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

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nral and which would prove ultimately !,
, pestilential to society here NJ that OF Il
Tlascalnns with the Spaniard, who promise
! them revenge upon their ancient enemies
the Axtccs.
Secondly. The disunion movement aris,
partly out of a dispute over the common de
main OF the United States. Hitherto IA
Union has confined this controversy With
the bounds OF political debate by referrin
it, with oil other national ones, TO the arb
trament of the ballot-box. Does any on
suppose that disunion would transfer I'll
whole domain to either party, or that an
other umpire than war would, after Lissolu
ton, be invoked?
Thirdly. This movement arises, In ano,he
view, out OF the relation Of African slaves &
the domestic population OF tho COUNTRY
Freedom is to them, ns to all mankind. III
/ chief object OF desire. Hitherto, under tn
| operation OF tho Union, they have practicall,
remained ignorant OF the controversy. cspe
clally OF ito bearing upon themselves. ia,
we hope that fragrant civil war shall rne,
among ourselves in their very presence. nnf
yet that they will remain stupid and idl,
spectators? Docs history furnish US an,
satHaetefy instruction upon herfers Of ciyi
war among people so brave, so skilled il
arms, 80 earnest in conviction, and 30 inten
in purpose, as we arep 1t is a mere chimer,
which suggests an .aggrayation OF those hor
rors beyond endurance when, on either side.
there shall OCCUR the intervention OF an upri
sing ferocious African slave population OF
four, or six, perhaps twenty millions?
The opinions OF mankind change, and with
them the policies OF nations One hundred
years ago ell the commercial European States
were engaged in transferring negro slaves
from Africa 20 this hemisphere. To .day All
those States are firmly set 10 hostility to tbs
extension and even 70 the practice OF slavery.
Opposition 10 II takes two forms one Euro
pean, which s simple, direct abolition. e.
fected, II need be, BY compulsion tho other
American, which seeks to arrest the African
slave trade, and resist the entrance Of iomes :
ito slavery into Territories where il il vet
unknown, while IL leaves the disposition OF
existing slavery to the considerable action Of
the States by which il 10 retained.
II 10 the Union that RESTRICTS the opposition
to slavery in this cosntry within these limits.
II disco Iuticn prevsil, what gusraotes shall
there be against the full dcvelopm ent here
Of tho fearful and Incorporating hostility
to slavery which elsewhere pcrvades the
world, and Of which tho reocnt invasion Of
Virginia WAS an illustration.
Mr.. President, have designedly dwelt 90
long on the probable effects OF disunion mon
the safcty OF the American people ~ to leave
me little time to consider the other evils
which must follow in ito train. BUT rrac,i.
caliy, the loss OF safety involves every other
form IT public calamity. When once the
guardian angel has taken flight, everything
is lost.
Dissolution would not only arrest, but ex.
tinguish the greatness Of our country. Even
II separate confederacies could exist and en-.
dure, they would severally preserve no share
OF the common pr<s.iye of the Union. IT
the constellation 10 TO be broken up, the stars,
whether scattered widely apart or grouped
in smaller clusters, will thenceforth shed
forth feeble, glimmering and lurld lights
Nor will great achievements DO possible for
the new confederacies. Dissolution would
signallss its triumph by acts OF wantopness
which would shock and astound the world.
1t would provincialize Mount Vernon. and
give this capitol over TO desolation at the
rery moment when tho dome il rising over
bur heads that Was TO be crowned with the
statue Of Liberty.
After this there would remain for di.union
ed. No petty confederary that shall follow
ne United States can prolong, or even re.
lew, tho ajestic drama Of national progress.
Perhaps IL IL to be arrested because it's sub-
unity il incapable OF continuance. Le, Il
% so, if we hare indeed BECOME desencr.
tie.
After Washington, md the in1cxibIc "A.
ms, Henry, and the peerless Hamilton, JET.
erson, and the majestic Clay, Webster, and
he acute Calhoun, Jackson, the modes.
Taylor, and Scott, who rises in greatness
lnder the burden Of ycars. and Franklin and
fulton, and Whitney, and Morse, have all
'ertoImed their parts, let the curtain Fall!
While listening to these debates I have
ometines forgotten myself 10 marking their
ontrasted effects upon the page who custo. |
narily stands on the dais before me. and
he venerable secretary who sits behind him,
ne youth exhibits intense but pleased emo !
ion in the excitement, while at every irreve- |
cot word that 10 uttered against the Union. |
he eyes of tho aged man arc suffused with /
ears. Let him weep no more. Rather re
DICE, Tor yours has been lot Of rare felie. /
~. You have seer aud been a part OF oil |
he greatness OF your country, the towering
ational greatness OF all the world. Weep
My you, and weep with all the bitterness OF /
ngu'sh, who a-e just stsppiag on the thres-
oh o. NE Tor That greatness pershes pre- +
natnrely and exists not for you. MR. for me. /
or for any that shall come after Us.
The public prosperity! how could ii sur I
i've tho storDp Its elements ara industry I
b the culture Of every fruit; mining OF ali
he metals commerce at home and on every /
ca; material improvement that knows 40 /
bstacle and has no end invention that ran
es throughout tho domain Of nature: in /
rease OF knowledge as broad az the human /
lind can explore; perfection OF nrt as high /
: human genus can reach; and social re-. t
nement working for the renovation OF the
'orld.
How could our successors prosecute these
oble objecte in tho midst Of brutslixing civil
onaictY What guarantees will apital ia
ested for such purposes have that will ont
sgh tho rremiam offered by political and
ss.~