Year: 1859

Senator Iverson, Of Georgia, in speech on
the Pacific Railroad Bill. took it for granted
that the Union would shortly be dissolved, and
for that reason favored the construction Of two
railroads to the Pacific, one for the benefit Of
the North, aud the other for the South. The
ST Louis Republican, in referring to the speech,
says:


We are not in the habit Of sparing in public
men gratuitous aud unprovOked declarations
of disuuion sentiments. We therefore may as
well say frankly, what we think Of Mr.. lver-
sons recent Railroad and DisuniOn speech In
the Senate. The speech is in few words, in
sufferably absurd aud preposterous. Can any
Senator be sane. we might ask even in the
medical sense, who WILL with apparent serious
ness, urge the North to build railroad to ac-
commodate Southern Coufcderacy, and the
South to build one to accommodate a Northern
Confederacy, after the Union shall have been
split in two? Senators sit where they do under
the obligations of an oath to support consti-
tuition. which was framed expressly to "form a
more perfect union," and yet one of them
gravely advises the body of which he is a men,
ber to legislate in view Of rupture Of that
Union! To make laws, not for the United
States, but for States wholly foreign TO the
United States A proposition thus seriously
uTReQ goes VASTLY utyouu uli luOSc uSuug
foolish threats OF which we hear too many from
members of Congress, who, If they have nothing
else to utter, would do better not to open their
mouths at all.


Mr.. Iverson tells Congress that the Union is
sure to split and therefore the Union ought to
| provide for the comfort Of the severa! parts.
We cannot agree to any such non seq'ater. We
think that if the parts are so foolish as to be-
come twain they should be left to take care
each of itself The Union is not in our opinion
so Perilously situated as Mr.. Iverson imagines
But. if any thing could disgust oil the mode
rate and sensible men 10 the country with thC
Union, it would be the conviction that suct
Congress members as are so free to blurt on
threats that this and that State will secede
truly represent any considerable portion o
their constituents. Even with that conviction
prevalent. the geographical features Of the
United States would probably suffice to baI
disnnion. But if we had no Mississippi or thai
river lay in the direction of the Ohio river
such prevalent conviction might lead TO a
result which perhaps is the last one that many
of these very hotspurs really desire. The min
atOry gentlemen would finally be taken al their
/ teord.


| 1t is reflection not credtablc to the good
| sense of many of our people that. with so lew
real grievances to complain Of on the part OF
either section. there should BE- 80 incessant a
war of words between them and with induce
ments so strongly urging TO o preservation of
our Union, public men in responsible positions
should show themselves so reckless of its inesti-
mahle value. No doubt most of the talk against
it even from high places is empty wind aud
really means nothing. II IL too much to hope,
| then that some efiectual means may be found
| to suppress 80 much Of II ~ wastes the time aud
| helps spoil the temper OF Congress?