Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 2.
Frank Moore, Ed.

Be this your “platform;” let the South rally upon it as one man, and I would pledge all but my life, that at least one-half of the North will join you in driving from power the reckless assailants of your rights and institutions. But whether the united South come up to the rescue or not, I foresee that, in the natural progress of events, the central States from the Atlantic to the far West will band together on this ground, leaving the abolitionists of New England and the disunionists of the South to the harmless pastime of belching fire and fury at each other at a safe distance, protected by the patriotism and good sense of nine-tenths of their countrymen, against the evils they would bring on themselves.

Can you doubt the success of such a reunion? Not an advocate of disunion, under any probable circumstances, can be found among the candidates for the presidency and vice-presidency.

The supporters of Bell to a man, the supporters of Douglas to a man, and more than three-fourths of the supporters of Breckinridge, are staunch friends of the Union, and staunch adversaries of northern interference with southern institutions, When, convinced of the folly and madness of their warfare on each other, as they will be after the election, if not before, they band together in common cause, and that cause the preservation of our glorious Union and its invaluable Constitution, with their attendant blessings, will they not be irresistible?

How much more hopeful and cheering is a prospect like this than the contemplation of standing armies, grinding taxes, ruined agriculture, prostrate commerce, bloody battles, ravaged countries, and sacked cities. This continent, like the Eastern world, is destined to have its “Northern hive.” Shall its swarms be repressed by the strong hand of the States united, or are they, by a dissolution of the Union, to be let loose on our South, like the Goths and Vandals upon Southern Europe? True, their blood might, in that event, fertilize your desolated fields, but your institutions, like those of the Roman Empire, would sink to rise no more.

These are the thoughts of an old man whose only political aspirations are, that when he dies he may leave his country united, happy, and free.

With sincere regard,