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

BIDDEFoRD, MAINE, FRIDAY MORNING,
at the South. You have not the right to
crush people that fight SO bravely. Resign

X
yourselves. '7| '''
;. five were less enervated by the luxuries
of modern life and by the idleness OF long
peace. If our hearts still retained some rem
nant Of that patriotism which. in 1902. sent
our forciathcrs to tho shores of the Rhine,
the answer would be an easy one. TO day
fear we can no longer comprehend it. II
tomorrow the south of France should revolt
and demand separation. il Alsace and Lor-
raine wished to isolate themselves, what
would be, do not say our right, but our du.
ty? Would we stop to count votes. to know
II third or half Of the French people had
right to destroy the national unity, to an
nihilate France, to rend in fragments the
glorious heritage bought with the blood OF
our fathers? No, VIC would take up our
muskets and march. Woe to him who does
not feel that his country is sacred, and that
il is glorious to defend it, even at the cost OF
all possible sufferings and dangers. .r.
"Amerlca is not France; II is a confcdera-
tion. it is not nation" Who says that?--
The South, to justify her crime. The North
says the contrary, and for two years, ut the
price of sacrifices without number, afirms
that the people of the United States arc one
people. and that their country shall not be
cut in two. This is grand, and what aston
ishes me is, that Franco can remain unmovcd
in view ofsuch patriotism. Love ofcountry-
is not that tho distinguishing virtue of tho
French people?
What, then, is the South, and whence
does she derive this right Of separation, so
loudly proclaimed? Is it conquered pco.
pie that seeks to recover its independence.
like Lolnbardy? Is It distinct race that
wishes no longer to continue an oppressive
alliance? No they are communities OF plan
ters established by American hands, on the
territories of the Union, who revolt without
any other reason than their own AMBITION
Let us t,ke map of the United States. IL
VIC except Virginia, the two Carolinas, and
Georgia. which were originally English col.
onies, all the rest of the South is settled up
on lands bought and paid for by tho Union.
That is to say, the North has borne the
greatest part of the expense. louisiana
was sold to tho United States in 1904, by the
first consul, for fifteen millions of dollars
Florida was purchased of Spain IN 1920, for
about five millions. The Mexican war, with
its cost OF q billion OF money and its cruel
losses, was necessary to secure Texas. In
short, OF all the rich territories that border
the Mississippi and the Missouri from their
source to their mouth, there is not onc inch
but has been paid for by the Union and there.
fore belongs to 1t. IL is tho Union that has
driven out or indennilled the Indians. II is
the Union that has built all the forts, the
docks. the lighthouses, and harbors. IL Is
the Uniou that nuue AL tiIcoo desert piavvs or
value, and rendered colonization possible
Northern as we'll as Southern men cleared
and planted these lands, and transformed in'
to flourishing States these sterile soltudes.
Can old Europe. where unity is everywhere
the result of conquest, show US a title to
property 80 sacred as this2 A country more
entirely the common work Of whole peo-
pic? And now, shall minority bc permit
ted to appropriate territory which belongs
to all, and to choose for themselves the best
part of it? Can minority bc permitted To
d stroy the Union and to impcril its first
benefactors, without whom, indeed, it could
not exist? To say that this revolt is not i'm,
pious, is to say that caprice constitutes
right. 80
1t is not, however, political reason only,
which opposes the separation. Its geogra-
ply, the situation of the different portions,
obiiges the United States to form one nation.
Strabo, contemplating the vast country we
now call France, said, with the foresight OF
genius, that bcholding the nature Of the ter
ritory and the courses of the streams, 1t was
evident that the forests OF Gaul, then thinly
inhabited, would become the home OF agreat
people. Nature had prepared our territory
to become the theatre of great civilization.
This Is no less true of America. She is, in
truth, only q double valley with On imper-
ceptIble head level and two great water
courses, the Mississippi and the st. Law
renee. No high mountains which separate
and isolate peoples; no natural barriers like
the Alps and Pyrenees. The West cannot
live without the Mississippi-to possess the
mouth of the river is for the farmers Of the
West q question of life and death. a9
The United States have felt this from the
first. When the Ohio and Mississippi were
still only streams lost in the great forest or
the SouthYcs.-whcn tho first planters were
but handful of men scattered over the viii.
derness, tho Americans knew already that
New Orleans was the key OF the whole coun-
try. They would not leave it in possession
Of Spain or France. Napoleon understood
this. He held in his hands the future great
ness Of the United States. 1t did not dis
please him to cede to America this vast ter
ritory, with the Intention, ho said, Of giving
to England maritime rival which sooner or
later would humble the pride Of our enemy.
He might have disposscssed himself merely
Of the left bank of the river, and thus have
satisfied tho United States, who at that time
asked no more, hut he did more (and here
think he was very wrong), no renounccd,
with stroke of the pen, q country as vast
as halfot Europe, and gave up onr last right
to tho beautiful river, wo had ourselves dis
covered. Very soon sixty years will have
elapsed Hnce this cersion. Tho states now
called Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa,
Minnesota, Kansas, Oregon, the territories
of Nebraska. Dactoah. Jefferson and Wash
inrton, which will s,on become states, have
been established on tho immense domain
abandoned bysNapoleon. Without counting
the slave holding population, which seeks to
destroy the Union, there arc ten millions OF
frecmcn between Pittsburg and Fort Union,
who claim the course and mouth of the Mis-.
sissippi us bayiug been cedcd to them by
France. It's from us that they hold their
title and their possessions. They have the
right Of sixty years occupancy right
ccnsecrated by labor and cultiyation.a right
derived from solemn contract, and better
still. from nature and from God. And tor
defending this right, we reproach them
They are usurpers and tyrants. because they
will not put themselves at the mercy OF an
ambitious minority. What should We say II
tomorrow, Normandy, in rebellion, should
claim rs her own Rouen and Hayre? And
,at what In the course of the Seine COMPARED