Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-02-12
themselves on the

the block-of men who had cas,,cn,sclvcs on the
bosom OF the wild ocean, and had sought home upon
the bleak and desolate shores OF unknown land ra
Their than yield one inch to what they deHned denial
OF their rights at home-men who warred and warred
to the death, rather than to che s Tor one moment the
thought of submission. Finding in this House one d!
the descendants ofthe forty regicea England whose
imagination was thoroughly possessed with the idea
that he and his associates gfevousy AND Ms IN
soeraby oppressed this side the Atlantic as his an
cestors had been on their native shores, and who re-
membering that those ancestors ,ad overturned anu
Frustrated the British throne seemed To be equally con-
tdent that they could upbeasc the foundations OF he
American Republic, the gentleman would persuade The
House that thing altogeth yain to think OF lay
ing lis hand of authority upon who hat such blood
in his veins, and that therefore the alike OF duty
and of policy that they should old hr hands and
give him rope. And why: Because thatlby attempt
ing to control him, should only provoke his peo-
pie more aud aud that they you'd bst cume upon
the sooner, should they see finger loid however
lightly, upon their ndouahc leader. Ior one, (said
Mr.. NJ so help me Heaven, II is III argument will
yield 10. II ever could be brought 10 cIislate
under terror, standing d., under oath 10 thu Con-
stituton and my obligations TO the American people,
these the things, these are the very considerations
which would induce me TO vote for deeper, and a
sorer punishment than that now proposed. The gen
tleman from Massachusetts, told that not able
to comprehend the right Of the citizen, that knew
nothing of the Constitution of my own country OF
the liberties and franchises which that instrument
made to protect and that the resolutions have offered
here indicate such ignorance listened, too to what
my colleague said about the charge If high treason
which these resolutions involved. Will the House
bear with far to allow To read he passage
with which Il was my desire !" preface the resolutions
| offered: The words are these
'Wherels, Federal Constitution permanent form Of
perpetual uieaon until modified
in the mode pnite that instrument and the mrahers at
; I' i, nv H. ,' of nm, N.
rl1FIty audi MI, pt.r
national exist Proposition, ierr;rr 10 the Representa-
of people dissolve III. laws framed b. their
support which they commanded hy those
upon
high breach If pvcee contsmr. otrcd IL his House
proposition oic Legislature, aud each member Of i to
nit perjury and involving necessarily IN IA execution and rs
the destruction Of country aud the crime Of
high ,reasom.''
petition is an net Treason: that the offering of tie
petition here treason, even that the enaciIng OF
the statute for which the petition prays would be Eea.
son. but declares that tho executing of those statutes
in the actual dissolution of the Union woud necessa
Ty be attended By the commission Of treason.
fSlr. ADAMS. That begs the question.
Mr. NJ beg nothing OF you, Sir: nothing. But /
am told that must correct the position here taken be-
cause the memorial asks for peaceabe dissolution OF
the Union. peaceabe dissolution OF The Union II
cannot be- Before the bonds broken, must be
made IL will be made for the Union on the one side,
and against it on the other; and making war against
the Government, is treason. peaceabc dissolution =
How will YOU 90 about IL The petition implies, and
the gentleman maintains thai il hc done Only by
Congress put H. then. la Try colleagues 10 say. il we
have in power 10 aIy such thing But the gen
laan saws thar il cannot, then the Sht OF The people
is nugaiory because IN" hn@ cannot peaccahy BE- dcnc
in auy other way. Law down Is philosophical ana po-
I,ia truth that Union ike can he dissolved,
save liz universal assent ngcc Of AIMS lay IL down
thai ire Government III this cSuntIy Is Government cS-
sc,rial!v ;nl the he u : Is body polite as a
citizen am i part ote T. S ana have paii III this Co
yernen and Oh. Federal Constitution. and my share
If protection under il, constitute my blrth1ght You
nav di>Solvc the Union. God in his mercy ioreiend
HAT vo >ho2 -, u VIII evc:do Il Int hy force
Never never >av that u: gcfy idea oil executing an
10, of Congress Cl4.Jig iog Sch purpose, could the
Gay ever when such let should pass, does in
rove treason, becausc could not be executed but by
force Of And thar I'll" very passage of the act
does involve perjury, because have sworn to sup
port the Constitution. Suppose We do 50 much yio-
/ lence 10 our imaGina0ns 10 conceive that such
act has been passed, how will Il work. II VIII come
10 Kentucky, and il vii tel the people OF that State
that there i United Sla.es-no American Constitu-
ton. That there IS no Federal Government, and no
State Government; that society is resolved into lis ORR
gEai elements. say there are no State Governments,
because if tie Federal Government is destroyed there
IS no longer any Government armed with the attributes
of sovereignty. The State Governments cannot make
peace they cannot own navy they cannot coin
money! mean good money land therefore say the
dissolution Of The Union dssolves the State Govern
mens. And viii any gentleman tell me that, IN juno
ture like this, under attempt 10 dissolve the nation
al compact and throw all civil and social ties TO the ee
lnen,s Of Heaven, that who have sworn again and
again TO support the Federal Constitution will have no
right TO draw the sword; Will any that knows
Kentucky believe that Kentucky will not do it, Most
assuredly she will
1t is seldom worth while 10 discuss mere abstract
pr opo sitiop but when you such proposition
as the right to dissolve this Union the proposition ~ ab-
st.act longer; i becomes practical and momcntons
in the highest degree. Dissolve the Union fcs,
/ Al. Fnr
Interior lying buried the far West, back Of some ne
empire which these descendants Of The cides shat
have established the Atlantic lay us under
their overshadowng power make us The subservlent
dependents of y. York, and Of Virginia anu Carolina.
And then tell me this can be done without force tina,
it is all to be effected under the mild the bland, the pa
cific the amabe reasoning the gentleman from Mas
sachusetts No. Sir II new can, IL never W.T. be So cl-
fected Come that day when II viii wii BE- bloody, II
i'll be horrible. ltmusthe and vii. be So alany lane
or under any circumstances but at period like THIS,
and under state Of society like ours, having people
Of such characteristics and such ncans the CONFUSION
must be followed by horrors for which history has no
parallel Good Heavens i; Sc cannot live in peace
while we are united together by all manner oil ties, oh.
legations and interests, most ussurediy never snasl
when all these ties broken and State IS sunoered
from State and ell le!t to general contest oil IN
restrained, unbrided sefshness and ambition.
IL wander from the subject, wander from It in pur.
suit of The gentleman from Massachusetts, who has led
tells MS tina, nilemen from tie South are 10, ccmpc.
tent TO Try the charge OF bringing forward pro.
position to dissolve this Union. The S0Af may well
thank the gentleman from Massachusetts Is glorl-
Gus compliment he has paid her. and thus e ony alone,
coming from such high authority, oagt sufficient
in itself to wipe from her escutcheon any AIDE Of past
res.Iessness or -ashncss that may bedim brightness
The day If those errors has gone y; and the gen
tie mar from Massachusetts himself beng Judge the men
of the Sou, IN this hall are deeply, rrevocGhy
SO unaerobys hopelessly, attached 10 thus Union, that
they are not Il, to try man the charge OF bringing
forward proposal 10 di.solrc it, According to the
inr no such bias in their way VIII Northern gentle
men here acquiesce in that s,stemcnt' When the
question comes, Is such course worthy Of censure
will Northern gentlemen here declare that it is not cen
surabe' VII! they endorse this petition, and inc rea'
American people, that the people of Massachusetts
have right to dissolve their Union That to pray Tor
such dissolution is ns,ihable and that they are really
Il ~ f,n,, hnx