The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-08-24
THE UNION OF THE STATES.


Hon. George II. Pendieton 10 stamping II
In the spine Tree state" for Seymour and
Blair. The people OF that Commonwealth
are too practical and too patriotic TO be in.
hucnced by the Virginia distractions that Mr..
Pendletou-himself a native Virginian-is
getting OF down there.
If anything more Bulsbyish-we will notsa
Carlyish-because that would be dignifyipg 1t
too much-ean possibly be produced than the
extract from Mr.. Pendleton's speech which
we quote below we do not recollect to have
seen It, Here It. 10;
"0ur Government 10 q union and not unity.
II Ii union OF States, not OF municipal cor
porations-of States sovereign, except in SO
far as they have delegated the exercise OF
some powers and have contracted to abste the
far as they have bound themselves together
disunited, except In so far as they have united
themselves by the terms OF the Consultation.
This system Of government has solved the
great problem. 1t has reconciied vastness of
territory and strength OF government with
liberty. II has made 1t possible that we should
to our matchless Constitution, [grest ap-
plausel-a free people"
Taking that very sage remark by Itself, that
our Government "is Union, and mol d unity"
we might be puzzled somewhat to understand
itprecisely, and at the first blush or presenta-
tion OF tho words, what the young states
nhu'' Ol tue West we suppose tneFe
must be a broad distinction between union
and unity, because from Mr.. Pendleton's stand
point, union may be dissolved but unity
never.
But Mr.. Pendleton explains, and his explain.
alton as the reader will see, Is worthy OF that
world.renowned philosopher, Bunsby, "if so
be-" says Bunsby, "thst the son.and-heir has
gone down, why then she has gone down; II
so be that she is Aaoat, then she Is anost"
Mr.. Pendleton's definition OF a union, which
ia not q unity, is about as lucid as this.
But a truce to this sort OF talk that the Gen.
eral Government 10 a Government which does
notpossess that sovereignty over all the States
which entities II to be supreme, to maintain
its existence, and to ooerce States that are re-
factory to obedience. We abominate Mr..
Pendleton's theory. It is neither wise nor
sound, nor constitutional.
Mr.. Pendleton was a member OF Congress In
1861, and when In January OF that year four
States claimed to have seeded from the Union
he said;
fact" He declared that the General Govern
ment had neither the right nor the power Il
prevent secession, saying
" Sir, the uhoie schema Of coercion Is inprdcfL
cable: Is coHirdrgto the genius and ,piri efih'
Consinuiion."
After celebrating this idea at length, Mr.
Pendleton proceeds
Ny voice to-day is for Cancellation; my
voice is for COMPROMISED and 1t Ia but the echo
OF the voice OF my constituents. beg you,
gentlemen, to hear that voice. II you will
not; II you hnd Cancellation impossible, II your
differences are so great that you cannot or will
not reconcile them, then, gentlemen, let The seed
ing STATES depart in pedeej id hen esidbiish their
government and empire, and tcork out their deafrs
according TO the ioi'dom oAieh God has gfreN
Mtm.n
We had supposed that four years Of war hat
knocked this nonsense out Of Mr.. Pendleton'l
head, but 1t appears not. He 10 now preaching
the same doctrine down In Maine. The PEG
pie OF that State have seen enough OF IL, and
they will repudiate 1t from the word go.
With that school of public men Of which
Mr.. Pendleton is one, the Union is OF no ao
count. 1t may fall to pieces at any moment
1t is no better than a rope OF sand. The PEG
pie of this country, II this is the doctrine, will
desire what Mr. p. calls unity instead Of q
Union.
The nation wants government, and 1t will
have 1t.