Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-05-16

cessity of assigning tina. as reason upon
this floor. The sound of disunion, a
term so horrible in itself, if possible,
should never be uttered within these
walls. Yet it has been uttered SO often
in this debate, and has become SO fami-
liar, that it is high time to begin to
adopt measures to prevent it, and also to
express our solemn disapprobation of
any measure or any proceedings i'll the
least degree calculated to produce IT.
Sir, when hear gentlemen, in the heat
of argument, as was the case with two
honorable gentlemen from Virginia,
(Messrs. Smyth and Randolph speak
ing to their constituents, and to the south
generally, calling upon them to make
common cause" to stand united in re-
sisting, even with /" those arguments
about which the law is SILENT" this as
serted usurpation of authority-an ap-
peal which is calculated to excite the
angry passions OF. the. oommunity-I
| must confess, sir, that | am aroused,
and thrown from that calmness which, |
think, should characterize this discus
sion. If such declarations are employed
| as mere rhetorical fourishes TO en-
bellish their speeches, or intended only
to htimidate the members of this COM
mittee, for one, Sir, can answer, that
they will have no such effect upon me.
| But, sir, they are declarations which
will find their way to the public eye, the
public ear, and, what is still worse, to the
public feelings. They will not, as the
honorable gentleman from Georgia, MIR.
Reid, has told us, die within these walls.
Would to heaven they could But, like
all other bad tidings, they will spread
throughout this land, and consequences
which gentlemen do not expect, and
which | am sure they cannot wish, may
yet disturb the reposo Of this nation. l
| hope gentlemen will remember that it is
much easier to excite rebellion and in
surrection than it is to suppress them.
The ball Of revolution and civil war, MIR.
Chairman, when once put in motion, has
seldom been arrested by the same hands
which gave it impetus. No, sir, on the
contrary, those who put it in motion are
too often the first who fall beneath its
ruins. France affords gentlemen melan-
choly evidence of this truth: let the
spirits of Mirabeau, Robespierre, Dan
ton, Barras, and even Napoleon in per-
son, give it verify. Let it once he put
in motion in this country, which will
necessarily be the result of great public
excitement, and, like all irresistible tor.
rent, it will roll across this mighty en-
pire, destroying alike its promoters and
opposers.
Alas ! l sicken at the doiefuI picture
which my imagination has already drawn
on this subject! Is it, indeed, the inten-
ton of gentlemen to arouse our brethren
Of the south to rebellion To a resort to
arms to resist this exercise of power, by
the Representatives Of the people? Is it,
indeed, for the purpose of bursting those
bonds asunder by which we are united,
that they thus appeal to the angry pas
sions of their countrymen! Are these
the objects of the gentlemen from Viz
GINA And for what is this Union to be
thus sacrificed? In defenee Of the do
minion Of slavery? What! Virginia 60
to war in defence of slavery? Virginia
the hot bed ofgenius; the fountain of the
revolution--of our independence; the
nursery ofpatriotism; the birth place Of
our Washington, the father of his couR-
try! Virginia go 10 suar in defence q
SLAVERY ? No, sir, it cannot, it will not
be. The sober feelings of this nation.
and of Virginia in particular, however
they may be excited for the moment,
will redeem US, trust, at all times, from
such awful calamities. This mighty
empire; this strong man armed, is not
thus to be shorn of all his greatness
But, sir, it is not the first time that at
tempts have been made to disturb the
tranquility ofthat patriotic state, by her
unhallowed indictments by appeals to
the angry passions of her citizens: No
sir. | find record evidence of the ex.
istence of similar spirit as far back as
the time Of Washington, and the cele.
brated treaty of Mr.. Jay. 1t is this, sir
Richmond, July Sl.-Notice is here
by given, that, in case the treaty entered
into by that damned arch traitor, Johr
Jay, with the British tyrant, should be
ratified, a petition will be presented te
the next General Assembly of Virginia
at their next session, praying that the
said state may recede from the Union
and be left under the government and
protection of one hundred thousand free
and independent Virginians."
| This notice concludes by requesting
the printers of the hresent Union, as they