Mr. President, I have said, what I solemnly believe, that dissolution of the Union and war are identical and inevitable; that they are convertible terms; and such a war as would be following a dissolution of the Union! Sir, we may search the pages of history, and none so ferocious, so bloody, so implacable, so exterminating—not even the wars of Greece, including those of the Commoners of England and the revolutions of France—none, none of them all would rage with such violence, or be characterized with such bloodshed and enormities as would the war which must succeed, if that event ever happens, the dissolution of the Union. And what would be its termination? Standing armies and navies to an extent stretching the revenue of each portion of the dissevered members, would take place. An exterminating war would follow, not, sir, a war of two or three years’ duration, but a war of interminable duration—and exterminating wars would ensue until, after the struggles and exhaustion of both parties, some Philip or Alexander, some Cæsar or Napoleon, would arise and cut the Gordian knot, and solve the problem of the capacity of man for self-government, and crush the liberties of both the severed portions of this common empire. Can you doubt it?
Look at all history—consult her pages, ancient or modern—look at human nature; look at the contest in which you would be engaged in the supposition of war following upon the dissolution of the Union, such as I have suggested; and I ask you if it is possible for you to doubt that the final disposition of the whole would be some despot treading down the liberties of the people—the final result would be the extinction of this last and glorious light which is leading all mankind, who are gazing upon it, in the hope and anxious expectation that the liberty which prevails here will sooner or later be diffused throughout the whole of the civilized world. Sir, can you lightly contemplate these consequences? Can you yield yourself to the tyranny of passion, amid dangers which I have depicted in colors far too tame of what the result would be if that direful event to which I have referred should ever occur? Sir, I implore you, gentlemen, I adjure them, whether from the South or the North, by all that they hold dear in this world—by all their love of liberty—by all their veneration for their ancestors—by all their love of liberty—by all their regard for posterity—by all their gratitude to Him who has bestowed on them such unnumbered and countless blessings—by all the duties which they owe to mankind—and by all the duties which they owe to themselves, to pause, solemnly to pause at the edge of the precipice, before the fearful and dangerous leap is taken into the yawning abyss below, from which none who ever take it shall return in safety.
Finally, I implore, as the best blessing which Heaven can bestow upon me upon earth, that if the direful event of the dissolution of this Union is to happen, I shall not survive to behold the sad and heartrending spectacle.
CHAPTER XXII.
Comrades: After reading the foregoing patriotic speech made by Henry Clay in the Senate chamber in 1842, we feel inspired by the thought that the Union is not dissolved, but was restored by the great and glorious things that were accomplished by the Union armies during the war from 1861 to 1865. Soon after our return home from the war some of us began at times to ask ourselves the following question: What has been accomplished by our three or four years of hardships in the army? And sometimes we would almost arrive at the conclusion that our work had been in vain. But as years have passed we were cheered by the brightening of the skies. The war debt was being rapidly paid off, and many of our former enemies were becoming convinced that it was a very great blessing for all the people, North as well as South, that the Union army was successful and the Union restored. A few years ago, while I was in conversation with a gentleman from the South in regard to National affairs, he frankly remarked as follows: “The southern people should thank the Grand Army men for the great and good work which they accomplished by restoring the union of all the States.” Within the last ten or twelve years the author of this narrative has been encouraged in regard to our National affairs, because of the fact that the hard work which we did during the war has been manifested in recent years by good results.
Comrades, we can now see some of the fruits of our labor. Our government is on a sound basis, and is one of the most prosperous on the globe. It is the government which was sustained by the faithful soldiers of the war from 1861 to 1865, guided by the hand of Providence. And it is a government endowed with the best and most humane laws in existence. It is a government that has been and is merciful, and since it has become of sufficient strength has removed the yoke of oppression from the people of some of the islands of the sea, and diffused among them liberty and freedom. It is also a government that is taking the lead in the good work of adjusting troubles between nations by arbitration.
During the war from 1861 to 1865 rulers and people of foreign nations looked upon the probability of our success with suspicion, because they believed and said that a government by the people, or a republican form of government could not survive a great war like the Rebellion. But they were surprised and taught the lesson that a free people fighting for such principles as “Old Glory” represents, are capable of surviving almost anything. By the success of our faithful soldiers Uncle Sam has been enabled to grow up to a good-sized boy, or we had better say a man, and we think that he is good and kind, understands his business and attends to it.
The good principles which were sustained by many hard fought battles from 1861 to 1865, and are represented by our good old banner, are being diffused not only among the people of our own country but to some extent among the people of almost every nation on the globe.
We sincerely hope that the good work will continue to go forward. But what would be the condition of our country and ourselves if the Southern Confederacy had been successful? The consequence would undoubtedly have been as Henry Clay said in his speech. It would have been the extinction of this last and glorious light, represented by “Old Glory,” which is leading all mankind, who are gazing upon it in the hope and anxious expectation that the liberty which prevails here, sooner or later will be diffused throughout the whole of the civilized world. Comrades, we have the consolation of knowing that our work was not in vain. It resulted in the diffusing of more good to mankind than all nations ever before accomplished.