The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1850-08-17

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patriots Of that day. that when the time
then arrived, when people living under a
| common government could not enjoy pro-
perty in common, it was prudent to avert
the danger that would follow discord and
dissensicns by dividing the property; and
this line Of Sc deg. so min, since called
''the compromise lIne,' was adopted. The
southern States have acquIesced IN it from
| that day to this. a period of thirty years.
They are prepared to acquiesce in in now.
| feel, as one of their representatives. pro-
pared to vote for it. conscious that the peo-
pie of my State will approve the vote and
| acguiesce in it. But they will do it only
as proposition to preserve this Union
Sir, have chosen to bring up the vote as
it stood within two years, in order that,
if the measure is not now assented to, my
constituents may see and understand what
within two years the ma jority have deter
| mined against them, for we are in mi-
nority. ....,.'...,.....-. ..'
Now, Mr. President, one word in regard
to what fell from the senate: from Kentucky.
do not know whether the senator speaks
the opinion or judgment Of a majority of
the States represented on this floor. | do
know that his age, his experience, and
his position have enabled him, as he is en-
titled from his high and lofty intellect to.
do,. TO direct the measures if not to mould
the opinions of large. portion of the
American people and heard him declare.
here to-day in his place as senator, ad-:
dressed to his brother senator's, that it is
the duty of the federal government to tax ke.
no further account of State resistance than
they would do of the resistance ofindi-
vtduals or of private citizens against the
law of the land :. ~......- 4,..-
Mr. CLAY--. That is not what said,
and | repeat--and wish ,lal men who
have pens to record it--7that if any single
State, Or the people; ofany State, chooses
to- raise the. standard of eiisunion and to
defy the authority OF the Union, / am for
maintaining the authority Of the Union.
That is what said. ~ -
Mr. MASON. That is exactly what
understood the honorable senator to say
that resistance made under the authority
Of State is no further to be respected by
the authorities of the United States than
if it were made by body of individuals on
their own score.
Mr. CLAY, Gn his seat.) No further
none whatever.
Mr. MASON. Then understood the
senator's meaning correctly, ami stated it
so. Now, sir, what is our government?
an association of the individual citizens,
extending through this broad Land from
sea to sea, bound by the acts of majority,
to be corrected into submission If they
disagree to or refuse obdlence to, a law?
Far from it. We have separately y .erganlz
ed States--States that: claim to be and are
free, sovereign, and independent States,
but who have yielded portion OF their
power to this general government tor
far no Od :.
but they have regularly organized govern
ments, with executive, Legislative, and
judicial branches, with unlimited power
of taxation. capable of commanding the
resources of their people to an unlimited
extent, and recognised and acknowledged
as governments. Those States, by the
theory ofour government, and by the usage
OF that government, are bound to look to
and protect the safety and happiness and
welfare OF their own people and 1T 1T be
true-God forbid the experiment should
ever be tried ?-but if it be true that in the
government of the confederation power
is lodged to coerce the States into submls-
sion to their will if in this federal govern
ment a power resides to hold the citizen
of a State to an obedience paramount to his
obedience at home, l need not say to that
senator and to the country that. whenever
the experiment is tried, you will have the
whole tier of southern States, and be-
lieve a large portion Of the northern States,
denying it. Sir, may Heaven, in its pro-
violence and in its benefcenoe, avert such
an issue! -:
But we are forewarned by the senator
from Kentucky, as his idea of the theory
of this government, that it is capable,
and that it is its duty to enforce obedience
to its laws, whether the resistance comes
from the authorities of State or from an
individual. Now, sir, how do these States
stands There IS my own honored Com
monw lth, whose limits are within view
from the doors of this Capitol, and other
States south of this, including Georgia, all
of whom, through their own constituted
authorities, have declared, and placed it
upon their tatute-books, that they will
resist what they believe to be an uncon-
stitutional act Of power on the part Of the
federal government, should it be done, in |
reference 70 this slave question. The |
senator from Kentucky replies to them
distinctly, Resist at the peril of blood it
you do it, and that his counsel and aid
Shall be given to the bayonets of the federal
government to reduce them to submission |
Sir, it is well they should know It; and
now they do know it, SO far as the potential
voice of that senator-and potent it is
can enforce it. Let it go to them. and
let it go them, as it will do, contemporaries |
Gus with the action Of the Congress OF the
IT. Sfates uDOn this Onestion of the eXcIu-