The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-03-20


Germany might regain the free uss Of hel
great river. If tomorrow new war shoult
break out between Austria and Russia. w
may be sure that the possession of the Dan
ube would be tho stake OF the CONTEST.
1t cannot be otherwise in America from
the day when the Mississippi, Tor hundreds
Of leagues shall how between two slave-hold
ing shores Already the effect Of the wal
has been to stop the expectation of wheat
and corn. the riches of the West.
In 1861 II became necessary to burn the
useless crops, to the great injury OF Europe,
who is the gamer by these exports. The South
understood 30 thoroughly the strength OF her
position, that her ambition is to seperato the
valley Of tho Mississippi from the East.
ern States, to unite herrelf with the West
and to condemn thus the Yankees Of New
England to ruinous isol,tiOn. The Con.
fcderates use tho Mississippi as bait by
which they hope to reconstruct, proftably to
themsclves-that is to say, in the interests Of
siduery-the Union which they have broken
up through fear of liberty. D.. .5u,. /.
We sec, then. what to think of tho pretend.
cd tyranny of the North what truth there
is in tho assertion that she wishes to oppress
and subjugate tho South. On the contrary,
the North only defends herself. In main.
tanning the Union, it is her right, it is her
erisience that she would save. f ..f .-II.
Thus far have spoken in the name Of the
material interests only--legitimate interests,
and which, founded on solemn titles, consti-
tutes sacred right; but il We examine the
moral and.political interests-interests of u
superior ordcr-we shall see still more clearly
that the North cannot yield without sell
destruction. r.f .ufa.f .t Hylrr =
The United States are Republic. the
frecst and ut the same time the mldest and
happicst government that the world has ever
seen. In what consists this prosperity OF the
Americans? They are alone upon an immense
territory they have never been Obliged to
concentrate power and weaken liberty, for
the purpore of resisting tho ambition and
jealousy of their neighbors. In the United
States there was no standing army. no great
war navy. Tho immense sums spent by us
to avoid or maintain war were used by the
Americans to establish schools-in giving to
every citizen, rich or poor, that education.
grandeur and the true riches of the people
There foreign policy was contained in sin
Gle maxim. Never to intermeddlc in tho po.
litical quarrcls of Europe on the sole condi-
tion that Europe would never Interfere in their
affairs, and would respect the liberty of the
seas. ...f..tt ....-
Thanks to those wise principles, beqneathed
to them by Washington, in his immortal
Farewell Address, the United States have on.
toyod ror eighty yvars pvaoo undipturtcd
but once, in 1912, when they were Obliged
to withstand England and maintain the rights
of neutrals. For the last seventy years, we
have spent billions to maintain our liberty
or our prcpondcrince IN Europe. The United
States have employed these billions in amel.
ioratons of all kinds. That is the secret Of
their prodigiOus success; their isolation has
made their prosperity. .r.
Suppose. now, that this separation should
be accomplished, and that the new conicder-
acy should comprise oil tho save-states; |;
tho North looses ut once her poioer and her
institutions. The Republic is stabbed to the
heart. There would be in America two RI
val nations, always on the evc OF conflict.
Peace would by no means extinguish eDnli
ties. Itwould not obliterate the memories
of past greatness, nor oi tho Union destroyed
The South victorious would be doubtles no
less friend of slavery, no less in love with
dominion. than in former times. The enc
mics of slavery, now masters OF their own
policy, would not surely be mado more mod
crate by separation. What would the South
ern Confederacy be to the North? A Foreign
power established in America, with frontier
of fifteen hundred miles--a frontier open on
all sides, and consequently, always threaten
ing or threatened. This power, hostile by
reason OF its vicinity and still more 30 on ac-
count of its institutions, would possess some
of tho most important portions OF the New
World. She would own half of the sea-coast
of tho Union-shc would command the Gulf
of Mexico, an inland sea one third the size
of the Mediterranean. She would 10 mis-.
tross of the mouth of the Mississippi, and
could at her will ruin tho people Of the West.
The remnant of the old Union must then al.
WAYS, maintain an attitude OF defence toward
their rivals. Cnsto,n-houses and frontier
difficulties. rivalries. jealousies And the
scourgcs of old Europe, would ut once over.
whelm America. Ii would DO necessary to
establish custom houses over m extent OF
fiyo hundred leagues-to construct and arm
forts along this immense frontier, support
largo standing army and navy In other
vords-they renOuncc the old constitution
weaken municipal Independence and concen-
tarte power. Adieu then to tho old and glo-
rious liberty! Adieu to those Institutions
which made America the. common country OF
MI those who lacked a breathing plac: in Eu.
ropc. The work of Washington would DO
utterly destroyed, and the new condition OF
things would be full OF difficulty and OF peril.
| understand how such future might rejoice
the people who can never pardon America,
her prosperity and her grandeur. History Is
iull Of these deplorable jealouses. But j
understand. even still better howa people
accustomed to liberty should risk their last
man and their last dollar to keep the inher-
itauce of their fathers, and 1 respect it,
What I do not comprehend is, that there
should bo found in Europe. people, calling
themselves liberal, who reproach the North
for her courageous resistance, and council q
shamclul abdication. The war Is terrible
evil: but from the war durable peace may
spring. The South may be worn out by an
exhaasting struggle. The old Union may be
again restored-the future may be saved.
But what can be the issue Of separation, II
not ,par rifhouf end and miseries without
number! The ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of the Union
tho rendering asunder Of tho country,
would be u degradation ,cifhom remedy. A
fate 30 shameful is to be accepted. only, when
ono is utterly crushed out and troddcn under
foot. l..r.s .,g lrv ua-t rrs,s..i il /.
SO far | have argued on the hypothesis
that the South would remain an independent
power. But unless tho West should JOIN
tho Confederates, re-establishing . Union
which should exclude New England, tins IN