Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-04-03
RICHMOND WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL g. 1861

be heard and determined upon calmly aud dspassionate
y. If differ, it oly about the means Of adyanc-
! ing the interests OF that country.
" That will we gain by going cn with this cessic n
movement-this experimental government? l. il not a
hazardous experiment? Can seven States well bear oil
the expense that must arise out OF the maintenance OF
armies navieS the expenses oil state Of government
! like our own with like expensesy They must have n
President They will probably not give him less sal
ary than we give our President They have a Cor
eress Tney will not give their Congressman less tbgn
we give ours They must have all the retnue all the
different departments Of government and they will not
place them think, al less cost than We can The army
and the navv the expense OF which legislators fte.
Oucny complain Of withou. being able to diminish ha
they must have also How can these States defray
the expensesy Is il our interest to join this experiment
tai Goyerument-to give up the grand heritage which we
er oy under the established Constitution made by the
men most venerated by US, under which have lived
"a Government which has been thought throughout the
world TO be a masterpiece OF human wisdom-shall we
who have grown and Ourished under il and regarded
as the most firmly established Government in the world
if its principles properly respectcdshall quit
that and into the secession ranks al into the foot
steps of The revolutionary Government? IL would not
be wise / can see nothing that we to gain by it,
What VII you glaS What IS such change to gain
for any citizen? What evil is Kentucky 10 dsburhen
herself Of? What the danger that now threatens hei?
Does she escape by this revOutoy Are these States
any stronger by going out OF the UnOa see nothing
that is TO be gtned see no remedy in dissolution of
the Union The Unicn, on the contrary seems 10 me
to be the shield and OF our defence Kentucky
tans in the Union all her physical powers that she could
possibly have in the ConiedeTGcy-ali her OF
physical resistance just equal IN the Union to what
they would he out OF the Unor. In addition TO this
she POSSESSES claims by law aud by the Constitution
which all the world sees, knows, can read and unde.
stand With these mmunites and rights, with the laws
and the Constitution, does che rot have additional pow
en- To the physical power she IS able to carry the i'm
la which the charter She
peal to our courts the Union 10 the fellowciizens
of the Government and the Union She is stronger in
this attitude, is she nor
1t is nothing but passion it seems to me- that have
msed her so far will not 90 into the means by
which the people sometimes msed by leaders, will
not 90 into the causes that sometimes deude these lead
ers themselves but that have gained nothing that
gain nothing Dy going into 1t and sharing with il,
seems TO me to be evident
Oar true policy to stand by that Union whose bless
iags we have long expericuced-so long eijcyed-to
stand fast by until some great political necessity shall
drive US from il. In the Union know that have
found saiety-there fathers found saiey-ard thtse
fathers constructed il for safety. All experience has
taught that have the oes. Government in the world
Abused and maadminsered frequently is is it not
a last the best Government in the wOrd Is there any
better: Where else does liberty appear che does
here: She appears here N tie little Republics
OF the old world but Insignificant in their numbers
no. 10 be noticed and Of course TO be spared by the
X
There she NAV ssd to exist in her rustic smpicy-p
raers and rags Here she c.ists la all her splendor
with q dalem GU her head Here is great Republic
that has ayo"cd allegiance to her. She queen beck
ons to all the wo'll and sign'lzcs people that know
how to govern herrselves-a people that have entitled
themselves TO this liberty.
This has been the fut of this Constitution and this
Union, by which advise you to stand firm. Stand true
to IT, say, until great political necessity drives you
from that post What nov to do? portion OF
our couGtiymen specuatug distant consequences
ricy are resolving that We will quit our place Of sucty
and 20 into experiment join the revolutionary
oycrnmen-and they gay III. Virginia acd other States
will follow. Then they say thee will be war, and
tlen We will be in better condition to reconstruct
This ia all a falacy, from beginning TO eud. Can we
tFu.t our speculation upon causes thai are so dependent
one upon anoiher-upOn contingencies that lie in the
fHrrey Can We come TO distant concUsiorg OF that
syrtg No. Tie 5lc way il 10 do that duty which is
nearcs. 20 yoa. Do that fist. 5u can that. We
have rot the g OF prediction This argument Of spec
uation founded uaon distant conunecf cits, founded
upon irtticrfas aud iaiercuos from nlerences 20
what may O!o% from tic COnrl cation OF causes, that
is least oC all 70 be relied upon. There il safe logic
in il. Every and uud rstand the duty that
i next to Ln aud should not attempt to couniound h5
conviction by endeayorug to comprehend objects beyond
his reach
Wha Is our neares; duty? Yon have been told 20
maintain the Coa.tituton of the Uoted States. 1t has
property ntver taken away a minute OF your freedom
or your liberty during your lifetime. Arc you 10 ahsn
don that upon contingency are you 10 90 abroad Tor
experiment. IL that The aud wisest step TO he
aiken? i il not the most immediate i.ty - stand nat
in your alei,y that ired government ug some ne
cessity shall force you from ig When at necessity
comes it will need no argument Nccessty requires 70
speculltion-nO argument when that great political
necessity which alone would justly in sunder-
ing this glorious Union It will sclk for itself 1t will
bn
We need not wTargle ble quarrel about IT, IL
will tell AL with is mpcrious toague. II will wave us
TO Obedience. Coz form to il we must Is that the
now? No. Why then be in 3 hurry 10 ab2ndin this
good Government shch has Sheltered Us so ongy why
commit ourselves TO the cold and incl mcut skies OF an
unried county, untricd winter? Is that wise? ls
chat the prudence Of great nation? Excitement, aui.
nation and impetuosty may prompt us, and some may
bc urel by the very danger Of the experiment. but that
the part of gisdom-hat is not The part OF that
wisdom that ought 10 govern you aud TO govern com.
mgnity that wi,dol which il Of dcibeTas rejecting
mind. lOu to divest yourselves OF these passions
when you come to decide such question Lei me ask
YOU such question submitted to people be-
fore? Here thirty nj lions o; people, constituting
the greatest The frcest aud The most powerful nation on
the face Of the earth Is she 10 fall down in day Are
We hastily 10 go oO'-to fly from all the greatness We
have inherited and acquired, aud mady, wildly seek in
the wilderness an experimental government aud srbt-
tue il for the better one We now enjoy?
| The moment we are divided, what we? Before all
the nations Of the earth greatness is given up l.
there any OF you any whose heart swCls with pride
and love of country, that would not mourn over the
slightest d!mnution of tho greetDcGs Of lis oountys
power We parieuced the haughlnes' and supefoiOus
of naughty nations pride when we were buta feeble
| colony might say involved in revolution. Now your
flag carries respect and fear and love over sea and land
it is everywhere hailed with the proioundest respect
When you compelled to blow from it, folds several o.
the stars that adorn t-YhaR ,s waning coastella
ton shall shps its diminished headwbat will become of
that respect iopHded In fear az well as in love? What
will become OF tn 1t re pect with which it hailed un
| der peaceful Government? When you go abroad now,
and whento the question to what you are you answer
you American you are treated instantly with more
respect than even he proud Ensshnian OF all names
il is that by which man would prefer to travel in Eu
rope II is your countrys name that gives you this
stamp this great power 1t is that great country whose
name never fails to prove shadow OF protection over
you.
Do YOU not believe now that foreign nations tri-
| umphing in the division and dSmembeTment OF this
great Government? They feared It's example; they fear
ed It's liberty but they look TO you with good gov
crnment founded liberty ard en principles which may
be TO them a dangerous examp'e-they look 10 you to
cite You as an evidence that all popular government s
delusion. "Men are not capable OF governing them
selvesn they say sneerngly "snd the people of the
United States are showing it. They live in country
that reyerses power They had all sway and all domin-
ion yet you by party controversy ana the little ex'
ssperaous that spring out Of IT. ths great GoVerments
in an instant exploded under the madness OF party ln six
months that proud empire reaching the skes-strech
ing its arms over the world has fallen to the ground
They are an e.iience that requires kings and des-
potisms." Ycu, the proud nation, are low cited as an
example Of the mpotency, the lncapaclty OF mankind
for segoyernnent-to show that your boasted liberty
is nothing but the initiation of fances, having no pow
| pO ga.