Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-01-24
element of strife in the Confederacy.

: element OF strife in the C0Dfederacy.
, Notwithstanding recent vehement ez
: pressions and manifestations of intoleranc
: in some quarters, produced by intense pal
3 tisan excitement, we are, in fact, homoge
5 neous people, chiefly of one stock, with ac
, cessions well asslmiIated. We have, prac
} tically, only one language, one religion, Oh
) system of Government and manners ant
} customs proper to all. Why, then, shal
we not remain henceforth as hitherto, on,
people.
! The first object Of every human society
is safety or security, for which, if need be
they will, and must sacrifice every other
This security is two kinds: one exemp
tion from foreign aggression and influence
the other, exemption from domestic tyran
ny and sedition.
Foreign wars come from either violation
of treaties or domestic violence. The Un.
nionhas thus far, proved itself an almost per
feet shield against such wars. The Uni
ted States, continually enlarging their di.
plomatic acquaintance, have now treaties
with France, the Netherlands, Great Bri-
Ian, Sweden, Prussia, Spain, Russia, Den
mark, Mexico, Brazil, Austria, Turkey,
Chill, Siam, Muscat, Venzuela, Peru,
Greece, SARDINIA, Ecuador, Hanover, Por-
tugal, New Granada, Hesse Cassel. Wur-
temburg, China, Bavaria, SaxoDy, Nassau,
Switzerland, Mecklenburg. Schwerin, Gau-
temaula, the Hiwaian Islands, San Saliva
dor, Burneo, Costa, Rica, Bremen, the Ar
gentine Confederation, Loo Choo, Japan,
Brunswick, Persia, Baden, Paraguay, Bel
gium. Nevertheless, the United States,
within their entire existence under the Fed
eral Constitution, have had fragrant wars
with only four States, two of which were
insignificant Powers, on the coast of Bar
barry; and have bad direct hostiities, a.
mounting to reprisals, against only two or
three more; and are now at peace with the
whole world. If the Union should be d.
vided into only two Confederacles, each Of
them would need to make as many treaties
as we now have; and of course, would be
liable to give as many causes of war as We
now do. But we know, from sad expert
ence of other nations, that disinlegralion
once begun, inevitably continues, until even
the greatest empire crumbles into many
parts. Each Confederation that shall uI-
timately rise out of the Union, will have
necessity for as many treaties as we now
have, aud will incur liabilities for war as
often as we dow now, by breaking them.
1t is the multiplication of treaties, and the
want of Confederation, that makes war
the normal condition of society in Western
Europe and Spanish America. 1t is union
that notwithstanding our worldwide in
tercourse, makes peace the habit of the
American people.
will not descend so low as to ask
whether new Confederacies would be able
or willing TO bear the grievious expense of
maintaining the diplomatic relations which
cannot be dispensed with except by with
drawn from foreign commerce.
Our Federal Government is better able
TO avoid giving just causes of war than sew
erel Confederacies, because it can conform
the action of all the States to compacts.
1t can have only one construction, of every
treaty. Local and temporary interests and
passions, or personal cupidity and ambition
can drive small Confederacies or States
more easily than great Republic, into in
discreet violations of treaties.
The United States being a great and
formidable Power, can always secure ia
vorable and satisfactory treaties. Indeed,
every treaty We have was voluntarily made.
Small Confederacies or State must take
such treaties as they can get, and give
whatever treaties are exacted. A bumili-
ating, or even an unsatisfactory treaty, is
chronic cause of foreign war.
The chapter of wars resulting from un-
justifable causes would, in case of division,
amplify itself in proportion to the number
of new Confederacies and their irritabilty.
Our disputes with Great Britain about Or
egon, and the boundary of Maine, the pat
riot insurrection in Canada. and the Island
of San Juan; the border strifes between
Texas and Mexico; the incursions of the
late William Walker into Mexico aud Gen.
trail America; all these were cases in which
war was prevented only by the impurba-
bity of the Federal Government.
This Government not oul y gives fewer
causes of war, whether just or unjust, than
Than smaller Confed races would but it
always has greater ability to accommo-
date them by the exercise of more cool
hess and courage, the use of more various
and more liberal means, and the display,
if need be, of greater force. Every one
knows how placable We ourselves are in
with Great Britain, France
and Spain; and yet how exacting we have
been in our intercourse with New Grana-
ia, and San Juan de Nicaragua.
Mr.. President, no one will dispute our
forefathers' maxim, that the commcn safe
ty Of all is The safety of each of The States.
While they remain united, the Federal
Government combines all the materials
and all the forces of the Sc ;eral SIaies;
organizes their detences on one general
principle; harmonizes and assmilales them
with one system; watches for them with a
single eye, which it turns in all directions,
and moves all agents under the control o:
one executive head. A nation so consti-
tuted is safe against assaults or even in
suit.
War produces always speedy exhaus-
lion of money aud severe strain upon
credit. The treasures and credits of small
would often prove made
auate. Those of the Union are alway am
,la