The Portland daily press., 1862-12-30

who thinks more of conserving old errors than
of defending vital principles; and so it has
come to be the watchword of the opposition
"The Constitution as ii is; the Union as il
was.n We have taken occasion to speak cf
the first member of this proposition, ana
to show that the idea of retaining and
insisting upon the Constitution as 1t IS,
was not born in the brains OF those who
now clamor for it until the last hope oil
changing it to suit the purposes of slavery,h had
effectually faded out. 1t is because OF no
special respect or reverence for the Constltu-
tion itself that it is now demanded unchanged,
but, failing to secure desired change, the
friends of slavery, fearing such change may
be made as will be adverse to their pet protege,
clamor for an unchanged Constitution. But
no one is disposed to quarrel with the persons
who thus clamor, however much their motives
may be disliked, for all are willing to abide by
the old Constitution, lat least until such time as
its provisions may be reviewed, and revised If
needs be, in the way and manner provided in
the Constitution ITSELF
But when the demand is put forth for "the
Union as it aras," and this is declared TO be a
condition of support of the government, and
the people are virtually invoked to revolt
against all efforts to preserve the Union or to
restore it except as it ,cds, then every loyal
man has right to demonstrate against the
quasi treason that insists upon such demand
and such condition. The Union as it uds
The thing is utterly impossible. Vandal hands
have been laid upon that Union, and its beau
ty and symmetry have been marred, and no
power short of Omnipotent can mend up the
shattered links and restore all the fragments
to the exact position they occupied before this
unholy rebellion was precipitated upon our
once peaceful and happy country.
The Union as it lrus The Union it
intended to be by our fathers; the Union such
as the Constitution was designed to encourage
and perpetuate and of which it was to be the
bond; the Union such as Jackson contem-
plated when he said-sit must aud shall be
preserved, ,"-such a Union would realize the
hopes of the patriot, and fulfil his most ardent
anticipations But the Union such as it had
become, such as it had degenerated into, such
as it ha d been made under the corruptions of
designing men,-the restoration of such I'm
ion would be one of the greatest calamities
that ever befel free people. For a moment
contem mplate such Union, in which all the
powers of the government were prostituted to
the basest purposes; a Union in which treason
was plotted in both Senate and Cabinet; a
Union in which official oaths were of no more
weight than the thistledown that floats upon
the breeze; Union in whicls free American
citizens were not allowed TO oexpress an honest
opinion In nearly one-half the States of the
confederacy; Union in which outrages upon
Northern Senators by the representatives of
the Southern people were rewarded with fetes
and mementos; Union in one half of which
free thought was damning, sin worthy of
halter; in which neither exalted patriotism.
sainted piety, refined education. gentleness of
manners, purity Of purpose, kindness of heart
nor benevolence of spirit was any protection
to man of anti-slavery instincts, against the
brutality of mobs and the violence of despera-
does and bullies. 1t was Union in which
the whole Of the government was engaged TO
destroy the liberties of feeble and defenseless
handful of people, and TO force upon them, in
the face of their indignant protest, form of
government and social institutions which from
their inmost hearts they despised 1t was a
Union in which "border rufiiansn and unmask-
ed villains were allowed to overrun the rights
Of an infant territory, to plant among and force
upon its population their own offensive Gus
toms and laws. Such was the Union as it had
become under the reign Of desperate men;
Union which came to outrage all the better
feelings of the human heart, and to trample
upon the common instincts of a great people;
and we say that such Union were the worst
form of despotism; and if the present war has
no other result than to burn up and utterly de-
stroy all the elements of such Union, and to
give us in its place Union in which human
rights shall be deemed quite as sacred as State
rights, in which the law ofGod will be treated
with something besides sneer, in which truth,
justice and equity shall be considered cardinal
virtues, in which an honest patriotic man will
be allowed to entertain an honest opinion, in
harmony with the laws of God and man, in
any part of the country, then will our struggle
not have been in vain then will the cost of
the war, in blood and treasure, vast as it may
have been, not prove to be a bad Investment,
But we shall be told by those who clamor
for 'the Union as it ,cGs," that it is not the
evils referred to for which they would contend !;
that such evils and abuses were no part of the
Union, only excrescences that had accumulat-
ed under it; that the Union they would have
as it ,cas is the Union of States with institu-
tons undisturbed, with each restored to pre-
cisely the same status it occupied before the
Southern disaffection eliminated in civil war;
To this we reply that the thing is impossible.
As well look under the SHOWS of winter for
the violets OF springtime. As well look in the
debauchee for the elasticity and buoyancy of
youth. As well look in the broken down and
enervated drunkard for the clear head, the
bright eye, and the accute conscience of the
sober man. The thing, We repeat, is impossi-
ble.A The Union, politically, can never be what
IL has been. Slavery, which was allowed under
the Constitution as tolerated evil, temporary
and abnormal, and which for seventy wears
has been trusted-perhaps confded in-has
proved itself the great element OF danger and
discord in our form of government. 1t has
proved to be fratricidal, parricidal, and regici-
cal; 1t has lifted the hand of brother against
brother, of the child against the parent, and of
minority against the sovereign--the sover-
eign will of the sovereign people. No matter
what else may come, of this we are sure
slaoerg can aerer be trusted agatni