The Arkansas advocate., 1830-04-14

| \ 1 that at this awful and melancholy peri Tod of fournationai history, the gentleman 1 from Massachusetts, who now manifests
 50 great devotion to the Union, and
 so much anxiety lest it should be endan- gered from the South, was "with his brethren in Israeli He saw all these things passing before his eyes-he heard
 these sentiments uttered all around him. l do not charge that gentleman with any participation in these acts, or with ap- proving of these sediments.
 But will ask why if he was animat- ed by the same sentiments then, which
 he now professes, he can "augur disun- ion at a distance, and snuff up rebellion in every tainted breeze" why did he
 not, at that day, exert his great talents
 and acknowledged influence, with the political associates by whom he was sur- rounded, {and who then as now looked up to him for guidance and direction,) in allaying this general excitement, iii
 pointing out to his deluded friends the value of the Union, in instructing them, that, instead of looking $ to some prophet to lead them out from the land ot
 Egypt" 5hey should become reconciled to their brethren, and unite with them in the support of a just and necessary war? Sir, the gentleman must excuse
 me for saying, that if the records of our
 country afforded any evidence that he had pursued such a course, then if we
 could find it recorded in the history oi
 those times, that, like the immortal Dex- ter, he had breasted that mighty torrent. which was sweeping before It all that
 was great and valuable in cur political institutions; if like him he had stood by
 his country in opposition to his party,
 Sir, we would like little children listen
 tohis preeepts and abide by his eounsels.
 As soon as the public mind was suffi- ciently prepared for the measure, the ce- lebrated Hartford Convention was got
 up; not as the act of a few unauthorized individuals, but by authority of the l4e-
 gislature of Massachusetts; and, as has been shown by the able historian ofthat Convention, Tn accordance with the
 views and wishes of the party of which 1t was the organ. Now Sir, do not desire to call ill question the motives ol the gentIenncr who composed that as-
 sembly: knew many of them to be ir private life accomplished and honorable
 men, and l doubt not there were some among them who did not perceive the dangerous tendency Of their proceed Iings. l will even go farther, and say, that if the authors of the Hartford Con Yention believed, that sgross, deliber-
 ate and palpable violations of the Con- stitution" had taken place utterly de structive of their rights and interests, should be the last man to deny their right toresortto any constitutional meas ures for redress. But, Sir, in any view of the case, the time when and the cir cumstances under which that Conven- ton assembled, as wellast the measuresre- commended, render theirconduct, in my opinion, wholly indefensible. Let Us contemplate, for moment, the specta- cle then exhibited to the view of the world. will not go over the disasters of the war, nor describe the difficulties in which the Government was involved.
 1t will be recollected that its credit was nearly gone, Washington had fallen, the
 whole coast was blockaded, and an i'm mense force collected in the West h. dies, was about to make a descent, which it was supposed we had no means of re- slstlng. in this awful state of our pub
 lie affairs, when the Government seemed almost to be tottering on it's base, when Great Britain, relieved from all her other enemies, had proclaimed her pur- pose of f'E reducing us to unconditional submission'-we beheld the peace par ty of New England Gn the language of the work before us,) pursuing a course calculated to do more injury to their country, and to render England more
 effective service, than all her armies. ;
 Those who could not find it in their
 hearts to rejoice at our victories, sang Te Deum at the Kings Chapel in Boston
 fortherestoration ofthe Bourbons. Those
 who couldnot consentto illuminate their dwellings for the capture of the Guer- riere, could give visible tokens of their joy at the fall ofDetroit. The "beacon hres'' of their hills were lighted up, not for the encouragement of their friends,
 but as signals to the enemy; and in the
 gloomy hours of midnight, the very Flights burned blue. Such were the dark