The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-07-26


The first fash Of artillery kindled anew
flame Of patriotic devotion to country
which will burn with pure and constant
glow, when the lamp Of mortal existence
shall pale and flicker in death. Its FIRST re.
verbcrations upon the air aroused slumber'
ing love Of Constitution and of Union, and
of the cherished emblem of all, the stars and
stripes. which will not again seek reposc un'
til the roar Of hostile guns shall bc silenced
It startled to their feet, as il by o common
impulse, twenty millions Of freemen, to
guard the citadel of their faith from des.
truction, as war was driving bis cbon cal
upon his rcmorselces mission.
This civil intestine war Is one Of tho most
fearful and ferocious that ever desolated
earth, and its authors will be cursed, when
the atrocities Of Bajazet and Tamerlane, and
the Kahns Of Tartam and India and other
despoilers Of the earth shall be forgotten
1t u war between and among brcthren.--
Those whose eyes should have beamed in
friendship now gleam in war those who
close in the death-strugsle upon the battle.
field, were children of the same household
and nurturcd at the same gathering place OF
affection baptized at the same font, and con-
frmed at the same chanccl:
"They grew in beauty, side by side,
They filled ono house with glee;
Whose voices mingled as they prayed
Round the same parent knee"
But, while wc express deep humiliation for
the depravity Of our kind, and are shocked
and sickened at spectacle so rcvoltiug, we
should not abandon the dear old mansion to
the flames, even though kindled by brethren,
who should have watched over it with us,
and guarded it from harm. And, while We
should not raise our hand to shed brothers
blood, We may turn aside his insane blow,
aimed at the heart Of the venerated mother
Of all. And, il a great power of Europe is
disposed to sympathize with rebellion, and
believes this Government and this people can
be driven by tho menace Of foreign and do
mestic forces combined, to avoid the curses oi
war, let her try the experiment. But when
they come, to save time and travel, let them
bring with them duly-exccuted quit-claim,
to the Union. for such portions Of the North
American Contincnt as they have not sur
rendered to it in former conflicts, for they
will have occasion for just such an instru-
ment, whether their impertinent interference
is manifested practically in our domestic af-
fairs.
Conspicuous in this strange passage of the
new worlds history is the secession of Texas.
A State with extended territories, and the
right to form four more States from them
without restriction, south Of tho old Missouri
llnc,-a State requiring the protection Of the
Federal Government to guard 1t from marau'
ding savaScS and other hostile 0ands--a State
which was never wronsed ny d Nor'nerh
STATE nor py the Government oi the oh'on'
in theory or in practice. This State was the
last Southern State gathered under tho flag
OF the Union-admitted in 1915, more as q
Southern than aINorthern measure; admit
ted too under peculiar circumstances alter
most memorable struggle, and in the high
est branch oil the National Legislature by q
single vote.
"sir John of Hyuford. twas my blade.
That knighthood on thy shoulder laid,
For this good deed, permit me then,
worn 10 'hese misguided men,
Not those who would seek to maintain but
those who labor to destroy the Union. You
have widely mistaken both the temper and
the purpose Of the great body of people of
tho irec States in the present crisis. In this
unnatural struggle, which your leaders have
forced upon them, they seek only to uphold
and maintain and preserve from destruction
q Government which is common Inherit
ancc, and in the preservation Of which you
are equally interested. They seek not to
despoil your States; not to disturb your in
ternal relations, but to preserve the Union
which shelters and protects all, and yindicate
the Constitution which is especially your only
defence from aggrousion-is both your sword
and shield. They war not upon your pocu.
liar system of domestic servitude, nor will
they, but they admonish you in q spirit of
kindness, that during this brief struggle, its
friends and advocates have bcen its worst en-
emies, and have furnished arguments against
II which will weaken its foundations, when