The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-01-19

course, would be liable to give ms many eau
9 SEES OF war rs we now do. But we know
from the sad experience Of the other nations
!, That disnfegration, once begun, inevitabl,
: continues until even the greatest empire
9 crumbles into many parts.
Each confederation that shall ultimatel,
arise out OF the ruin of the Union will hay,
: necessity for ns many treaties as we now
have. and will incur liabilities for war ~
often as we now do, by breaking them. Ii
IS the multiplication OF treaties, and the
want OF confederation, that makes war the
normal condition OF society in western Eu-
rope and in Spanish America. 1t is union
that, notwithstanding our world wide inter-
course, makes peace the habit of American
people.
i will not descend so low as to ask whether
new confederacies would be able or willing
to bear the grievous expense Of maintaining
the Diplomatic relations which cannot be dis-
pensed with except by Withdrawing from for
cign commerce.
Our federal government is better able to
avoIu giving just causes Of war than several
tconfeueracies, because it can conform the nc
tion OF all the states to compact lit can
nave only one construction, and only enc
| tribunal to pronounce that construction. of
every treaty. Local and temporary interests
aud passions. or personal cupdity and am
bition can drive small confcderaces or states
more easily than great republic, into indis-
erect violation Of treaties.
The United States being great and for
| midable power, can always secure favorable
and satisfactory treaties. Indeed, every
treaty We have WAS voluntarily made Small
confederaces or states must take such trea-
ties rs they can get, and give whatever trea-
ties are exacted. humliating, or even an
unsatisfactory treaty, is chronic cause of
foreign war.
The chapter of wars resulting from nnius-
unable causes, would, lin case Of division,
ampliiy itself in proportion to the number of
new coniederacies and their irritability,-
Our disputes with Great Britain about Ore
gon, the boundary Of Maine, the patriot in
surrection in Calada, and the leland Of San
Juan; the border strifes between Texas and
Mexico, the incursions of the late William
Walker into Mexico and ,ntral America. MI
these were cases in which war was prevented
by the imperturabllity of the federal govern
ment.
This government not only gives fewer eau
ses OF war, whether Just or unjust til n
smaller confederacies would, but ii always
has greater ability TO accommodate them
by the exercise Of more GOODNESS and courage. |
the use OF more various and more liberal |
means, and the display, if need be, of great.
or force Every one knows how placa1ic we
ourselves are in controversies with Great
Britain, France, and Spain; and yet how ex- /
acting we have been in cur intercourse with (
New, Grenada, Paraguay, and San Juan de |
Nicaragua.
Mr.. President, no one will dispute our fore
fathers maxim, TINT the common safety of /
all Is the safety OF each Of the states. While i
they remain united, the federal government
combines oil the materials and nil the forces i
OF the several states: organizes their defen-
SEES on one general principle; harmonixes and
assimilates them with one system; watches
for them with single eye, which it turns in
all directions, and moves all agents under the
control OF one executive heal. A nation so
constituted is safe against assault or even
insult.
have thus far kept out OF view the rela.
tons which must ARISE between the cot,fede-
racies themselves. They would be small and
inconsiderable nations bordering on each
other, and, therefore, according to all politi-
cal philosophy, natural enemies. In addi-
ton 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 NIL the Others, and so be liable
10 give them frequent offense They would
have different interests resulting
rom their establishment of different policies
81 revenue, oil mining, manufactures, and
navigation, Of Immigration, and perhaps the
slave trade. Each would stipuate with for.
slgn nations for advantages peculiar to itself
md injurious to its rivals.
*, indeed, II were necessary that the Union
should be broken up, it would be in the last
1egree important that the new confederacies
e be formed should be as nearly as possible !
squal IN strength and power. that mu tual fear
IND mutual respect might inspire them with I
'aution against mutual offense. But such
equality could not be maintained one con-
ederacy would rise in the scale OF political /
Importance, and the others would view il
henceforward with envy and apprehension. I
,ealousies would bring on frequent and re-
aliatory wars, and all these wars. from the
peculiar circumstances Of the confedaraciee.
Would have the nature and character Of civil j
var Il
Dissolution, therefore, il, for the people I
u this country, perpetual civil war. 70 I
Mitigate II, and obtain occasional rest, what (
ise could they accept bat the system or nd q
listing the balance Of power which has OBJ |
aimed In Europe, in which the few stronc I
'at,ons dictate the very terms on which all I
he others shall be content to live. When
his hateful system should fail at last. for. ,
ign nations would intervene now in favor /
t one and then in aid Of another; and thus I
'ur country, having expelled al European 4
covers from the continent, would relapse G
nto m aggregated form Of its colonial ex- 2
'erienee, and, like Italy, Turkey, India, and q
'hlna, become the theatre Of transatlantic q
Intervention and rapaoty. a
II, however, We grant 10 the new confed 4
racies an exemption from complication, '
mong each other and with foreign States.
till there is too much reason 70 believe tha, !
ot one Of them could long maintain = re- |
ubllcan form Of government. Universal :
uffragc and the absence Of \ standing armv
re essential TO the republican svsten. The :