The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-16
afety the sheet,anchor Of our wealth beaten ship

safety the sheet-an of wealth beaten ship
OF State
If this Legislature at all define the position of
the State, let US give a distina and decided ex-
preston of our unalterabe attachment the union
Of the States, and at the same time determine
ton to stand by the compromises OF the Constitu-
ton. We know that this is the sentiment and the
determination of the sovereign people Of State.
With such declaration, know, said Mr. X. my
own constituency will be satisfied, and they feel as
deeply ON this subject the constituency of any
necessary and needless agitation, and their senti
ments are this subject expressive of the senti-
ments of nine-tenths OF the people of the State.
Whatever fate beialls the country and TO whatever
result may be tending, let the voice of old
Pennsylvania go up for the Constitution! By it
and through 1t we have grown great and prospered,
and strict adherence to II Is our only refuge
from the bold, bad men who seem 10 be welding
the power which their position gives them for sim
ster objects, for the accomplishment of personal
ends, and with view to the dissolution Of the
Union. When we have said this, and laid this
down as the Pennsylvania platform, we have said
and done enough The least said the soonest
mended. Fanaticism will stand rebuked-ultra-
ism will not find foothold in our noble old Com
monwealth.
Mr. X. regretted the frequent illusions TO the
rights of one the other section of our common
country. The States were bound up in one solemn
compact. together formed unit, and were one vast
confederation. In the convention which formed
the Constitution, the largest share of difficulty was
experienced from the tcnaciousnoss with which in.
dividual States chung to what they called their
sovereign and State rights. A fear was expressed
lest the united government ut Washington would
at one day become all powerful and exercise un.
limited sway over the States in their domestic re-
latons. Upon the subject of domestic servitude
the South was peculiarly tenacious. Finally the
bond of union was completed, and compromise and
concession, wisdom and patriotism obtained the
master over distrust and jealousy. BY the same
means, Mr.. X: thought, the Union could only be
preserved. The States were sovereign in their in
dividual capacity, and II by sectional appeals
to particular sections Of the country to maintain
their "righs," or "de in the last ditch" and such
like expressions, that the bond of union weak
ened, and the Union itself jeopardized Instead of
SO doing, let the great Commonwealth we repre-
sent in these halls, having great issue depend
ing, and being so fondly attached to the glorious
memories of the past, and the Joyous hopes of the
future, beware of needless agitation and excite
ment Let US cultivate rather the spirit of forbear
ance, and declare ourselves, at one time and at all
times, for the country as II is the Union and the
compromises OF the Constitution. That instrument
would preserve the "rights," not of section, but
of the country. That instrument never contem-
plated the formation of parties by geographical
lines, which were deprecated and the evils thereof
80 eloquently depicted by Washington. if we live
up to the teachings of the past and follow the wise
and good men who have preceded US, this country
will acquire name and a fame greater than the
world ever saw. Let Pennsylvania, then, say to
her sister States in this emergency-ths Union has
been bought with great price; it is not rope Of
sand TO be rent in twain, scattered in disordered
fragments, and drenched, it may be, in fraternal
blood, at the wicked suggestions Of wicked men.
II has been cemented by the blood of our fathers it
is rich in the proud memorials Of the revolution
airy age; is great and glorious now but the full
contamination of its greatness, and the splen-
dor OF its glory, will be realized in the distant but
certain American future. As wisdom, concession,
and patriotism formed us nation, and gave
constitution, so wisdom, concession and patriotism
must preserve US, realize the destiny in view of
and transmit the blessings of civil and religious
freedom to posterty, aud not to posterity alone,
but to a whole world. Upon this platform Penn
sylvania nobly stand; and, if the crisis predicted
does come, and this Union docs crumble to ashes,
upon this same platform Pennsylvania will honor
ably fall.