went before. The War of Independence,--mistakenly denominated the
Revolutionary War, but a struggle distinctly conservative in character,
and in no way revolutionary,--the War of Independence gave great impetus
to the process, resulting in what was known as Federation. Then came the
Constitution of 1787 and the formation of the, so called, United States
as a distinct nationality. The United States next passed through two
definite processes of further crystallization,--one in 1812-1814, when
the second war with Great Britain, and more especially our naval
victories, kindled, especially in the North, the fire of patriotism and
the conception of nationality; the other, half a century later,
presented the stern issue in a concrete form, and at last the complete
unification of a community--whether for better or for worse is no
matter--was hammered by iron and cemented in blood. It is there now; an
established fact. Secession is a lost cause; and, whether for good or
for ill, the United States exists, and will continue to exist, a unified
World Power. Sovereignty now rests at Washington, and neither in
Columbia for South Carolina nor in Boston for Massachusetts. The State
exists only as an integral portion of the United States. That issue has
been fought out. The result stands beyond controversy; brought about by
a generation now passed on, but to which I belonged.

Meanwhile, the ancient adage, the rose is not without its thorn,
receives new illustration; for even this great result has not been
wrought without giving rise to considerations suggestive of thought.
Speaking tersely and concentrating what is in my mind into the fewest
possible words, I may say that in our national growth up to the year
1830 the play of the centrifugal forces predominated,--that is, the
necessity for greater cohesion made itself continually felt. A period of
quiescence then followed, lasting until, we will say, 1865. Since 1865,
it is not unsafe to say, the centripetal, or gravitating, force has