The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-08-23
Our Federal Union-It Must be Pre-
served.

Uuf EeGeIal Onl0h AZ mubt bO 10
served.
Every word Of this patriotic legend, |
which Is craven as with pen of iron
upon the henrts Of all loyal men, is EN-
phatic and deserves a separate examina-
ton Old Hickory, who rarely used
words not full Of meaning, never spoke
more emphaticAlly and to the point than
when he sent the above sentiment as a
toast to the JEFFEBsoE Banquet, many
years ago--in the days when patriotism
was yirtue-when 10 talk treason was
something exeorable-when this beauii
ful land was at peace, and the mutterings
of few traitors was drowned out in a
loud God Save the Union, even as the
faint cry of sea gull is drowned cut in
the tumultuous roar Of tho sea-storm
sour Federal Union"--yes, man, woman,
child-grAy haired sire, and vigorous
manhood, and blooming youth, and gentle
infancy-priest and layman--farmer and
administrations and soldier--peO-
pie from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and
from the Lakes, sparkling in silver, and
walled in by eternal cliffs, 70 the shining
waters Of the Outfit is or Federal
Union. Our fathers bought it with their
blood, and gave 1t 10 us as heritage
never 20 be battered or thrown away.
Here are our homes, our school houses,
where our children assemble; our church.
es, where the solemn church-bell rings
millions Of wOrshippers on the solemn
Sabbath; here are our fertile fields, our
Aocks hecking thousand hills with their
snowy ileeces, our lofty mountains wav-
ing with stupendous forests, our magniii-
cent rivers and our fertile vallies. All
these are ours by association, by legacy,
by purchase. II is the domain of no
naughty prince-no king can call it his
no duke can drive us from its soil-it be-
longs to us the people. And it is a Federal
Union. Not mere alliance at will, a
league without strength, aud therefore
without dignity, for such nation would
forever be rent with factions and fall a
prey to foreign aggression--but a Union
under one supreme Government, possess
ing all the elements of unity and strength
Such a Union as fourished for eighty
years. Such Union as an American is
proud TO call his country when travelling
in distant lands. What wretch so soul
less, so grovelling as TO talk of being q
citizen Of Ohio, of Maine, of Georgia
when walking the streets of Rome, OF
London, or Naples, or Paris? Does The
student care now in what province or OF
what hillOf Rome her great statesmen
and generals and poets were born? Wher
that vast empire "veiled the horizon will
her wings" was it not the boast of hel
sons to say in all portions of her domain
81 am a Roman citizen%' So speaks eve.
ry true American; he belongs to no sec.
ton, TO no State, to no county, for every
pulsation of his heart beats only for biz
whole country.
And well might JACKSON declare tina
such a Union must be preserved"
fearful responsibility rests upon all VIII,
are honored with the name Of American
citizen. Our country and our Govern
ment. Our blood bought and blood-ce.
mented Union was the gift of God, az
Palestine was the gift Of God TO the jews
of old, and woe to the traitor who aban.
dons it in the hour of danger, or darei
tOplot its destruction II must BIO pre-
served. It's preservation is the preserva-
ton of the principles of freedom, of pro-
gress, of enlightenment of good morals
Of virtue, of human happiness. In the
Ark of the Federal Union we have EN-
barked all our treasures, and our kindred
The Ark which rode the waters of the
ancient deluge, did not carry a cargo Sc
precious as that which now heaves and
losses on the red waves of revolution
oVershadowed by the Stars and Stripes
Alb, if a treacherous or oowardly captain
or an idle, faithless crew should suffer
our Union bark to go down, what Shrek
Of horror would sweep the turbid waves
around like the cry Of everlasting des-
pair. Oh patriot armies Of the Republic
surrender not your holy trust-fght on
and never surronder-nght for all that is
precious to man and our Federal Union
shall be preserved.