Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 9.djvu/108

THE WORLD'S FAMOUS ORATIONS Sucht is the Union, and such are its glorious f ruits,JlWe are told now, and it is rung through- out this entire country, that the Union is threat- ened with subversion and destruction. Well, the first question which naturally arises is, sup- posing the Union to be dissolved — having all the causes of grievance which are complained of — how far will dissolution furnish a remedy for those grievances? If the Union is to be dis- solved for any existing causes, it will be dissolved because slavery is interdicted or not allowed to be introduced into the ceded territories ; because slavery is threatened to be abolished in the Dis- trict of Columbia; and because fugitive slaves are not returned, as in my opinion they ought to be, and restored to their masters. These, I believe, will be the causes, if there be any causes, which can lead to the direful event to which I have referred. Well, now, let us suppose that the Union has been dissolved. What remedy does it furnish for the grievances complained of in its united condition ? Will you be able to push slavery into the ceded Territories? How are you to do it, supposing the North — all the States north of the Potomac, and which are opposed to it — in possession of the navy and army of the United States? Can you expect, if there is a dissolu- tion of the Union, that you can carry slavery into California and New Mexico? You can not dream of such a purpose. If it were abolished in the District of Columbia, and the Union were 98