St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1861-03-28
LEONARD TOWN Md THURSDAY MORNING sNARCH 2s 1861

Z -T-7-- 77T17f71--T
tabiish or ruin their national character
forever !. this is the favorable moment to
give. such a tone to the Federal Govern
ment as win enable it to answer the
ends Of its institution, or this may be
the Inflated moment for relaxing the
powers OF the Union. annihilating the
cement of the Confederation, and ex-
posing us to the sport Of European poll
tics. which may array one State against
ianosher, to prevent tlasif erowing impof.
tance aud to serve their own interested
purposes. For according to the system
of policy the States shall adept at this
moment they will stalid or fall, and bv
their confirmation and lapse, it is vet to
be decided whether the revolution must
ultimately be considered blessing or a
curs@--a blessing or 4 curse not to the
present age alone, for with our fate will
the destiny of unborn millions be involv-
ed. With this conviction of the impor.
tancc of the present crisis. silence in me
would be II crime. / will. therefore,
speak to Your Excellency the language
of freedom and of sincerity. without dis
guise
There are foar things which l hum
bly, conceive are essential 10 the we'll be-
ing. | may venture to say the existence
of the United States Is IN independent
Power
/. An indissoluble union of the States
under one confedcrated head
,. \ sacred regard to- public Justice.
.: The adoption Of a proper peace es-
tablishnent
+. The prevalence of that pacific and
friendly disposition among the people Of
the United States which will induce
them TO forget their local pr,judiccs. to
make those mutual concessions which
are requisite to the general prosperity,
and in some instance to sacrifice their
individual advantages to the interest of
the community.
Thcse are the pillars on which the
glorious fabric of our independcncy and
national character must bc supported. -
Liberty IL the basis; and whoever
would dare to sap the foundation, or
overtnrn the structure, under whatever
-rccicus pretcxt he may attempt it, will
merit the -bittereSt. ekeeration and the
acrcrest punishment which can be in
1icted by his injured country
Yet it will be part of ny duty. and
that of every true patriot. to assert with
out reserve, aud to ilsist upon the follow
ing PROPOSITIONS;
That, unless the States will suffer Con
grcsS to exercise these prerogatives they
are undoubtedly invested with by the Con-
stitution, every thug must rapidly tend
to anarchy and confusion. That it il in
dispcnsible to the happiness OF the iudi-
vldual States that there should be io!ycd
somewhere supreme power to regulate and
govern the general concerns OF the con-
federated Republic, without which the
LUTON cannot be Of long duration. Tia,
thele must be faithful and pointed
compliance on the part of cvcry State
with late proposals and demands of Con-
grcss or the most fatal consequences will
cnsac. That whatever measures have n
tendency to dissolve the Union. or contfi-
butte to violence, or lessen the sovereign
authority, ought 10 be considered Is hos
tile to. the liberty aad independence of
America, ana the authors OF them treated
accordingly. And, lastly, ,hat, unless
We can be enabled BY the concurrence of
the States to participate Of the fruits of the
revolution. and enjoy the essential
benefits Of civil society, under a
form of government 80 free and
uncurrupted so happily guarded against
the danger of opposition. rs has been ad-
vise'l and adopted BY the Articles of Con-
federation, il will be subject of regard
that SO much blood and treasure have been
lavished to no purpose, that 10 many suf-
ierings have been encountered without q
compensation, and that so many sacrifices
have been in vain
Many other considerations might be
here ldduced 10 prove that. without an
entire conformity to the spirit Of the Un-
ion, We cannot e.ist as All independent
Powcr.--It will be sufficient tor NV pur-
pose to mention but one or two which seem
to me of the greatest importance. 1t is
only in our united character, as an en-
pire, that our independence is aeknowl-
edged, that onr power can be regarded.
aud our credit supported among foreign ma
tions. The treaties of European Powers
with the United States of America will
have no validity OH dissolution of the
Union. We shall be left nearly in
state of nature or We may find. by our
own unhappy experience. that there is
natural aud necessary progression frsm the
extreme of anarchy to the cxtreme of ty-
ranny; and that arbitrary power is most
easily established OH the ruins of liberty
abused to licentiousness
If, after all. spirit of disunion or
temper of obstinacy and perverseBess should |
manifest itself in any of the States. if such
an ungracious disposition should attempt
to frusuate all the happy effects that nigh.
be expected to dow from the Union, = =
that State alone which puts itself into op-
position to the aggregate wisdom Of the
Continent aud follows such mistaken and
p"rnicious counsels will be responsible for
all consequences. E- azszr
l have thus freely disclosed, wha. I