of one executive
head. A nation so constituted is safe
against assault or even insult.
War produces an almost speedy exhaus.
tion of money aud a severe strain upon
credit. The treasures and credits Of small
confederaces would prove inadequate.
Those of the union are always ample.
have thus far kept out of view the re-
lations which must arise between the con-
federacies themselves. They would be
small and inconSiderabe nations bordering
on each other, aud therefore, according to
all political philosophy, natural enemies.
In addition to the many treaties which each
must make With foreign powers, and the
causes Of war which they would give by
violating them, each Of the confederacies
must also maintain treaties with all the
others, and so be liable to give them fire.
quent offenSe. They would necessarily
have different interests resulting from their
establishment of different politics Of reve
nue., of mining, manufactures, and nayiga-
tion, of immigration, and perhaps the slave
trade Each would stipulate with foreign
nations for advantages peculiar to itself
and Injurious to its rivals.
If, indeed, it were necessary that the
union should be broken up, it would be in
the last degree important that the new con.
federdcies TO be formed should be as nearly
as possible equal in strength and power,
that mutual fear and mutual respect might
inspire them with caution against mutual
offense But such equality could not long
be maintained one confederacy would rise
in the scale of political Importance, and
the other would view it thenceforward with
envy and apprehension. JealouSies would
bring on frequent and retaliatory wars, and
all these wars from the peculiar cireumStan-
stances of the conrederaeies, would have
the nature and character of civil war. Dis
solution, therefore, is, for the people of this
country, perpetual civil war. To mitigate
it, aud obtain occasional rest, what else
could they accept but the system Of adjust.
ing the balance of power which has obtain
ed in Europe, in which the few strong ma
tions dictate the very terms on which all
the others shall be content to live. When
this hateful system should fail at last, for
eign nations would intervene, now in favor
of one and then in aid of another ; and
thus our country, have expelled all Europe
an powers from the continent, woald re-
lapse into all aggregated form of its COLO
nial experience, aud, like Italy, Turkey, 10
dia and China, become the theatre OF trans
atlantic Intervention and rapacity.
IT. however, we grant to the new con-
federacies an exemption from complications
among each other and with foreign states,
still there is too much reason to believe
that no one of them could long maintain
Republican form of government. UniVer-
sal suffrage, and the absence OF standing
army are essential to the republican system.
The world has yet to see single self sus-
tanning state of that kind, or even any con-
federation of such states, except our own.
Canada leans on Great Britain not unwll-
ingIy. and Switzerland is guaranteed by in
terested monarchial states. Our own ex-
pertinent has thus far been successful be-
cause, by the continual addition OF new
states the influence Of each of the members
of the union is constantly restrained and
reduced. No one, of course, can foretell
the way and manner Of travel; but history
indicates with unerrng certainty the end
| in which the several confederaces would
Il
reach. Licentiousncss would render life in
tolerable and they would sooner or later
purchase tranquility and domestic safety 6y
the surrender of liberty, and yield them
selves up to the protection OF military des'
potism.
Indulge me, sir, in one or two details un-
der this head. First, it is only sixty days
since this disunion movement began; al
ready those engaged in it have canvassed
with portentous freedom the possible re-
combinations Of the States when discovered,
aud the feasible alliances OF those re-combi-
nations with European nations-ailiahces
as unnatural, and which would prove uti-
mately as pestilential to society here as that
of the Tlascalans with the Spaniard, who
promised them revenge upon their ancient
enemies, the Aztecs.
Secondly The disunion movement arise'
partly out OF a dispute over the common
domain of the United States. Hitherto th,
Union has confined this controversy within
the bounds Of political debate by referring
it, with all other national ones, TO the arbi
trament Of the ballot box Does any on
suppose that disunon would transfer tn
whole domain to either party, or that an.
other umpire than the war would, after dis
solution, be invoked 7
Il Al