The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-15

tinguished Senator from South Carolina, (Mr.
CALHouN,) II Is not to be immediate, bat 10 be de-
vcloped by time.
MIR. FoorE here interposed. and disavowed the
construction which had been put upon his remarks,
and made further explanations.
| Mr.. SEWARD. i am very happy TO have given
the Senator opportunity to make clear alu
| sion which he made upon previous occasion TO
that great event which it is alleged is impending
l will now take occasion TO say that no circum-
stances whatever which can happen can induce me
To withhold, on my part, the measure OF justice
| which is due to any member OF this body, and
therefore will state in the briefest possible man
ner that am not at all responsible for what APP
pears in any newspaper in America. have no
organ. No one speaks for me, and am innocent
even of the knowledge OF any such articles as the
Senator complains Of in the journal to which he re-
iers, or any other, am also very glad (since the
honorable Senator thinks that he has been misun-
derstood on this occason) that am able to be my
own organ this occasion, laughter, for the pur-
. pose of saying TO all those whom my words may
reach, that have never met ON this floor single
advocate or friend Of disunon. i believe there is
not one here.
believe there is not member of this body
who has ever contemplated disunion; and not even
the unkindness with which the honorable Senator
saw fit to close his remarks shall prevent my doing
him the justice OF saying, for the information OF
my constituents, that believe the honorable Sena-
tor is sincerely devoted to the maintenance Of this
Union. and that the expressions in his impusive
oratory which excite remark the convictions OF
his mind and the feelings of his heart; that they
sincere and loyal; and he only has different way
OF thinking and saying things from that of most
| men, and different sometimes from what think
proper to use. In regard to the other matters to
which he has referred, shall leave them to be an
swercd with many other things OF the same sort
that have remained hitherto unanswered, aud
which, II they ever receive an answer from me, will
, meet it at day very far distant.
And now the honorable Senator will do me the
justice TO allow that am at liberty to subtract one
prediction from the almanac Of the dissolution oil
i the Union; and SO the predictions lose 50 much OF
Importance.
omens to which attention is directed? ! see
nothing but broad difference of opinion here, and
!, the excitement consequent upon it,
have observed that revolutions which begin III
the palace seldom go beyond the palace walls, and
they affect only the dynasty which reigns there
! This revolution, if understand it, began here in
the Senate chamber n year ago, when the repre-
seniatives from the southern States assembled here
and addressed their constituents what wer,
called the aggressions of the northern States. N,
revolution designed at that time, and all tina
has happened since is the return to Congress o
Legislative resolutions, which seem to me TO be con
ventional responses To the address which emanated
from the Capitol.
5 Sir, in any condition of society there can be M
revolution without cause-an adequate cause
? What cause exists here? We are admitting n new
: State, but there is nothing in that; we have al
ready admitted seventeen before But II is said tina
3 the slave States are in danger Of losing poica
! power by the admission OF the new State. Well
sir, Is there any thing In that! The slave States
i have always been losing political power, and they
. always will be. while they have any to lose. A
first twelve of the thirteen States slave States
, now, only fifteen out of the thirty slave States
= Moreover, the change is constitutionaly made
and the Government was constructed so as TO per
NIT changes OF the balance of power, in obedience
to changes of the forces OF the body polite. Dantor
used to say, 'ts all well while the people cry Dan
ton and Robespierre but for me If ever the peo
pie learn 10 say, Robespierre and Danton!" That
10 all OF it, sir. The people have been accustomed
to say the South and the North; they only be
ginning now TO say, the North and the South.
Sir, those who would alarm Us with the tcrrors OF
revolution have not well considered the structure OF
this government, and the organization Of its forces
: IL is democracy of property and persons, with a
. lair approximation towards universal education,
and operating by means of universal suffrage
The constituent members of this democracy are the
only persons who could subvert it; and they are
not the citizens of a metropolis like Paris or Of n
region subjected to the influences Of a metropolis
, like France; but they husbandmen, dispersed
over this broad land, on the mountain, and on the
plain, and on the prairie, from the ocean to tho
9 Rocky nains, and from the great lakes To the
!, Gull; and this people arc now, while we are dis
cussing their imaginary danger, at peace and in
their happy homes, and as unconcerned, and even
az uniformed of their peril as they are of events
, occurring in the moon. Nor have the aarmists
made due allowance in their calculations for the
influence Of conservative reaction, strong in any
government, and irresistible in rival republic
: operating by universal suffrage. That principle o.
reaction is due 10 the force Of the habits of acqu
= esoence and loyalty among the people: No nlaI
better understood this principle than Machayel
who has told in regard to factions, that emo
safe reliance be placed in the force Of ma.
: ture and the bravery Of words, except il be cor
roborated by custom" DO the alarnists remem-
Der that this Government has stood sixty years
! already, without eyacting one drop of blood ?
l that this government has stood sixty years, and
treason Is an obsolete crime' That day, trust,
is far of when the fountains. of popular content
|
come, it will bring forth higher illusration than
has ever yet been given Of the excellence Of the
democratic system for then it will be seen how
calmly, how firmly, how nobly great people can
act in preserving their Constitution, whom " love
OF country moveth, example teacheth, company
comforteth, emulation quickeneth. and glory eI
: alteth."
When the founders Of the new republic Of In,
I South come 10 draw over the face Of this empire
! along or between it, parallels Of latitude or longi
. tude, their ominOus lines Of dismemberment sooI
|, 20 be broadly and deeply shaded with fraterna
blood, they may 10 the discovery then, IL no
i before, that the national and the political
. nerons Of the region embraced forbid such par
titou that its possible divisions arc not northern
! and southern at all but eastern and western At
= lsntic and Pacific; aud that nature and commerce
. have allied indissolubly for veal and the scce
dcrs and those from whom they 20 be separated
that while they would rush into civil war 60 re
= store imaginary equilibrium between the north
I, crn States aud the southern States a new equlb
a rum has taken lie place. in which all those State
N are on the one sidc, and the bundles West IL d
= the other.
Sir. when the founders Of the new republic Of th
!. South come "a draw those fearful lines, they vii
indicate what portions Of the continent are 10 b
- broken Oh from their connexiOn with the Atlantic
!, through the st. Lawrence, the Hudson, the Dcls
= ware, the Potomac and the Mississippi; what por
I. ton Of this people 90 b. denied The Of th
a lakes, the railroads, and the canals, now consti
tuting common and customary avenues OF travel
trade, and social intercourse; what families an
kindred TO be separated, and converted into en-
emies; and what States 10 BE- the scenes Of per
: petual border warfare, aggravated by intermina
bic horrors of seryfle Instruction When tbos
pOrontous lines shall be drawn, they will disclos
what portion Of this people is 20 retain the arm
= and the navy, and tho flag Of 80 many victories
=, and on the other hand, what portion OF the peopl
~ u 10 be subjected 10 new and ominous impOsts, III
y rect tares, and forced loans, and conscriptons
IL maintain an opposing army, opposing navy
u and the new and hateful banner Of seditiOn. The
the projectors Of the new republic 81 the South wi
=, meet the question and they may we'll prepare mo-
10 answer it. What i all this fory-what iniolers
bic wrong. what unfraternal injustice, have ref
id dercd tlIese calamitics unavoidable what gai
= win this unnatural revolution bring TO us' III
e. answer will be- All this is done 20 secure the inst