Secession Era Editorials Project

A NORTHERN FREE REPUBLIC: STAND BY THE UNION.

Boston, Massachusetts, Post [Democratic]

(3 June 1856)

Resolved, That the repeated aggressions of the slave power upon freedom, and the recent outrages upon our brethren in Kansas, are only skirmishes before the great battle threatened for the subjugation of the northern freemen to do the behests of the southern task-master>

Resolved, That the time has come when it becomes the north to stand a unit, and to the question Freedom or Slaves? return the emphatic answer of Patrick Henry "Give me liberty or give me death." -- Reading Resolves

Thus he (Rev. Mr. Kirk) only pointed to the thunder cloud that hung over us. "God," said he, "may avert it. Man cannot it. Coaxing, compromise, letting alone, are all too late. Mr. Brooks is nothing in this matter. Mr. Douglas is nothing in this matter. The doctrine that a negro is not a man and the doctrine that the negro is a man have now come to the death struggle, and a nation will heave with every convulsive struggle of the contest. Neither will yield until a continent has been swept with the deluge of civil war. -- Traveller's Report of Dr. Kirk's Speech.

Madness rules the hour, in nullification-ridden Massachusetts. With shame be it written, invocations to civil war flame out in fanatic resolutions; in the columns of the press; and at the corners of our streets. The fanatical men who have so long held that our constitution is a covenant with death, and an agreement with hell, are now holding a carnival; for men and presses, from whom the community have a right to expect better things, are now playing into their hands; are now at work in the sad business of inflaming the public mind; and in preparing it for the inauguration of "a northern free republic." Yea, more; the labors of a crowd of driftwood politicians last Sunday received their usual lift from the political sermonizers who stand behind desks consecrated to the healing voice of charity, and utter the most shallow and inflammatory appeals. Madness rules the hour in Massachusetts!

Patriotic citizens! Look at the sample we cite - our space forbids other citations - of the mad resolves which yesterday turned up at the Reading meeting. Call you this expressing merely indignation at the assault on Senator Sumner? Is this wildness, this madness, this terrible invocation to march up to the brink of the last dire necessity, -- is this to go forth as the determination of the solid men of Massachusetts? Are they ready to cast off in a day what it cost so much precious blood to win and so much God-given intellect to perfect and preserve? No such occasion is upon us -- perdition and shame on the Reading resolves -- as requires the Patrick Henry tocsin to run through the land, Give me liberty, or give me death! Shame on the whole Beecher, Sharp's rifle, fanatical brood who are engaged in the terrible work of harrowing up the community to such a dreadful alternative! Shame on those who would drive the "continent" on to the work of civil war! There is yet a patriotism, a common sense, a love of the glorious work of the Fathers, that will rise up from its lethargy and smite to its original vile dust the traitorous element.

And Massachusetts, now before the Union as a public faith breaking state; Massachusetts, with the fine and penitentiary for each member of her noble volunteer militia who obeys an order to support the Laws of the United States; Massachusetts, with rank treason on her statute books -- is Massachusetts, in the madness of the present hour, to be pushed still further up? Is money to be authorised from her treasury to go to Kansas; and is she thus to take the first step in the line of substantial revolution? The infamous legislative resolve is on the table. There let it lie. Let it sleep the sleep of death.

Let all who have retained their senses set themselves against the inflammatory business. Frown upon political sermonizing. Frown down the very dawn of the idea of a FREE NORTHERN REPUBLIC. Support no movement that does not bear the flag and keep step to the music of our glorious Union.