Year: 1875

Fernando Wood is to-day one of the
recognized leaders of Democracy. He is
regarded as the probable candidate for
| the Speakership of the next House. He
claims to have been Union man during
the war, and loyal patriot. In Janua-
ry, 1861, he was Mayor of New York
To show how strong his Union senti-
ments were at that time, and how loyal
he was to the nation, we submit the fol-
! lowing extracts from message sent by
him January 6, 1861, to the Common
Council of the City of New York:


at would seem that dissolution of
the Federal Union is inevitable Having
been formed originally on a basis of gen
eral and mutual protection, but separate
local ndependence-each State reserving
the entire and absolute control of its own
domestic affairs, it is evidently impossible
to keep them together longer than they
deem themselves fairly treated by each
other, or longer than the interests, honor
and fraternity of the people of the sew
eral States are satisfied. Being a govern
ment created by opinion, its continuance
is dependent upon the continuance of
the sentiment which formed it.


at cannot be preserved by coercion, or
held together by force, A resort to this
last dreadful alternative would of itself
DESTROY not only the Government, but
the lives and property of the people.


"If these forebodings shall be realized,
and a separation of the States shall oc-
cur, momentous considerations will be
presented to the corporate authorities of
this city. We must provide for the new
relations which will necessarily grow out
of the new condition of public affairs.


cit will be necessary for us to settle
the relation which we shall hold to 9th
tota INIT 10 to lISh !
we can, new ones with portion of our
own State. Being a child of the Union,
having drawn our sustenance from its
bosom, and arisen to our present power
and strength through the vigor of our
mother-when deprived of her maternal
advantages, we must rely upon our own
resources and assume position predica-
ted upon the new phase which public af
fairs will present. and upon the inherent
strength which our geographical, COM
mercial political, financial pre-eminence
imparts to US.


1T may be said that secession or revo-
luton in any of the United States would
be subversive of all Federal authority,
and, so far as the central government is
concerned, the resolving of the commu
nity into its original elements-that, if
part of the States form new combina-
tions and governments, other States may
do the same California and her sisters
of the Pacific will no doubt set up an in
dependent Republic and husband their
own rich mineral resources, The West
ern States, equally rich in cereals and
other agricultural products, will proba-
bly, do the same. Then it may be said,
why should not New York City, instead
of supporting by her contributions in
revenue two-thirds of the expenses of
the United States, become also equally
independent? AS free city, with but
nominal duty on imports, her local gov
ernment could be supported without tax
alton upon her people. Thus we could
live free from taxes, and have cheap
goods nearly duty free. In this she
would have the whole and united sup
mort of the Southern States, rs well as all
the States to whose interests and rights
under the constitution she has always
| been true.


alt is well for individuals or commu-
mites to look every danger square in the