Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1864-08-25

ed the respect of all men. Thus W
have grown and strengthened togethe
politil ally, socially and morally
! Our government, formed Of diferen
States, has derived its chief beauty
and force from the mutual interest:
and similar occupations oil che peo
ple.s Our national interes is, oul
social tastes. and customs, are moi
oply bound up in the government
: but form essential parts of it. The
people not only control the govern
! ment-they are the government
Our government is essential to the
protection of our rights and privle-
ges. Liberty'needs the support OF
law and without law it cannot survive.
The integrity of thu Union. and the
divinity of the insztutisRs which
have grown up under the Union,
are one and iuseparahle. From the
beginning of this conte st, it has
been regarded as the final crisis in
the trial of free government. If the
government cvnnot protect itself
from foes without and within, and
maintain a stability and integrity that
will withstand the wear and tear and
crises OF time, then the principles
on which it rests cannot be defended.
If disuaion should be accomplished,
our system of government would
lose the respect which has hitherto
been felt for it, and with an almost
unanimous voice the world, con-
demn it. Every where the cry would
go up, Liberty has failed We wonld
feel that cry falling like lead upon
our hearts, and would know that it
was true. In vain would we then
speak of the rights of man, and his
capacity for self government The
whole world would rise up and say
:'Away with these illusions; the ex-
pertinent has failed forever"
Truly we would find disunion q
fountain of bitter waters-a vast {
place where no flowers could grow
The marble of the temple being torn
down its treasures would be scattered
to the winds. The government lost,
our dignity and rights as citizens OF
the government would nowIere be
acknowledged. The restraints oi
law and order being removed, the
license of passion and the clash Of
opposing interests would destroy the
peace and happiness of society. Dis
union once commenced, who can tell
when it would end2 The same
causes that would divide into sec
tions; would soon be ut work in each
of those sections. All confidence
in the government would be at an end.
Other nations would not respect it,
and we ourselves corld not look to
I it for protection. Common interests
being forgotten society would be
come disorganized, and the princip-
les on which it is based would lose
all influence and control State after
State would secede, and the fatal in
fection would spread into counties.
and even smaller localities, until all
political relations and obligations
would be at an end. Disunion would
soon become confusion, would be-
come anarchy, anarchy would be-
come strife, and strife would termin-
ate military despotism. Nations
aL,cays die hard We might endure
/ years, and even centuries! Of mortal
agony before the foundations of the
government would decay; and when
at last the great temple would fall,
louder and more mournful than the
crashing and crumbling of its pillars
would be the death wall of Liberty,
and under its ruins would be buried
all urjoys; and all our glory!
If the government should once be
broken down, it could not be restor-
ed. Its construction was work Of
great difficulty. when the people
were united; how, then. could it be
done when passion and confusion
would take the place of reason and
order2 If the confidence of the peo-
pie, which is now the basis of the
government, shonld be removed, on
what could it be made to stand?-
What arguments would convi-ce the
people that the experiment should
be repeated, when its failure had
cost them so dearly? Their feelings
and desires could not be brought
again into the same channel Their
passions could not be restrained,
their conflicting views could not he
reconciled, and their interests in
the common welfare conld not be
aroused. The destruction of the
government involves not only the
loss of its acquired strength, but of
its original elements. If the
republic fails, it will be followed
either by an empire or a wilderness;
and through all the long night that
would follow the going down to the
sun of Liberty, to every one who
might ask whether that sun would
I rise again, there would be but one
answer, Nevermore!
Is this picture of disunion too
dark? Nothing better could be
i hoped from such an event, if it
should take place under the most
j favorable circumstances. Let the
!. work be done from the purest mo-
! tives, and with sincere desire to
J promote the interests of each section
D these results might be delayed, but
could not be avoided. Disunion, il
s whatever light we view it, is still th'