Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-04-03

the movement but to abide the firm and sin.
cere performance of those duties, meantime
striving for a settlement of the whole diff.
Guilty. II the seeding States follow up
their past outrages by rushing into war
with the nation, no matter ON what preteyt
that will on y prove that the pestlence has
already gone beyond the reach of peaceful
remedies. On the other hand, let it be ia
ken for granted that the nation cannot be
saved, and that peaceful separation, if that
be possible, is the best hope Of all parties.
Even in that case, and with view to that
result, the position of the General Govern.
ment towards the seeding States should be
one of forbearance and moderation indeed,
but of unalterable hrmness. The nation
has an interest in the manner Of this SUP
posed separation hardly inferior to its inter
est in preventing any separation; nor is the
interest of the States that may 20 out lees
permanent and fundamental in the right
ordering of that great, and, as we think.
terrible result than any they may suppose
they have in founding Il new empire That
this particular constitutional Government.
should fail is dreadful enough, but we owe
it to ourselves, to the glorious cause of con
stitutional government, and, indeed, to the
human race, that we should not establish
by our downfall the i'm becility of Republi-
can freedom; but, on the contrary, that the
very wreck of our institutions should exhi-
bit the principles of constitutional liberty in
contrast with every aspect OF anarchy and
in ali their unalterable force and beauty
Let our ruin be the thousandth proof of the
violence Of human passions and the insta,
bility Of human hopes; let il not be 4 dam
ming evidence against constitutional govern.
ment. To US nothing appears more certain
than that, looking 10 either result, the ma
ton has no necessity more imperative. az
means to any endurable result than that
the Federal overument-instead Of shrink
ing from its true position on the one hand.
or resorting to needless violence on the 9th.
er-should accept it's true mission az the
representative of the nation, and so to q
great extent master of the situation, and
pilot the ark in which such trenscendent
treasures are embarked courageously amidst
the bowling waters. God will bring it to
the right haven; for the prayers OF many
hundreds of thousands of his children lie
yet unanswered before his face.
1t is of the last Importance that We should
not be deceived by appearances or msled
either by our hopes or our terrors. The
voice that can alone silence the storm that
is raging around US, the hand that is alone
competent to grasp and to crush every eie-
ment OF disorder, that voice has not yet
spoken, that hand has not yet put forth its
strength: it is the voice and the hand of
this great nation. Ii is time for it TO speak
time for it to act. If we may dare to
~, oil In las. n ha
true TO itself--true 10 every one who is
faithful TO it. In that case We are safe.
though we may suffer much and long before
the end is reached. Our civilization, in its
present form, is the growth Of nearly
century, the growth of TWO centuries and
half on this continent, the growth Of all
preceding ages in the Old World before it's
best inhabitants came hitler to construct
spciety afresh out Of oil the treasures OF the
past. The gigantic oaks Of the forest are
not planted more deeply, the everlasting
mountains have not j surer foundation,
than our American civilization. Let the
nation stir itself as giant waking from
his slumber. Let the voice OF God be heard
amongst US as the voice Of many waters and
IS the voice of a great thunder. Let US not
hold our peace, let us not rest till the peri:
is overpassed, that we should be termed for
saken, and our land be termed desolate; nor
till our country be as 1t crown Of glory in
the hand of the lord and az a royal diadena
in the hand Of our Godw
AS see that the Secession party il Madi-
son County have resolved that it is unwise.
inexpedient, and suicidal, 10 elect n1embe: