The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-01-25
VOL. XVII.

could not be held by attraction. Secession
was then held to be inadmiSsablc in the fac
Of public eEemy.
But IL it is untenable in the one case, 1t !
necessarily 50 in all Others. fully ad
init the originality, the sovreignty and tn
Independence of the several states within
their sphere. But hold the Federal Gov
ernment to no equally original, sovereign
and independent within Its sphere. And th'
government of the state can no more absoly'
the people residing within its limits from al
legiance to the Union than the government
OF the Union can absolye them from allegiance
TO the state. The Constitution Of the United
States, and the laws made in pursuance
thereof, arc the supreme law Of the land
4 paramount g. all legislation OF the States,
whether made under the Constitution, or by
even their organic conventions. The union
can be dissolved. not by secession with or
without armed force, but Only by the yolun.
tary consent Of the people Of the United
States, collected in the manner prescribed by
the Constitution of the United States.
Congress, in the present case, ought not
to DO impassive. IL ought, il il can, to re.
dress any real grievances to the offended
states, and then 1t ought to supply the Presi-
dent with all the means necessary to main.
tain the Union in the full exhibition and
discreet exercise of its authority. Beyond
this, with the proper activity on the part OF
the Executive, the responsibility Of saving
the union rests with the people. and they
are abundantly competent to discharge it.
propose, therefore. with great defer
ence TO address myself TO the country upon
the mOmentous subject asking hearing.
not les from the people within what are
called thr seeding. than from those who re-
side within the adhering states.
Union is an old, fixed, settled, habit of
the American people, resulting from conyic-
tions OF it, necessity. and therefore not like
ly to be hastily discardrd. The early states,
while existing as colonies, were combined,
though imperiectly, through a common al
lcgiance tolthe British Crown. When that
allegiance ceased. no one was 40 presumptous
Us to suppose political existence compatible
with disunion; and, therefore, on the same
day that they declared themselves independ-
ent, they proclaimed themselves also conied-
Grated states Experience in war and in
peace from 1875 until 1887, only convinced
them Of the necessity of converting that loose
coniederacy into more perfect and per-
petual union. They acted with coOlness
very different from the Incorporate conduct
of those, who now ON one side threaten,
and those who ON the other rashly
defy disunion.
They considered the continuance OF the
union as subject comprehending nothing
less than the safety and welfare of all the
parts Of which the country wis composed,
aud the fate Of an empire in many respects
the most interesting in the world enter
upon the subject Of continuing the union
now, deeply impressed with the same gener-
Gus and loyal convictions. How could It
be otherwise, when, instead Of only thirteen
the country is now composed Of thirty-three
parts, and the empire embraces, instead OF
only four millions, no less than thirty mil.
lions Of inhabitants.
The founders Of the Constitution, more
over, regarded the Union as no mere national
or American interest. On the contrary,
they confessed with deep sensihility that it
seemed to them TO have been reserved for the
people Of this country to decide whether ST.
cietics of men are really capable OF establish
Ing good government upon reflection and
chOice, or whether forever they are destined
TO depend for their political constitutions on
accident and force. They feared, therefore.
that their failure to continue and protect
the union would be misfortune to the ma
ton. How mnch more, sir, would its over
throw now be calamity to mankind
Some form of government is indispensable
here rs elsewhere. Whatever form we have
every individual citizen and every state must
cede 10 il some natural rights, TO invest
the Government with the requisite power.
The simple question, therefore, for us now to
decide, while laying aside all pique, passion
and prejudice, is; whether it conduces more
To the interests Of the people OF this country
to remain for the general purposes OF peace
and war, commerce inland and foreign, pos
tal communications at home and abroad, the
care and disposition Of the public domain,
colonization; the organization and admission
ol new states, and generally, the enlarge
ment Of empire, one nation under our pres
ent Constitution, than il would bo 10 divide
themselves into separate contederacies or
states.
Our country remains now as il was in 1877
-compOsed not Of detached and distant ter.
ritories. but OF one whole, well-connected and
fertile region, lying within the temperate
zoue, with climates and soils hardly more
various than those Of France OF Italy. This
slight diversity quickens and anpli6es man
ufacturcs and commerce. Our rivers and
valleys. as improved by art, furnish us a sys-
TEN OF highways unequalled in the world.
The different forms OF labor, If slavery were
not perverted to purposes OF ambition, need
not constitute an element otstrile in the Con-
iedency.
Notwithstanding recent vehement express
sions and manifestations of intolemcc in
some quarters. produced by intense partizan
excitement, We are, in fact n homogeneous
people, chiefly of one stock, with accessiOns
we'll assimilated. We have, practically only
one language, one religion, one system of
government, and manners and customs COM
mon 20 all. Why, then, shall we not re-
main, henceiorth rs hitherto, one people
The first object oi every human society is
safety or security, for which, il need be,
they will. and they must, spcrifce every
other. This security Is Of two kinds-one,
exemption from foreign aggressions and in
auence the other, the exemption from do
mesuc tyranny anu seditiOn.
Foreign was cOme from either violations
OF TREATIES OF domestic violence. The Union
has, thus Tar, proved ITSELF an almost perfect
shield against such wars. The Unitcd
States, continually enlarging their diplomat
; ic acquaintance, have now treaties with
France, the Netherlands, Great Britain,
Sweden, Prussia, Spain, Russia, Denmark
Mexico, Brazil, Austria, Turkey, Chilli, Siam
Muscat, veneEula, Peru, Greece, Sardinia,
Ecuador. Hanover, Portugal, New Granada,
Hese Cassel, wurtembarg, China, Bavaria
Salony. Nassau, Switzerland, Mecklenburg
; Schwerin. Guatemala, the Hawaiian Islands
, San Salvador, Bornco, Costa Rico, Bremen
the Argentine Confederation. Loo Choo
japan, Brunswick, Persia, Baden, Belgium
and Paraguay. Nevertheless. the unlteS
: States, within their entire existence, under