The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-21
Reply Of Mr., Webster.
WAsHINeroN, June

Hepty W s"' W eOotof'
WASHINGTON, June II, 1850.
GENTLEMEN: Your friendly and acceptable let
ter of April was received
II is true, gentlemen that have made effort
in the Senate to alay the spirit OF sectional STRIFE
which has threatened the destruction ofour Union;'
and such efforts shall continue to make, earnest
ly and with whatever ability | possess, under a
deep conviction that that esprit of sectional strife
ii not checked will ere long drive the country into
lamentable and disastrous condition. 1t is cx-
ceedingly be regretted that any part of the pub
lie press in the State in which you reside, or else
where, should discourage, and, as It often does, de-
nounce all attempts at reconciliation and peace
and should contribute, by its daily illusions, TO
promote ill will, resentment, and angry contests
between the North and South That all this is done
by portion of the press both North and South, is
but too true The conductors OF these presses would
to have lost all sense Of a common country
all sentiments of patriotism, unless there may be
patriotism in those local feelings, in which the
great Father of his Country SO affectionately adj
monished US never 10 indulge. That the conduct
ora these presses mistake the opinions of the peo
pie, To very considerable extent, doubt not but
while they are active and Jealous, who can
tell how far. or how fast, their sentiments may
sprsada
II is no longer to be doubted that there per
sons both in the North and in the South, who are
opposed TO the existence of the present Constitution
OF the United States, and would gladly see 1t
brought to end. Some in both extremes openly
avow this wish, and others conceal II under very
thin DISCUSSES Nevertheless, the great body of the
people, North and South, firmly attached to the
Union their hearts are il, and with il, and they
will defend il against all open attempts for its
throw. This is my decided opinion. The Union,
therefore, we may hope, will not be rudely broken
up; but this spirit Of sectional strife, If II be not
effectualy rebuked, will produce infinite mschicis.
by embarrassing the Government, thwarting and
defeating useful legislation, and increasing, more
and more, feelings Of discord and alienation. Who
does not see, already, the alarming consequences
provoked and produced by these discussions! We
are now in the seventh month of the session of
Congress, and what has been done Even the
ordinary annual appropriation bills have not been
brought forward, advanced single stage They
at least four months behind the proper time. IL
has last become indispensaby necessary, il seems
me, that men OF sense and intelligence, who arc
really lovers OF their country and ITS Union should
open their eyes 10 the state of things There will
be- there must be- il is in the nature Of things that
there should be, shock, some cessation in the
movement Of the Government, some disreputable
Tregularity, now not far ahead, unless the good
men Of the country, in all its parts, will rouse
themselves TO the performance Of the duties which
the exigency demands
While many persons and so many presses in
the North maintain such loud and bitter complaints
against the South, and while 40 many persons and
many presses la the South utter complaints
equally loud and bitter against the North, neither
the North nor the South states definitely and pre-
cisely, any actual grievance, such could justify,
in any reasonable mans opinion, the most distant
idea Of disunion. For the most part, these mutual
complaints general, indcterminate, uttered in
angry terms, but placed on specific ground. In
the speech 20 which your letter refers, have men
toned what think 10 be real ground of mutual or
reciprocal complaint; but, beyond all these, there
is kept up general cry Of one party against the
other that its rights invaded, its honor insult
ed its character asssied, and ts Just participation
in political power denied. Sagacious men cannot
but suspect, from all this, that more is intended
than II avowed; and that there lies al the bottom
purpose Of the separation Of the states, for
avowed or disavowcd, or for grievances redressed
unredressed. This purpose, be u remembered,
do not consider pcrvading large masses, but Of
its existence among the Erbe,nfsfs. ON both sides
] cannot ontcrtan question.
In the speech 10 which you refer, II was my pur-
pose, among other things 10 show that peaceable
secession Of States from the rest, peacea
bic separation Of them ALL was among the most
improbable OF imaginable events that nature, the
seas, the gufs, the skes, and the rvers, bound us
together by ties nearly impossible 10 be broken !;
that no man could make any plan of secession or
separation satisfactory to others and. more than
all that no man could discern any thing ~ likely
20 arise 10 any State from secession or separation
not fraught with political evil OF every description,
aud every degree Aud Notwithstanding the In
fuence and the opinions OF which have spoken,
believe that the sentiments Of the great mass Of
southern men concur with my own. Many have
contemplated separation as probable result; some
certainly have desired, and do desire il but, far
as have observed. when the question il put direct
ly home 10 the people, Notwithstanding whatever
certain presses and certain politicians say 10 the
contrary, the people Of the south are still Tor the
UNIoS by immense majoritics. Wherever there "
truly American heart, the love of the UrIor ~
entwined ia its inmost ibrcs. Il is our duty 10 en-
courage and applaud this popular feeling; to re-
spect IL ourselves and 10 take care that by no de-
NAL Of justice, by unnecessary discussion of CT
citing bat abstract questions by no threat or mon
ace, 10 ttefere tcih rhaf does NOT belong 10 VIC
do not weaken that attachment 10 the Union which
is go indispensable to the happiness Of all. And
what s the duty Of the North, in this respect, II
equally the duty OF the South All sides are called
ON Ia exercise far greater degree Of forbearance
and moderation, il mean TO transmit 20 the
next generation the blessings enjoyed by this.
shall do all can to the country against
the dangers of this intestine strife 20 call both the
south aud the North back 90 Of their true
duties and their true interests And IL cannot al
lay the evil, shall At least do nothing TO promote
t. ! shall do nothing to cause jealousy, heart
burning, and anirnosity, among those whose coun.
try is one, whose interests one, and whose dee
tiny, whatever any Of them may think OF IL, is in
my opinion, one ono now, and one hereafter.
Gcntlcmcn, one Of the exciting questions OF the
present moment respects the necessity Of excluding
slavery by law from tho Territories lately acquired
from Mexico. n believed in any such necessity
should, Of course, support such law. could not
do otherwise, consistently with opinions very many
times exprcssed, and which opinions have no IN
clination 10 change, aud shall not change But
do not believe IN any such necessity. Ihave studied
che geography Of New Mexico diligently, having
read all that could find in print, and inquired o
many intelligent persons who have Seen IN TN
country, travrrsed il, and become familiar with II
New Mexico may be considered as divided mt
two parts, one lying the east eide OF the HI
Erandc below the Paso del Norte this is claimed
by Texas; the other extends along the river, OF