, 1861-02-25

An Appeal for Manhood
YEfnnr., +3n ~,- vr-1r rf<,~tJl

But, let come what may, the Northern peo-
pie will be eternally disgraced If they barter
away one 1ot OF their manhood. Whether they
save the Union or not, their elf,respect must
be saved. Whether nation has larger er
smaller limits matters little; but it does mat
ter that It should hnye a character-it does
matter that 1t should have soul. For all the
efforts Of high-minded and truc-hearted men
to bring back peace, we are properly gratefu1
men who legally labor to remove passion
and prejudice and misconception, and, as they
are men ofprinciple themselves, are as incapa.
BILE Of asking as they ore Of making any base
compliance. We say, God speed their noble
work. But there are other spirits In the field
northern men Withouta serious purpose or con-
yiction-wretchedc creatures whose very nature
. Southern master and know not how TO live
without him-the same tribe that Webster
spoke of: "Dough faces, with dough heads,
and dough hearts, and dough souls they arc
all dough; the coafsest potter may mould
them to vessels Of h:nor or dishonor-most
are for propitiating the South at all costs.
There is no degradation they are not prepared
to stoop to, If SO be they may keep the border
States in and get the cotton States back They
go for compromise, Us they say; but the COM
promise they go Tor is simply the sheerest sur.
willing to grant, imposes no engagement they
are not ready to make. AIany Of them, beyond
all question, would willingly consent even to
the most Infamous Of inlamies-the reopening
Of the African slave trade itsslf-H slavery
were yet prepared to demand it. To call these
abuse Of the word. Peace Is q blessing for
freemen; it rests on law; 1t finds its gaaran-
tees in justice. Submission to arbitrary de-
1nands is not peace, nor does it bring the fruits
Of peace. 1t is yassalagc, and its end is death.
We say, then, the Union if possible, but
Union Or no Union, MANHOOD first and MAN.
HOOD always. How much, not involving alb
solnte moral wrong, it may be meet to yield
to relieve the present complication OF affairs
how long it will be Wise, under the new ad-
ministration, to continue to enforce the laws
upon an unwilling people, must be deter
mined by shapes and aspects yet to come; but
never, ne,er, under any circumstances, in any
extremity, must the North huu,iliate itself by
a surrender which its conscience and its sense
Of honor cannot approve. In these last years
u change has come over the southern mind, go
that What they once confessed an evil, they
now boast to be their supreme social good.
That change, attribute It to what we please, is
an accomplished fact We hare no power, and
want no power over it. But we do have the
power Of preventing its being forced upon Us,
md It Is our duty to exercise ii. We do have
the power Of preventing its turning our
glorious constitutional pgis, which was con-
seerated to freedom BY our fathers, into an
internal device for The nerpetuaticn and
extension Of bottdage; and every considera-
tion Of honor, every mandate Of COINCIDENCE,
every sentiment Of respect for those who have
gone before US, every aspiration for influence
among the nations, every interest Of ciyiliza-
tion, and every dictate Of humanity, obligato
us to thwart this unhallowed business ~
xsasst not nationalise slavery. We must not con-
seat that Its sole interests shall shape the pot
icy Of the country. Not yielding this, the
Union may end. So be it. Fifty Unions 1uossld
no. BE- north The sacrles Of honest co.cte.ion and
the rostrdtion Of manly spirit in,ulaed in giying
IN 70 sateh beaests as haue heard, ana are yst
daily hearing. No honorable effort is to be
spared to maintain the government on its old
basis. Whatever just authority can do, or
generous cancellation can do, to secure that,
let it be done to the full But when it comes
to betraying our fsith and belying our princi-
pies, there must be stop con5equences must
cease to be regarded; we must stantl firm, and,
trusting to the God above us, take what fol-
lows. Nothing can ruin us II We only hold
fast to our integrity.