Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-22
WING,
The Grea. Issue Settled by the War.


versies which occasionally agitate the nations
of the world, but their hopes aud antlcipa-
tions will, We fear, never be realized.
The iIlustrious men who framed the Con
stitution of the United States believed that
they hal at last established government,
uplsr which all questions Of dispute might
BE- peacefully adjusted by the force Of argu-
ment and reason, and by the influence OF an
enlightened public opinion. 1t was their
hope to iuaugurate an era, different from
and brighter than all the past had been. II
was their desire TO substitute the notion oil
right ana Justice tor violence and force, and
thus transfer to the ballot box the power
hitherto exerted by the sword, IS the nnal
arbiter OF all disputes and differences ofoPin-
ion, that might arise in nation which
was soon TO present TO the world the sub
lima spectacle of q people solsmnly or
daining aud establishing Constitution, to
form a more p,rfsct Union, establish Justice
insure domestic tranquility, provide for the
common defence, promote the general vel
fare. and secure the blessings Of liberty to
themselves and their posterity. Around the
grand conception Of mans capacity Tor SELL
government we're clustered the great iunda-
mental principles of that splendid govern
mental superstructure reared by the hands
OF Washington and his illustrious colaborers'
For more than three quarters OF = century
the government thus founded answered all the
purposes for which il had been instituted.
Mild and benedeeut in its sway, happy mil
lions had enjoyed the blessings OF life and ho-
erty beneath the shadow Ofits protecting wing
The arts and sciences were encouraged, man
utactures fostered, agriculture hourished,
while the white wings Of commerce, protect
ed by A dag teloyed and hOnOred at home
and respected abroad, trAversed every sea-
and made every quarter OF the globe &C
ouainted with the maryels Of American skill
and industry. Such prosperity, such ieHel-
~ Al nome, such respect abroad, such rAPiu
and gigantic strides to national glory and re-
noxn. the world had never seen. And all
hi, TOO under government which the mon
arshists and absoiutists OF the old world al
fscted to regard as an importation from U'o-
pia.
Why did the sun OF our national prosperity
undergo partial eclipse! Why we're the
triumphs OF peace 50 rudely interrupted oy
the shock OF revolution and the horrid ain oil
armsf At this particular point OF our history
when new Zee coming Is 10 be made, 1t Is
we'll 10 know the true answer to these queS-
tons. Perhaps the shortest aud most com
prsbeusiye answer that can be given Is to
SAY. that those things happened because
there lived in the Southern States class oil
sectional politicians, distinguished (some
OF them) for their talents, their genius, their
ready eloquence, and welding large PoPu-
Ia. influence, who (alas for their country and
themselves y never could rise to the height
OF entertaining nd!ioHG! ideas and senti-
ments. They persisted in maintaining that
the word "peOple," wherever It occurred IN
the Constitution of the United States, meant
only the States in their separate sovereign
organic capacity. They laid it down as an
axiom in politics, that no voluntary political
association could, or ought to be upheld by
a compulsory obligation. With metaPhy
sicd subtlety that would have done credit to
the scholasticism Of the middle ages, they
succeeded in convincing themselves, and IN
inducing others TO believe, that the Govern
ment of the United States Was in fact no
government at all, but simply league, and
a league of that anomalous and peculiar
character which gave to each and all parties
10 it complete and unqualified right to
withdraw from it at pleasure 1t is true
they we're sustained in their peculiar view OF
the organization of the government by the
=. resolutions OF '9S and 49," and the eminent
men who recognized those declarations as =
marty shibboleth, but it is also true that
Washington, Hamilton, Webster, Clay, Jack
son, and other distinguished American
statesmen, had maintained and expressed
opinions diametrically opposed to this view.
These conflicting opinions IS to the nature
and character of the Government Of the
United States, gave rise TO all the great con-
stitutioDal questions which were debated by
Webster and Hayne, Clay and Calhoun, and
other distinguished men Of the Union and
States Rights schools. But it Was net in the
arena of debate, nor by the force of Argu-
ment and the power Of reason that these
great questions could be settled. Opinions
80 radically different, so thoroughly diverse,
could not be reconciled nor Was It possible
for the questions to long continue open and
undecided.
Upon the arst exercise by State of its
asserted rights to withdraw from the Union,
war became inevitable. The late President
Of the United States, whose tragicAl end the
country has been so recently called on TO
mourn. when asked what he would do, in
case Of his election, If South Carolina
should withdraw from the Union, prompt
~ REPLIED, Z" We will then try the question
whether we have a government or not."-
The hypothetical question PrOPounded to
NJ. Lincoln became a practical one be lore
his Inauguration, and the issue presented in
his reply, has Just been tried-tried by the
sword the last argument Of nations, because
in no other way could it be tried, and def
nitely settled.
In the war now Just closing, the United
States struggled for life, for national exis-
tepce. Struggled to maintain that which
Washington REGARDED as the only paramount
noItieal interest, "that unity Of govern