ls the mortal poison of two belligerent
schemes, former legendary disputes, and agitation, and furious
conflict; or, to be a real national party, it must first be a
_Northern_ party and _become_ national. We must walk again over the
course of history. Here in the North Liberty began. Its roots are with
us yet. All its associations and all its potent institutions are with
us. Having once given forth this spirit of liberty, now fading out of
our Southern States, the North should again come forth and refill the
poisoned veins that have been drinking the hemlock of Despotism with
the new blood of Liberty! Let us give sap to the tree of Liberty, that
it may not wither and die!

When Hercules was born, but yet a child, the jealous Juno sent two
serpents to his cradle to destroy him. Hercules or the serpents must
die. Both could not lie in the same bed. He seized them and suffocated
them by his grip, while his poor brother, Iphiclus, filled the house
with his shrieks. An infernal Juno, envious of the destined greatness
of this country, hath sent this serpent upon it! What shall we do?
Shall we imitate Hercules or Iphiclus? Shall we choke it; or shall we
form a timid _National_ party and _shriek_?

Gentlemen, you will never have rest from this subject until there is a
victory of principles. Northern ideas must become American, or
Southern ideas must become _American_, before there will be peace. If
the North gives to the Nation her radical principles of human rights
and democratic Governments, there will be the peace of an immeasurable
prosperity. If the South shall give to the country a policy derived
from her heathen notions of men, there will be such a peace as men
have overdrugged with opium, that deep lethargy just before the mortal
convulsions and death! All attempts at evasion, at adjourning, at
concealing and compromising are in vain. The reason of our long
agitation is, not that restless Abolitionists are abroad, that
ministers will meddle with improper themes, that parties are
disregardful of the country's interest. These are symptoms only, not
the disease; the effects, not the causes.

Two great powers that will not live together are in our midst, and
tugging at each other's throats. They will search each other out,
though you separate them a hundred times. And if by an insane
blindness you shall contrive to put off the issue, and send this
unsettled dispute down to your children, it will go down, gathering
volum