The strongest cord, of a political character, consists of the many and powerful ties that have held together the two great parties which have, with some modifications, existed from the beginning of the Government.  They both extended to every portion of the Union, and strongly contributed to hold all its parts together.  But this powerful cord has fared no better than the spiritual.  It resisted, for a long time, the explosive tendency of the agitation, but has finally snapped under its force—­if not entirely, in a great measure.  Nor is there one of the remaining cords which has not been greatly weakened.  To this extent the Union has already been destroyed by agitation, in the only way it can be, by sundering and weakening the cords which bind it together.

If the agitation goes on, the same force, acting with increased intensity, as has been shown, will finally snap every cord, when nothing will be left to hold the States together except force.  But, surely, that can, with no propriety of language, be called a Union, when the only means by which the weaker is held connected with the stronger portion is force.  It may, indeed, keep them connected; but the connection will partake much more of the character of subjugation, on the part of the weaker to the stronger, than the union of free, independent States, in one confederation, as they stood in the early stages of the Government, and which only is worthy of the sacred name of Union.

Having now, Senators, explained what it is that endangers the Union, and traced it to its cause, and explained its nature and character, the question again recurs, How can the Union be saved?  To this I answer, there is but one way by which it can be, and that is by adopting such measures as will satisfy the States belonging to the southern section, that they can remain in the Union consistently with their honor and their safety.  There is, again, only one way by which this can be effected, and that is by removing the causes by which this belief has been produced.  Do this, and discontent will cease, harmony and kind feelings between the sections be restored, and every apprehension of danger to the Union be removed.  The question, then, is, How can this be done?  But, before I undertake to answer this question, I propose to show by what the Union cannot be saved.

It cannot, then, be saved by eulogies on the Union, however splendid or numerous.  The cry of “Union, Union, the glorious Union!” can no more prevent disunion than the cry of “Health, health, glorious health!” on the part of the physician, can save a patient lying dangerously ill.  So long as the Union, instead of being regarded as a protector, is regarded in the opposite character, by not much less than a majority of the States, it will be in vain to attempt to conciliate them by pronouncing eulogies on it.