Epigram on Chase and His Shinplasters [pp. 90]

THE DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS.
at the root of the tree-to boldly, defiantly declare that the Federal Government has no right to wage such a
war, and that, therefore, every man
who gives either men or money to it
commits a crime against his country,
we shall see that the people are ready
for any action which will stop this
bloody and brutal revolution. If weak
or shallow men cry out, "What, would
you let the South go in peace?" answer, " AWould it not be better to let
them go in peace than to drive them out
in blood 7" Would you violate the
Constitution, batter down the fundamental principles of our Government,
murder a million of our people, and
saddle your own shoulders with a debt
you can never pay, in a vain effort to
force back an unwilling people? The
Union was created upon the voluntary
principle. It can never stand upon
any other. No wise man, no friend of
freedom wishes it to stand upon any
other. There is a necessity, as unconditional as that of death, that this
Union must perish the instant it ceases
to be a voluntary bond of fraternal
States. To attempt to keep it in ex istence by the sword, is to make war
upon tlohe fundamental principles of
liberty and government established by
our fathers-is to sink the grand work
of their hands in blood. That is what
the Abolitionists are doing, and the
Democratic members of Congress, instead of grappling this monstrous despotism by the throat, and crying aloud
for the people to fly to the rescue of
liberty, are beating the air with the
coward's excuse of policy. It is true
that some members have the pluck to
declare that the party in power is murdering the nation, but their words are
emasculated by concessions which carry them half way over to the revolutionists. There is no middle ground
here. The war is.the eternal destruction of the Union - is despotism-is
death to the great principle of self government established by Washing ton. It is a crime against liberty
which admits of no action but that of
uncompromising and implacable hos tility to it. If the present Democratic
members of Congress cannot manfully
grapple with this liberty-destroying
monster, let those be sent next time
who can. One brave, strong man
there, would trample the gods of Afri ca like bubbles of glass under his
feet.
EPIGRAM ON CHASE AND HIS SHINPLASTERS.
Chase and his money a mutual friendship show;
Chase makes false money-false money makes him so
go
. [April,