Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-04-18

ION. DOt Otner OOnIe CeTdcIeo "oui"
spring up, from time to time, as dissat-
isfaction and discomfort were dissemina-
ted over the country. There would be
the Confederacy of the Lakes perhaps
the Confederacy of New England, and of
the Middle States.
But, sir, the veil which covers these
sad and disasterous events that lie be-
yond possible rupture of this Union is
too thick to be penetrated or lifted by
any mortal eye or hand.
Mr.. President, | am directly opposed
to any purpose of secession or separation.
] am for staying within the Union,
and defying any portion Of this Union
to expel or drive me out of the Union.
| am for staying within the Union, and
fighting for ny righss--if necessary,
with the word-wthin the bounds and
under the safeguard of the Union.
am for indicating these rights, but not
by being driven out of the Union rash.y
and unceremoniously by any portion of
this Confederacy. Here am within it,
and here mean to stand and die; as far
as my individual purposes or wishes can
go-within it to protect myself, and to
defy all the power upon earth to expel
me or drive me from the situation in
which am placed. Will there not be
more safety in fighting within the Union
than without it?
Suppose your rights to be violated;
suppose wrongs to be done you, aggrcs-
sions to be perpctrated upon you. can
not you better fight and yinGicate them,
if you have occasion to resort to that
last necessity of the sword, within the
Union, and with the sympathies of a
large portion of the population of the
Union of these States differently const
tuted from you, then you can fight and
vindicate your rights, expelled from the
Union, and driven from it without cere-
mony and without authority?
said that | thought that there was
no right on the part of one or more of
the States to secede from this Union. |
think that the Constitution of the ihir-
teen States was made, not merely for the
generation which then existed, but for
prosperity, underlined, unlimited, per-
manent and perpetual for their prosper
ity, and for every subsequent State which
might come into the Union, binding
themselves by that indissolublo bond
tits to remain for that posterty now
and forever. Like another OF the great
relations of private life, it was marri-
age that no humane authority can dis
solve or divorce the parties from; and if
may be allowed to refere to this same
example in private life, let us say what
man and wife say to each other: eve
have mutual fault; nothing in the form
of human beings can be perfect; let us
then be kind to each other, forbearing,
conccding; let us live in happiness and
peace"
Mr.. President, | have said what !
solemnly believe-tnat the dissolution Of
Union and war are indentical and jnsep-
arabic: that they are convertible terms.
Such war too as that would be fol-
lowing the dissolution Of the Union.---
Sir, We may search the pages of history
and none so furious. so bloody, so i'm
pacablc, so exterminating, from the
wars of Greece down, including those of
the Commonwealth of England and the
revolution Of France, none, none of
them ragged with such violence, or was
ever conducted with such bloodshed and
cnormities as will that war which shall
follow that disastrous event---if that E.
vent ever happens---of dissolution.
And what would be its termination?--
Standing armies and navios, to an OK
tent draining the revenues of each por-
ton of the discovered empire, would be
created; exterminating wars would fol-
low-not war of two or three years,
but of interminable duration--an exter-
minating war would follow, until some
Philip or Alexander, some Caesar or
Napoleon, would rise to cut the Gordian
knot. and solve the problem of the ca
pacity of mar for self government and
crush the liberties of both the discover
cd sections of this Union. Can you
doubt it? Look at history--consult the
pages of all history, ancient or modern;
look at human naturc--loOk at the char
acter of the contest in which you would
be engaged in the suppostion of a war
following the dissolution of the Union,
such as I have suggested--and ask you
if it is possible for you to doubt that the
final but perhaps distant termination of
the whole will be some despot treadins
down the liberties of the people,! THAT
the final result will be the extinction of
this last and glorious light which is lea
ding all mankind, who arc gazing upon
it, to cherish hope and anxious cxpccta-
ton that the liberty which prevails here
will sooner or later be advanced through
out the civilized world.
Can you, Mr.. President, lightly con-
template the consequences? Can you
yield yourself to u torrent of passion,
amidst dangers which l have depicted
in colors ar short of what would be the
reality, if the event should ever happen!
| conjure OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES FROM the
South or the North, by all they hold
dear in this world0by all their love of
liberty-by all their veneration for their
ancestors~by all their regard for pros
perity-by all their gratitude to Him
who has bestowed upon them such I'M
numbered blessings-by all the duties
which they owe to mankind, and all the
duties they owe to themselves-7by all
these considerations | implorc them to
pause@solemnly to pause~-at the edge
of the precipicc, before the fearful and
disastrous leap is taken in the yawning
abyss below, which will inevitably lead
to cert1in and irrctrievable destruction.
And, finally, Mr.. President; l implorc,
as the best blessing which heaven can
bestow upon INC upon earth, that if the
direfnl and sad event of the dissolution