The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-05-25

instances now few from the pulpit; they
have left the fishers line upon the reel, the
pillow in the furrow. the plane upon the wor K
bench 1.-The hammer on the anvil, the form
upon the printing press there is not me-
choncal art nor useful handicraft that has
not It's experts in these patriotic ranks-Some
at moments notice, all with unhesitatine
promptitude, aud they hare left their families
beh,nd them These last words, fellow .citi-
zens tell tire whole story these words are
the warrant under which this meeting is
held. They have left behind them their
wives, their children, their aged parents,
their dependent relatives of every degree :;
III many cases. no doubt, those whose oaly
reliable resource for their daily bread was in
the stout arms, which have been called away
10 the defense of the menaced Union.
Well, my friends, these families must not
sniler IT. the absence OF their friends and sup
porteis. The Government will no doubt
compensate Its defenders as literally as the
nature OF the case admits. But every one
knows that the soldiers paw is no ADEQUATE
substitute for the earnings of a prosperous
livelihood, even in The humSlest branches of
industry. The deficiency must be made NJ.
ny the towns of which these brave volunteers
arecltlzens. acting in their corpo, ate capacity,
and by Efforts like that which YOU initiate
this evening In word, it is absolutely
necessary that, in one way or another, BY
public aud private liberallty. the means Of
liberal assistance for the families that need
1t should De provided by those who remain
at hou'e. This is duty in which all of
age and condition, and Of either sex, must
cooperate; and rejoice to see. that the gen.
llei SEX is, as usual. setting us the example of
industry and zeal in this patriotic work.
hu ripL A. At.
and those Of moderate means from their com.
Petence, I'll our brethren who take their lives
IN their hands in this righteous cause are
strengthened and cbepred by the assurance
that those dearer to them than their lives will
be cared for at home.
lfany arguments were necessary to urge
US to the performance of this duty, they
would be found, and that of the most mower
and persuasive character, of the war which
the South is wagng upon us. And here
state OF things presents itself, which posterity
will be slow to credit. On last anniversary
OF our na'lonsl independence, at the invitation
oimy fellow citizens OF Boston, had occasion
to undertake. defense of the United States
Government, IN It's practical operation against
an attack made upon II, with consider ble
ability, IN the British House of Lords In
this effort claimed-honvStiy aud conscicn-
| touSly claimed, and, as | have reason to
think, with the concurrence of Inv fellow.
| clIlzcncs, OF all parties, throughout the coun.
Try, That. under our constitution and laws
we mad enjoyed prosperity aid made
progress, not merely III the ulilitarlan, but in
the intellectual ami refined arts of life, with.
out an example in the world.
said nothing of the unhappy sectional
controversy that was raging in the country,
not because was insea>lble to its dangerous
character, but because nothing was said about
it in The speech to which undertook to reply.
The general truth Of my description of the
prosperity OF the country, and the general and
fostering influence of our Constitution and
laws, was as generally admitted at the South
asat the North. No longer ago than the
18th of last November, Mr.. Stephens of
Georgia, Nicc.Presdcnt Of tn Southern Con.
tederacy, and Il gentleman of trst-rate inteIli-
eence, IN public speech at Mllledgevllle,
declared it as his &" settled conviction :" that
that the present Government of the United
States. though not without its defects, "comes
nearer the Objects of all good government
than any other on the face OF the earth. -
lie pronounced it "a model. Republic. the
best that the history Of the world gives us
any account off, and he asked in triumph {:
Where will yon go, following the sun in
his circuit round the globe, to find govern
Incnt that better protects the liberties of the
people, and secures 10 them the blessings
which we enjoy"
This, you will observe again, was the
language OF a very leading Southern states
man, the second officer Of the new Conlederacy
no longer ago than last November: and, in
truth, The South had, and has greater cause
than any other port Of the Union, to lie Salts
lied with the Government under which she
lives and on which she is making war. Res.
pecled abroad as an integral portion of one Of
the great powers OF the earth, mainly in vir
tue OF the navy Of the Union, of which the
strength resides at the North the South,
almost exclusively agricultural in her pur.
SUITS derives from her climate profitable
monopoly Of four great staple pluducls--
one Of them the most important single article
in the commerce Of the world; while, in con.
sequence, chiefly, of the political sympathy
with each other which pe,vades the slave.
holding State. she has ever enjoyed monop-
oily scarcely less complete Of The Government
of the country.
At this moment, and though numbering
but third part of the free population of the
Union, II she had not most unustitiably
withdrawn her Members of Congress, she
would have had i'll her interest majority in
the Senate. in the House of REPRESENTATIVES
and liz the judiciary. For ifly.six out If the
seventy.tw0 years, the Presidents of the
United States have been either Southern men
or Northern men in whom the South has con-
hded. For the first time, last November.
President was chosen who received no cleo
toral votes from the South, but that President
has given the most distinct assurances that
he contemplated no ehcroachuenes, ON the
constitutional rights Of the South, as, indeed,
lacking majority of both Houses. it is i'm.
possible that he should make any such en-.
croachments, had he ever so ardently desired
1t. Such is the circumstances under which
she thinks herself justified in revolving against
it.
! say revolving against it," although Mr..
Jefferson Davis, in his inaugural address,
declares 1t an abuse Of language to call it a
revoulion.' ! cannot 60 ilNo that argu-
ment at this late hour, nor would it be APP
piopriae to the occasion to do SO butt
believe 1t to be MS demonstlable as any pro-
position OF Euclid that this doctrine of - Sc.
cesslon." that is, the Constitutional right Of a
State to sever at ill her connection with
the Union, Is, If possible. still more unfoun-
ded. still more fallacious, than that of its i'll
otnened and now universally discrcdited pre-
decessor, Qualification, which was crushed,
never to rise again, thirty years ago, by the
iron mace of Webster, in the Senate Of the