Year: 1861

right is IL assumed that weIl.educated and in
telgent soldiers can be seduced into becoming
the mere instruments Of single ambitious and
unscrupulous mani We have not undertaken
war for the sake Of war, nor would fifty years
of fighting make it palatable to the national
mind. The genius Of our people is no more
military than that of the people Of England.
We can fight, but we prefer peace. Moreover,
those who speculate In this loose way upon
the future of this Republic, leave out one es-
sential element of fair calculation. The loyal
States are not in arms because they are
eager for political novelties and bent upon po-
litical experiment. They are in position OF
the most thorough and absolute conservatism.
They are contending under the sway Of no


insane fancies and they are the dupes of no
brilliant dreams. The ReyOlted States, it is
true, are entering untried fields, and engaging
in the pursuit of phantoms; but we know just
where we are, and just what we seek. There
is the Constitution, as the Fathers OF the Re-
public framed it. There are the laws which
they enacted, and which we have enacted.
Before us arc our political duties, not compli-
Gated and not dubious, but simple and easy to
be upderstood. We bring to this great trial
sober sense Of the value Of human liberty, and
wa strike no blow without O thought of the
blessings of freedom. II is not in such school
ma this that we are to unlearn all the lessons
of our history; It is not under such influences
thot wo are TO surrender our most creditable
prejudices; it isinot while we are desperately
clipging to the traditions of the Republic that
we are to fiug ourselves at the feet of Des-
pot. When foreign nations judge us, we
claim something upon the score Of char
acter. 1t is grossly unfair, and no better
than sheer triliug with historic examples, 70
predicate our future upon the fate of less en-
lightened and more turbulent states. We claim
that our social problem is not perplexed by the
presence of large masses Of hungry and igno-
rant men to whom any change may prove or
may seem q blessing. Is it then for nothing
that our populations ore, as a rule, well edu-
Gated Is it for nothing that we have more
general diffusion of intelligence than can be
found In any other land Are all our mui'
tpled institutions of religion and learning I'M
potent for good influence upon the popular
mind and morality If 80, let US hear no
moro of the blessings of knowledge Let US
do our best to bring back the old medieval
midnight let US burn our school-houses ana
our libraries, LET us, with what stomach we
NAV. own that man ia fool from head 10
foot, and make the best OF bad matVer' D!
having at least hollow laugh at our own
ridiculous destiny


For ourselves, whatever of good hap or OF
sorrow the future may hold, We do not-yet
bate one jot of heart or of hope. Why should
we, at a moment like this, when the people
are proving that patriotism and self-devotion
are not empty words And why should we
insult honest men, who are giving their lives
and fortunes to the cause Of Human Freedom,
by speculating upon the chances of their al
speedily becoming slaves II they were hight
ing for plunder, if any unhallowed dream OF
personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT called them to the
field, we might suspect their integrity. More
over, while the General Government is thus
assaied, we find every loyal State calmly car
rying on its political administration, preserving
the peace within its borders, and leSying large
taxes which are cheerfuly met by the citizens
As the parts are, so will the whole be. The
political stability of the States will insure shat
,f the Union; and when that fails us, ii will
Do time 10 fear Dictator and not till then.


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