The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-01-24

on one side of the Atlantic, will open
on general conflict waged to obtain,
through whatever indirection, Just such
system as ours, and on this side OF
the Atlantic, within the same parallels
of latitude, it will open on fraternal
war, waged in a moment of frenzied
discomfort, to overthrow and annihilate
the same institutions. Do men, indeed,
live, only for themselves, to revenge their
own wrongs or Justify their own ambi-
ton? Rather, do not men live least
OF all for themselves, and chiefly for
posterity and for their fellow men.
Have the American people then be-
come all of a sudden unnatural as well
as unpatriotic !? And will they disin-
herit their children. Of the precious es-
tate held only in trust for them, and de-
prive the world of the best hopes il
has enjoyed since the human race be-
gan its slow and painful, vet needful
and wisely appointed progress? eea
Here l might close my plea for the
American Union; but it is necessary,
If not to exhaust the argument at least
TO exhibit the whole case. The disun-
ionists, consciously unable to stand on
their mere disappointment in the recent
election, have attempted to enlarge
their grounds. For more than thirty
years there has existed considerable,
though not formidable, mass of citi-
zens in certain States, situated near or
around the delta of the Mississippi,
who believe that the Union is less con
ducive to the welfare and greatness of
those States than smaller confederacy,
embracing only Slave States, would be.
This class has awaited itself of the dis
contents resulting from the election to
put into operation the machinery of
dissolution, long ago prepared and
waiting only for an occasion. In other
States there is a soreness, because OF
the want of sympathy in the Free
States with the efforts of shareholders
for the recapture of fugitives from SER
vice. In all the Slave States there is a
restiveness resulting from the resistance
which has been so determinedly made
within the last few years in the Free
States to the extension of Slavery in the
common Territories of the UnitedStates.
The Republican party, which cast its
votes for the successful Presidential
candidate on the ground.o of that policy,
has been allowed practically no repre-
sentation, no utterance by speech or
through the press, in the Slave States
while its policy. principles and senti-
ments, and even its temper, have been
so misrepresented as to excite appre-
hension that it denies important consti-
tutional obligations, and even aims at
interference with slavery, and its over
throw by State authorities or interyen-
ton of the Federal Government. Con
siderable masses, even in the Free
States, interested in the success of these
misrepresentation as means of parti.
Fan strategy, have lent their sympathy
to the party claiming to be aggrieved,
while the result of the election brings
the Republican party necessarily into
the foreground in resisting disunion.
The prejudices against them, which
/ have described, have deprived them
of the cooperation of many good and
patriotic citizens. On complex issue
between the Republicans and the Dis.
unionists, although it involves the di-
rect national calamities, the result
might be doubtful, for the Republican
party is weak in large part of the
Union; but on direct issue, with all
who cherish the Union on one side, and
all who desire its dissolution by force
on the other, the verdict would be
prompt and almost unanimous. / de-
desire thus to simplify the issue, and
for that purpose to separate from it Of
all partizan passions and prejudices.
consider the idea of the withdraw,
a of the Gulf States, and their perma
Rent reorganization, with or withou,
others, in distinct confederacy, as 3
means of advantage to themselves SC
certainly unwise and so obviously i'm
possible of execution, when the pur
pose is understood, tina. / dismiss i
with the discussion have already be
slowed upon it.. .... =.
The case is different, however, in re
gard to the other subjects which I have
brought in this connection before the
Senate. -.
Beyond a doubt, Union is vitality i'm
portant to the Republican citizens O
the United States, but it is just as i'm
portant to the whole people. Repub
licanism and Union are therefore no
convertible terms. Republicanism j.
subordinate to Union, as everything
else is and ought to be. Republicanism
Democracy, every other political name
and thing, all aresubordinate, and the,
ought to disappear in the presence O
the great question of Union.
So far as ] am, concerned, it shall b,
so:, It should sbe so, if the question
were sure to be tried, as it ought onl,
10 be determined, by the peaceful or
deal of the ballot. 1t shall be SO al
the more since there is on one side pre-
parednessstQ refer to the arbitramen
of civil wal: I have such faith I'M thi
republican system of ours, that Their,
is no political good which I desire tha
] am not content to seek through it
peaceful forms of administration, with
out invoking revolutionary action. I
others shall invoke that form of actor
to oppose and overthrow the Govern
ment, they shall not. SO far as it de