The North-Carolina standard., 1850-03-13

champion OF our rights, and most gladly WILL CO.
operate with him, or any other man VINO WILL with
question, to adjust it properly and according to the
guarantees of the Constitution.
This occasion, sir, is peculiarly suitable for the
consideration of the state in which the Union actual
ly is. We are in Committee of the Whole on the
state of the Union as disclosed by the Presidents
message. In that communication he speaks strong
of his purpose, well his duty, to preserve the
union of the States composing this Republic. He
uses strong expressions when speaking of its value
of the calamity which would supervene upon its
dissolution the greatest which could befa us. He
assures US of his determination to stand by it, and
maintain it in its integrity to the full extent of the
obligations imposed, and the power conferred by the
Constitution" suppose that the President appre-
hends some danger of this calamity else this deca-
ration is uncaled for, and believes that this nmation
Of his purpose will in tend to avert it.
If he intends to those .Uhose deeds Of tvrong and
aggression aoaken spirit resistance perhaps it was
well-timed but the language of menace or rebuke
seems to be in bad taste when addressed to any por
ton OF the representatives Of the people. presume
that is the purpose of every member here to stand
by the Constitution which he has sworn to support
that the obligation of oath is equally sacred to
the members of this House and the Chief Executive
of this Republic; and that all must long since have
been convinced that the tie which binds is purely
moral obligation-precluding the supposition that
our existence Confederacy either originated in
force or can be preserved by violence. The States
and the people of the States must have sunk depor
ably from the position occupied originally by them
when they can be brought to trembe to yield to the
power which they themselves created or to fear its
exercise in controlling their action. To deliberate
on all the circumstances which surround US, and to
determine as to the rights of those whose interests
are committed to our care belong to US; and whilst
shall listen respectfully to the messages of
the Executive in reference to those subjects which
we to legislate we should never forget our own
high duties the representatives of the people,
hesitate to discharge them irrespective of the opn
ions conclusions of other departments of the Gov
eminent.
1t is proper, from the tone of the message, that
we assume that the Union is in danger; although
there is in that document, remarkable obscurity
to the causes of that danger, the means of avertng
it. ltis our duty to make faithful inquiry concerning
this mater-to ascertain whether this evil is really
to be apprehended; and if menaceG by great a ca
amity. to point out the individuals and the measures
which are active in producing it. is time for states
to cease to speak in mysterious terms, or to ban
dy epithets as applicable to classes or individuals.
1t is worse than useless to abandon argument, and
resort to denunciaton to speak of ultra men, either
North or South, the of that agitation which
now pervades the Republic Our history for the last
twenty years instructs us-passng events compel US
to feel that some great disturbing has marred
the harmony and destroyed the tranquility of the great
people represented in this Hall. We cannot avoid
the conviction, that unless that disturbing cause is
removed it is impossible for the Government to ex-
tend its existence, without such internal convulsons
as must the tie which unites the States of this
conederacy 1t is worse than folly even to think Of
force element in any policy designed to perpe
tuate the Union. 1t is madness to rely any other
than sense of equal justice, the foundation of
that confidence upon which that Union is founded,
and which supplies its vitality. We must approach
this subject with candor. We must, if we hope to
arrive at any safe conclusion, be willing to invest
gate faithfully, and decide mpartially, all COM
plants which come before US. Nothing but con-
victon that full justice has been done, reconcile
the parties who have submitted their rights to our
decision.
With hope that this confidence is not altogether
overthrown, and that justice may yet be done sub
NIT some considerations to the Committee the state
of this Union-considerations drawn as we'll from
our past history from events now in progress-to
examine into the of agitation and dissatisac-
ton, and show who the agitators and disturbers
Ito expose the real danger to the Union, and show
who the dsunionists-to strip history of fiction,
and passing events of all false colorng and to hold
up before the American people the danger and the
remedy.
And here, sir, must remark, that much of the evil
which besets is referable to party organza-
ton; although am admonshed that its aid has been
invoked to avert coming troubles. We have been
often reminded by the press of the necessity of main-
tanning the integrity of the two great national parties,
particularly the Democratic, panacea for the dis
ease which preys upon the heart of this Republic.
Like the nebriate who follows the blind impulse of
his appetite, and resorts to the bottle remedy fol
his disease, or the confirmed opium-eater, who finds
the narcotic necessary to allay the nervous turmoil
which his vicious habit has produceditis is an appeal
to exciting cause to counteract its effects; to
blind impulse, or an unprncipled intrigue, to lead to
the discovery of truth and the remedy for injustice.
By party influence wrongs often go unredressed and
truth is long perverted and dsarmed. IT is fearful
thing when that power becomes concentrated as
to control the nteects of the masses and place their
resstless influence in the hands of weak unscru-
pulous The disturbing energy is felt long after
the causes have ceased to be active. The ocean,
reused by the tempest, heaves with destructive fury
after the winds have subsided. The heavens are
calm, but the waves still rise mountain high, and did
not memory fix the cause, philosophy would be at q
loss to determine it. The ship which outrides the
Storm because the very winds which lashed the ocear
into fury, enabled the mariner to trim his vessel and
keep before it, has been wrecked in the succeeding
calm by the ground-swel for there was no breeze
wait it from the dangerous shore. The calamitles
and the overthrow of governments are unskillfully
referred to those causes which at first view seen
proximate and operative. They are themselves the
result of previous evils-evils which, either from
want of skill honesty in the Administration, have
become part of the system and produce its destruc
tion 1t is great mistake that the ruin of people
or the overthrow of government, is the mere resul
OF action in Legislative halls victory on the battle
field.
not the cause. A people must be hopelessy ignoran
who will fail to correct the first, deploraby de
praved who would tolerate the last. It is the las
act of oppression which produces revouton-the in
sufferable pressure of distress which arrays men il
rebellion. But the sanguinary conflict which close
aggressions and injuries accumulatng and exaspera
ting, until the existing state of things is as full
actual evil any which even the battlefield cal
bring Nothing but great evils ever break up govern