In 1821, a member of the Virginia legislature (Mr. Blackburn), in discussing the question of secession, claimed there ought to be an eleventh commandment, and taking a political view of it, said it should be in these words: “Thou shalt not, nor shall thy wife, thy son or thy daughter, thy man-servant or thy maid-servant, the stranger or sojourner within thy gates, dare in any wise to mention or hint at dissolution of the Union.” Mr. Blackburn did not live to see it, but the words of the commandment came sealed in blood and “were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever.” Many persons at the very dawn of independence felt the weakness of a union of such conflicting sentiments and interests as those of freedom and slavery, and were free in the expression that either slavery or freedom must rule and control the destinies of the nation--that the two could not, nor would not, co-operate peaceably in the same field. Francis A. Walker, in “Making of the Nation,” says: “No one can rightly read the history of the United States who does not recognize the prodigious influence exerted in the direction of unreserving nationality by the growth of great communities beyond the mountains and their successive admission as states of the Union.” And the author apprehends “_great danger_” from the aversion of Western people to “measures proposed in the interests of financial integrity, commercial credit and national honor. ‘Having a predilection for loose laws regarding bankruptcies and cheap money has been a constant menace and a frequent cause of mischief.’ This, however, we may regard as due to the stage of settlement and civilization reached.” No one, if he reads at all, can read otherwise than the “prodigious influence” of the Western States. To these the nation owes its freedom. Through this prodigious influence, slaves and slavery have been wiped out, national finance established with enlarged commercial credit, integrity and national honor. And if the history of the United States is correctly read, the country need fear no _danger_ from any _stage_ in the settlement and civilization of the North-west. The early pioneers of this lovely country brought with them from the South and East large stocks of patriotism perfumed with the firearms of a successful revolution; and it was prized more highly as it was chiefly all they had in a home where poverty was no disgrace, and a “poor-house” unknown in nature’s great empire. Their descendants inherited much, and increased their talents, and have under all circumstances been ready to render a favorable account and go up higher.