The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-03-27
would be blazing forth in every part of this
now hapnY and neaceahln land.

But how are you gong 10 separate them:
In my humble opinion, Mr.. President, we
should begin at least with three confedera-
cies--the confederacy Of the North, the con-
iederacy of the Atlantic southern States,
(the siavehoding States and The confeder-
acy Of the valley Of the Mississippi. My
life upon il, sir, tha, vast population that
has already concentrated, and will coucen
trate, upon the headwaiers and tributaries
of The Mississ ippi, will never consent
that the mouth of that river shall be held
subject to the power of any foreign state
whatever. Such ! believe would be the
consequences of a dissolution of the Union.
But other confederacies would spring up,
from time TO time, as sedition and discon-
tent were disseminated over the country.
There would be the confederacy of the
Lakes--perhaps the confederacy of New
England and of the middle States.
But, sir, the veil which covers these sad
and disastrous events that lie boyond n
possible rupture Of this Union is too thick
TO he penetrated or lifted by any mortal eve
or hand.
MIR. President, am directly opposed TO
any purpose of secession, of separation.
am for staying within the Uuion, and defy
ing any portion of this Union TO cxpei me
or drive me ont OF the Union | am for
staying within this Union, and fighting for
my rights--lf necessary, with the sworh---
within the bounds and under the safeguard
of the Union. | am for vndnating these
rights; but not by being driven ont of the
Union rashly aud unceremoniouSly by any
portion of this confederacy Here [ nm
within it, and here mean 10 stand and die;
as far as my Individual purposes or wishes
can go-within il To protect myself, and 70
DEFY all power upon earth to expel me or
drive me from the situation IN which am
placed. VIII there not be more safety in
fighting within the Union than without it?
Suppose your rights TO be violated; sup
pose wrongs to be done you, aggresSions TO
he perpetrated upon you; cannot you het-
ter fight and vindicate them. if you have
occasion To resort to that last necessity of
fhe sword, within the Union, and with the
Sympaih'eS Of large portion of the pop
uia,ion Of the Union Of these States differ
emily constituted from you, than you can
fight and vindIcate your rights, expelled
from the Union, and driven from it without
ceremony and without authority?
SAID THAI thought that there was no
right on the part of one or more OF the
States TO secede from this Union. think,
SIR, that the constitution of the thirteen
States was made, NOT merely for the gener-
alton which then existed but for pos,eri,v,
undetined, unltmite1-for their posterity.
and for every subsequent State which might
come INTO the Union, binding the nseIves by
that indlssoluble bond. 1t is 10 remain for
that posterity now and forever. Like an
other OF the great relations of private life
it was marriage that no human AUTHORITY
can dissolve or divorce the parties from; and,
if | may be allawed to refer to this same
example in private life, let us say what
man and wife say to each other, We have
mutual faults; nothing in the form Of hu-
man beings can be perfect. Let us then
be kind TO each other, forbearing, conceding;
let us live IN happiness and peace
Mr. President, have said what SOL
emnly believe---that the dissolution of the
Union and war are identical and INSOFAR
able; that they are convertible terms.
Such war, too, as that would be, fol-
lowing the dissolution of the Union. Sir.
we may search the pages Of history, and
none so furious, so bloody, so implacable,
so externina,ing, from the wars of Greece
down, including those of the Common.
wealth Of England, and the revolution Of
France-nOue, none of them ragged with
such bldodshed and enormities, as will tha;
war which shall follow tha. disastrous
eveat-if that event ever happens--of dis
solution.
And what would be its termination,
Standing armies and navies, 10 an extent
draining the revenues of each portion of
the discovered empire, would be created;
exterminating wars would folow-not
~.,t thro. -
able duraiion-an exterminatiDg war would
follow, until some Philip or Alexander,
some Cesar or Napoleon, would rise to
cut the Gordian knot, and solve the prob
lem of the capacity of man for self govern
men,, and crush the liberties of both the
discovered portions of this Union Can
you doubt it? Look at history conSu uIr he
pages of ell history, ancient or modern:
look at human nature--look a, the charac-
ter of the contest ia which you would he
engaged in the suppo>ition Of war follow
ing the dissolution of the Union, such as
have sugge>ied-and ask you if it is pos
sibe for you TO doubt that the final but per
haps distnnt termination Of the whole will
be some despOt treauing down the liberties
of the people THAT the final result will he
the extinction Of this last and glorious light,
which rs leading all mankind, who are gaz-
ing upon it, to cherish hope and anxious
expectation that the liberty which prevails
here vii! sooner or later be advanced
throughout the civilized world, Can YOU,
Mr.. President. lightly contemplate the con-
sequences? Can you yield yourself 10
torrent Of passion, amidst dangers which
have depicted in colors far shor, of " hat
would be the reality, if the even, should
ever happen! implure genilemen--I ad-
jurc them, from the South or the North, by
all they hold dear in this worldly MI their
love Of liberiy-by all their veneration for
their ancestors-hy all their regard for pos
terity-by all their gratitude to Him who
has bestowed upon them such unnumiered
blessngs--by all the duties which they owe
TO themselveS--hy all these considerations
impiore them to pause---solennly 10 pause
at the edge Of tho prccipice before The
fearful and disastrous leap is taken in the
yawnIng abyss below, from which none
who take it will ever return in safety.
Aud, finally, MIR President, implore, as
the best blessing which Heaven can hes,ow
upon me upon earth, that if the direful and
snd event If the dissolution Of the Union