The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-01-25
them revenge upon their ancient enemies, the

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: Secondly. The disunion movement arise,
0 partly out Of dispute over the common do
s main of the United States. Hitherto the
: Union has confined this controversy within
/, the bound of political debate, by referring /,
A with oil other national enes to the arbitra.
, ment of the ballot box. Does any one sup.
, pose that disunion would transfer the whole
!. domain to either party, or that any other
4 umpire than war would, after dissolution be
{ invoked?
Thirdly. This movement arises, in an
r other view, out of the relation of African
, slaves to the domestic population of the
, country. Freedomi Is to them, us to all man.
, kind; the chief object Of desire. Hitherto
under the operation OF the union, they have
practically remained ignorant of the con-
, troversy, especially Of its bearing On them
selves Can we hope that fragrant civil war
shall rage among ourselves in their very pres
eucc and yet theywill remain stupid and idle
spectators? Does history furnish us any
satisfactory instruction upon the horrors of
civil war upon u people 80 brave, so skilled in
arms. so earnest in conviction, and 30 intent
in purpose, as we are? Is ita mere chimera
which suggests an aggravation of those
horrors beyond endurance, when on either
side, there shall occur the Intervention Of an
uprising ferocious African slave population
of four, or six, perhaps twenty millions?
The opinions of mankind change, and with
them the policies ofnations. One hundred
years ago, all the commercial European
states were engaged in transferring negro
slaves from Africa to this hemisphere. To-
day all these states are firmly set in hostility
to the extension and even to the practice Of
slavery. Opposition to 1t takes two forms
one Ecropean, which is simple, direct abol-
ition. effected il need be, by conpulsion the
other, American which seeks to arrest the
African slave trade, and resist the entrance
of domestic slavory into territories where it
is yet unknow N, while it leaves the DISPOSE
ton OF existing slavery to the consdcrite
action of the States by which il is retained.
1t is the union that restricts the opposition
to slavery in this country within these limits.
lf dissolution prevail, what guaranty shall
there be against the full dcvelopement Of that
fearful and uncompromising hostility to sla.
very which elsewhere peryades the world
and of which the recent invasion Of Virginia
was an illustration.
Mr.. President, have designedly dwelt 80
long on the probable effects oi dsuncn upon
the safety of the American people us to leave
me little more time 10 consider the other evils
which must follow in its train. But prac-
tically, the loss OF safety involves every other
form Of public calamity. When once the
guardian angel has taken fight, everything
is lost.
Dissolution would not only arrest, but ex-
tinguish the greatness OF our country. Even
il separate confederacies could exist and en-
dure, they could severally preserve no share
Of the common prestige OF the Union. II the
constellation is to DO broken up, the stars,
whether scattered widely apart or grouped
in smaller clusters, will thenceforth shed
forth feeble, glimmering and lurid Lights
Nor will great achievements be possible for
the new confedcracies. Dissolution would
signalize its triumph by acts Of wantonness
which would shock and astonsh the world.
1t would provincialize Mount Vernon, and
give this Capitol over to desolation ut the
very moment when the dome is rising over
our heads that was to be crowned with the
statue OF Liberty. After this there would
remain for disunion no act OF stupendous in.
fanny to be committed.
No petty conicderacy that shall follow the
United States can prolong or even renew the
majestic drama Of national progress. Per-
haps ii is to be arrested because its sublimity
is incapable of continuance. Let II be so.
if we have indeed become degenerate. After
Washington. and the inacxible Adams,
Henry and the peerless Hamilton, Jefferson
and the majestic Clay, Webster and the acute
Calhoun, jackson, the modest Taylor, and
Scott, who rises in greatness under the bur-
den of years, and Franklin, and Fulton, and
Whitney, and Morse, have all performed
their parts,-let the curtain fall.
While listening to these debates, have
sometimes forgotten myself in marking their
contrasted effects upon the page who CUSTOM
arily stands on the dais before me, and the
venerable Secretary Who sits behind him.
The youth exhibits intense but pleased emo
tion in the excitement, while every irrcyrent
word that is uttered against the Union the
eyes of the aged man are suiiused with tears.
Let him weep no more. Rather rejoice, for
yours has been lot Of rare felicity. You
have seen and been part of all the great
ness of your country, the towering national
greatness Of the world. Weep only you,
and weep with all the bitterness Of anguish,
who are just stepping on the threshold OF
life, for that greatness perishes prematurely,
and exists not for you, nor for me, nor Tor
any that shall come alter US.
The public prosperity how could II survive
the storm? Its elements are industry in the
culture of every fruit;mining ofall the metals;
commerce at home and on every sea, material
improvement that knows no Obstacle and has
no end; invention that ranges throughout the
domain of nature; increase OF knowledge as
broad us the human mind can explore; per-
fiction of art as high as human genius can
reach; and social refinement working for the
renovation Of the world. How could our
successors prosecute these noble objects in
the midst Of brutalizing civil conflict? What
guarantees will capital invested for such
purposes have that will outweigh the premi-
um offered by political and military ambi-
ton? What leisure will the citizen find
for study, or invention, or art, under the
reign OF conscription nay, what interest in
them will society feel when fear and hate
shall have taken possession Of the national
mind?
Let the minner in California take heed;
ior lts Soiueh Weui'h WIN occomo uho PiHo
of the nation that can command the most
iron. Let the bordcrer take care; for the
Indian will again lurk around his dwelling.
Let the pioneer come back into our denser
settlements: for the railroad, the post road
and the telegraph advance not one furlong
farther into the wilderness. With standing
armies consuming the substance Of our peo..
pie on the land, and our navy and our postal
steamers withdrawn from the ocean. who
will protect or respect, or who will even
know by name our petty coniederaeies! ! The
American man-oi-war isa noble spectacle.
I have seen IL enter m ancient port In the
Mediterranean. All the world wondered ut
il and talked of il. Salvos OF artillery
from forts and shipping inthe haroor s,luted
its flag. Princes andpriDcessesa and merchants