The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-07

ton. | ask them to exercise an undoubte
power-one which they certainly possess--t
restrict boundary which it cannot be impOrtar
to the interests of California to preserve, nor I
any interests in the United Statesmen even t
those who are most anxiously solicitious for tn
accession of an additional free State as
them to exercise that undoubted power in
matter so comparatively indifferent to Caliiorni
and to the United States in view Of the possibl
consequences which may result by the disturb
ance of the peace and harmony Of the Union.
am not among those who desire to ascertain tn
strength of this Government-its capacity, by
resort to physical force, to control the action o
the free people by whom it has been established
but do not hesitate to express the opinion tina
whenever those who direct it shall feel that the,
are authorized and compelled to resort to physi
cal force for such purpose, the Union, whcl
is the result of the united eounsels OF our fathers
will have lost its value in the eyes OF a grea
portion of the American people. 1 repeat SIR
] do not desire to test the physical strength o.
this Government ] do not wish to see the ex.
pertinent made whether it can carry out Its edlcts
by military force, in opposition to the determine
| ton of the people of any one or more OF the
/ States of this Union My belief is that this is
the strongest Government upon earth; but its
strength does not consist in the physical force
which it can command.
! 1t has a moral strength, founded upon the
ties which unite us, sense OF common. interest,
recollection of common glory In the past,
and the assured hope OF a common and glorious
destiny in future. / believe that the strength of
this Government consists in its studiously abb
staining from all resort to physical force for the
purpose of executing its mandates--in deter
mined forbearance to abstain even from the ex-
preston of any intention or determination to
resort to such force. believe that this Union
will endure as long as its most ardent lovers
shall desire, if that feeling shall be cherished by
those who administer the Government. Ii, ac-
tuated by the contrary feeling, they shall yaunt-
ingly proclaim to the people OF the United
States the existence Of the power, and If in their
judgment the occasion shall require it, the dispo-
sitOn and determination to resort to military
force to reduce to submission those who may
question their authority, it will have lost the es-
sential element of it's stronghold its moral
strength-the affection of the people of the
United States. Sir, people may be dagooned
may be driven by military force into submission.
BY the exercise of such power they may be
rendered the fit subjects of despotism. But it
is not by such means that you can qualify men
for the discharge of their duties as citizens of a
free republic.
1t is with this feeling strongly pressing upon
my mind, with an anxious desire that those con-
sequences which, if they be not probable are pos
sible, may result from pressing, in its present
form, the measure under consideration, may be
averted, that have felt it to be my duty to pre-
sent the subject in this aspect for the consdera-
ton of the American Senate. The people, not
of the South or Of the North, but the people
throughout the United States, will thus under
stand that if this measure--I mean the admission
of California with her present constitution and
boundaries-shall result in producing an excite
ment which it may be found impossible to con-
troll, the people throughout the Union will under
stand that the Senate of the United States have
deliberately chosen to adopt that course, rather
than the more concatOry one which might have
ayerted these consequences-the restriction OF
the boundary of that State in the manner pro-
posed by the Senator from Mississippi, (Mr.
FooTE.) a
Mr.. FOOTE. Mr. President, some remarks
of the senator from Georgia, connected with the
debate of yesterday, call for an explanation Of
my own attitude. / know he did not intend to
connect me with the subject he remarked upon
the case presented by the admission of Cali
fornia with her present unrestricted boundaries,
in shich case Georgia has resolved, it seems,
upoi further action--because did not remark
upon that case. Some remarks which fell from
me yesterday might be grossly misunderstood
and might suffer serious injustice. therefore
repeat that what said had no reference at all
to the admission Of California with unrestricted
boundaries, and with her present constitution.
1t had no reference to a case of actual aggres-
sion. On the contrary, | said that in case ag-
gression amounted to intolerable oppression,
the necessity of revolution would instantly
| DIT 4 did ,nI / ofopd NV IL fhot ~
any body of men should rise and say, without
just provocation, that they will oppose the Gov
eminent, and not obey its laws, but will secede
from this Union, and break up the Union, with
or without aggression, those men, wherever
| found, are traitors, and must be dealt with as
| traitors. In this | am sustained by every Pre-
sident, from Washington down. 1t must be the
doctrine of every man that loves his country,
| and who is anxious to sustain this Union in
opposition to faction. 1t is well known that
General Washington recommended in the most
earnest manner to march an army to Massachu-
sets once, for the purpose of putting down
Shay's rebellion. He also marched an army to
Pennsylvania, in order to put down an insurrec-
ton there. / do not believe we have ever had
President of the United States who would
not, in case of Instruction in any part of the
Union, be willing to do his duty. did not in
tend to say word upon the case presented by
the senator from Georgia here to-day will
say that there has been fair opportunity of
adjusting this question; and if it is not adjusted
the South is as much to blame as the North.
A plan of adjustment, equitable in its charac-
ter, has been presented From the opposition
of Southern men, as much as of Northern men,
it has been defeated. Now the case is presented
by certain gentlemen in South Carolina, that
they are justified in rising in rebellion merely
from failure on our part to legislate. If so,
then this Government is not worth living under.
read from certain speech yesterday, which all
must recollect, which solemnly declares that il
Congress shall undertake to admit California
into the Union at all, South Carolina will secede
from the Union, and seize upon California, upon
the mouth of the Mississippi, and blockade the
Western States. l say, in such a case as that
if the President of the United States did not en-
force the authority of the Government, he would
be recreant to principle. That is what ] said
yesterday, and it is what say to-day, and am
prepared to maintain. do not conceive this
language, as suggested by the senatorfrom Geor