Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-01-14

can foreteli the way and manner of travel
but history indicates with unerring ccTtaint
the end which the several confederate
would reach Licentiousness would reEde
life intolerabie: and they would sooner o
later purchase tranquility and domestic safe
tt by the surrender of liberty, and yieldin!
themselves up TO the protection OF mllit6T,
dcspotism.
Indulge ne, sir, IN one Or two details IN
der this head First, it is only sixty day
since this d;suniuu movement began; alrea
dy those who are engaged in it have canvas
sad with portentous freedom the possible re
combinations Of the States when discovered
and the feasible alliances Of those rccombl
nations with European nations alliances aE
unnatural and which weuld prove ultimate
ly as pestiicntia to society here rs that o
the Ilascaans with the Spaniard, whc
promised them revenge upon the ancient
enemies the Aztecs.
Sec0ndly.-'rhe dis;uniCn movement arises
partly ont oI Il dispute over the common do,
main Of the United States. Hitherto, the
Union has confined this controyer,y within
the hounds Of political debate by referring
| il, with all other national ones, to the arbl.
trament of the ballot box. Does any one
suppose that disunian would transfer the
whole domain to either party, or that any
other umpire than war would, after dls5olu-
ton, be invoked?
Thirdly. movement arises, in an
other view, out of the relation of African
slaves to the domestic population of the
country Freedom is to them, as to all man
kind the chief object of desire. Hitherto,
under the operation of the Union, they have
! practically remained Ignorant Of the con-
troycrSy, especially of its bearing on them
selves. Can we h3pe that fragrant civil war
shall rage among ourselves IN their very
presence and yet that they will remain stu
| pid and idle spectators? Does history iur-
nish Us amy satisfactory instruction upon
! horrors Of civil war among l. people so brave
| so skilled i'll arms, SO earnest In conviction,
and 80 intent in purpose, as we are? Is 1t Il
mere chimera which suggests an aggrava-
ton of those horrors beyond endurance,
when on either side, there shall occur the
intervention Of an uprising feruciOus Afrl-
can slave papuiaton of four, or six. perhaps
twenty millions?
The opinions Of mankind change and with
them rhe policies OF nations. Ohe hundred
years ago, Ill the commercial EarUpcan
States were engaged in transferring negro
slaves from Africa TO this hemisphere To-
day all those States are firmly set IN hos
rlity to the extension an! even 10 the prnc,
tice Of slavery. Opposition To it takes 'wo
forms: one European, which ls simple, direct
abulition, effected, if need be, by compul-
sion: the other American, which seeks to
arrest the African slave trade, and resist
the entrance OF domestic slavery into terri
tories where it is yet unknown, while 1t
leaves the disposition Of existing slavery to
the considcrate action of the States by which
it Is retained.
It is the Union that restricts the oppDs
ton to slavery in this country within these
limits Ii dissolution prevail, what guaran-
tee shall there be against the full develop
nent here of the fearful and unc,n'pr"inis-
ing hostility tn slavery which elsewhere per
Tadcs the world, ana Of w;lich the recent
invasion Of Virginia seas an illustration?
Mr.. President, have dcsi ynedly dweIt SO
long ON the probable effects Of d!suaion upon
he safety Of the American people as to
leave me little time to consider the other
evils which mus: follow in lis train. But,
practically, the loss Of safety involves every
Other form of public calamity. When once
the guardian angel has taken flight, every
thing is lost.
Dissolution would not only arrest. bat ex
iny~isir the greatness oi CGr country. Even
i SaraT&tc i'ou.cdc.uc;~s could exist and
endure they could seycraIiy preserve 80
share Il the common prestige q the ;ilun.
Il 5he constellation is 10 b1 broken mp, tie
starr. whethc" scattered widely apart or
grouped in smaller clusters, will thcncetortb
shed forth feeble, glimmcring, and lrrid
lights Nor VIII great achievements be pos
,ibie for the rev Cunfedcracie5. Dissolution
woaid sigraiize lis triumph by acts ol wan-
tonnes which would shoci; and a&touDd tic
warlt il woUIti prnynclaiize Mount Yer
;,a:i, and give this capital over to dissolution
~ the very moment ;vicn the dome is rising
over cus heads that vas 10 be crowned witt:
ine statue OF Liberty.
After this, there would remain for dis
vaun u" a,r =! S5rpnu,lcus intau'y to I've
committed. NJ petty Cotiiedorac: that shai:
follow the United States can pT0!onE, OF even
renew, the majestic drama o' national pro
rress. Perhaps it is 10 be arreatc . before
It's suhlimity is incapable 81 Continuance.
Let i; be SO. if we have. indeed. become de-
generate. After Washington, and the in
flexible Adams, Henry, and the peerless
Hamilton, jefferson, and the majestic Clay,
Webster and the acute Calhoun, jackson,
the modest Taylor, and S5cott, who rises in
greatness under tho burden Of Years, and
Franklin, and Fulton, and Whitney, and
Morse have all l,aTi,,rn.e.l their parts, let
The curtain fall
While listening 10 these debates, | have
soreti:nes forgotten myself in marking their
| confra>tei effects upon the page who Gus
tomariy stands on the daiS before me- and
The venerable Secretary who sits behind
him. The youth exhibits intense but pleased
emotion in the excitement, while 1t every
irr vel EFT word that is uttered against the
Union, the eyes Of the aged man are sufused
with tears. Let him weep no more. Rather
rpioicc. for yours has been Jet oi rare fell
| city. Inu have seen and been part Of all
the greatness OF your country, the ,nwering
! national grcainc>S of all the world. Weep
oniy you, and weep with all the bitterness Of
anguish, who are just stepping on lie thre5h-
| mold oi lie; for ;har greatness periShes pre-
maturcIy, and exists n:'t iur yea. nor Tor me,
nor for any that shall come after Us.
The public prosperity hGw ooatd it sur
vive the st1rni It's oleFuentS are industry
! in the culture of every fruit: mining Of all
! tla ,,,:t,t).. ham nlu an pynrv