New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-01
his qualities as statesman are yet to be ex-
NATIONAL Unity.


In the peaceful contest which has just ended
at Washington the only unwholesome feature
has been a tendency toward appeals to sectional
feeling IL matters not, TO the present pur-
pose by whom this tendency was first man
ifested. or who is responsible for it. Doubt
less it has been largely exaggerated in the ac-
counts Of political opponents. Some men have
doubtless uttered, in the excitement of efforts
for their friends, remarks which were calculated
to arouse sectional feeling, though in hours OF
calm consideration the same men would instant
" agree that a success gained at the cost OF
stimulating or embittering such feeling would
not be worth the having But however shShV
and unimportant these Objectionable features
NAV have BEEN in a contest otherwise markeu
by great personal courtesy and fairness, IL Is
worth while to consider, before Congress has
fully entered upon it's work, how great is the
need of avoiding sectional influences and ap-
peals in all public deliberations
Let it be frankly granted that each section
of this great Republic has legitimate interests
and natural sympathies peculiar to ITSELF III Is
not even desirable that these peculiar interests
and feelings of different parts of the Repuonc
should be ignored, if it were possible. Inc
best results for all can be attained only by can
didly considering the wishes and needs Of each
But underlying and surely restraining every
sectional feeling or effort, there ought to be a
profound and abiding conviction that the wei
fare of the whole country is to everybody lar
more important than the interests OF any parO
| of the country. For without hearty ana COM
plete National unity no section can permanent!
prosper, and that unity can be preserved only
by holding the welfare Of all more Important
than the separate advantage OF any part.
In the highest sense sectionaism is dlsunlon-
ISM Every policy, argument or prejudice WHICH
nlaces the interests of a section first and para
mount and makes the common interests suoor-
dinate, whether so intended or not, inevltaoiy
pushes States and sections apart, tends to make
them antagonistic in feeling and effort ana
looks toward disunion. The only possible logic
of any such policy or reasoning is tnat IL "ouiu
be better for section to have the Union us
solved unless that section can have us separate
| interests held paramount in the matter Ill quoS
ton Yet no sober man really believes tnao dh
Eastern Republic, Southern Republic, west
ern Republic or a Pacific Republic would pros
per more on the whole than that same secuoh
does prosper as part of these United states.
The case needs no discussion. Intelligent men
know that the advantages of Union immeasur-
ably outweigh for each and every section all
advantages which could be gained without H.
In the approaching session Of Congress queS-
tons are to be considered which will unavold-
ably cause much division of feeling and action
on lines nearly sectional. Thus there are East
ern men who believe IN unlimited silver com
age. lust as there are Western men who believe
the coinage should be stopped entirely, but IN
the main Eastern people care for safety rather
than volume of circulation, while most Western
people appear to think Of volume first and OF
| safety afterward The division has natural
causes, but the Republic cannot prosper unless
that division of feeling and interest is dominated
| by an abiding determination TO hold the welfare
of the whole country paramount to all local
considerations Similar division of feeling and
interest exists regarding the tariff and other
questions. In Congress- and in all discussions
outside of legislative halls there will be needed
this sincere and steadfaSt desire to maintain the
welfare, and therefore the unity, of the Nation
| in order to avoid utteanceS and acts which may
do harm. All interests of all sections should be
candidy presented and discussed. But it should
never be forgotten by disputants on either side
| that the first and most sacred interest to each
and every section is the unity of the United
States.
|