The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-04-04
For the National Era
TO THE HON. DANIEL WEBSTER.


DEAR SIR: | have just read your late speech in
the Senate upon the slavery question.
| trust that, in making some comments upon it,
] will not be considered wanting in respect to
yourself Humble as am, am too proud to fiat
ter; yet what have said, ! say again, that
have always regarded you as the largest intellect
in the nation. Whatever you may say, therefore,
is at once matter of importance to oil the think
ing men of the Republic But, with freemen, no
mans opinion is AUTHORITY. And the humbest
citizen may without the imputation OF presump-
ton venture to diAfsr from Daniel Wehsto"-
But such now is not my province come to
shelter myself under the prestige of your great
name; hoping thereby to win attention to truths,
which only want heaving, for their ultimate
recognition.
Although this speech is able broad, and well
balanced, It is not one which will be proudly re-
ferred to even by your admirers Mere intellect
cannot of itself constitute greatness-such great
ness at all events rs men love to cherish What
ever utterauce fails to strengthen good purposes,
and to widen the channels Of human sympathy
and to increase the prospects of the amelioration
of the ills of humanity we'll not to be utter
ed at all
Others, like you, cherish the Union of these
States A constitutional Governmentwhich pro-
tects US from foreign subsection, and gives us
large share of security to life, liberty, and pro-
perty at home, is a great thing Amy man, who
should mount one principle as "a war horse to
riden it down, would he as mad as he who would
extinguish the sun, rs you say because OF It's
spots Though African slavery be great evil
and wrong it is not the greatest evil or the great
est wrong, possible. For my part, regarding sla-
very as il exists in America, az the most atrocous
ofall despotsms, yet prefer it-greatly prefer it.
to anarchy. Any Government ON earth is better
than none.
But are we reduced to this miserable alterna-
tive? trust we are not As little manlness and
reason rs there is left among us, believe there
is enough to save US from such Illuminating.
confession.
was asked in Cincinnati last winter, "would
there be a dissolusion of the UnionW | said no;
the North would recede from her position; the
South would get all she asked That the cry OF
disunon would be used to carry point, as boys
muddy the water to catch Holsters! | claim no
great credit for sOgacity; | had seen the thing
beforel
The position Of affairs compel us, then, to look
at the Union as it is, and at its possible dissolu-
ton.
As much as the Union is to be loved it is not
to be loved more than n NATIONAL CONSCIENCE If
the idea all along held that slavery, by the terms
of the Constitution was to be allowed time to
die out" with decency, be i'll founded, and the
Constitution is TO he 30 compromised" that slave
and protection, and slavery and freedom be equal
ly extended forever, prefer dissolution to that
If the Constitution is to he made vital, in the
free States, to the returning slave into bondage
but not potent to protect freeman from slavery
in the South, prefer dissolution to that say
nothing of Lynch law and prescription upon ma
tives of the South, for exercising the liberty OF
speech that would not be remedied by dissolution.
If the moral influence OF our declaration OF
,,,hk 20 a renublic
ton of liberal opinions, is to be lost to our own
solicitation, and to the glory of mankind, !" and
our domestic and foreign politely is to be made
subservient to slaveholding will and TO slave
holding sentiments | prefer dissolution to that !
1.-THE national spirit ofthe comp, ace must for
swear justice and humanity forever, and bow down
to an altar consecrated TO crime, where headed
manliness can never venture with honor to itself
or respect from others-then give me dissolu-
ton Give me justice-give me the true princi-
pies of liberty-give me manliness-give me trust
in humanity-give me faith in God-and will
risk in the reconstruction of society, and the re-
organization of nations. Knowing well that some
thing better may happen-but that nothing ToTSe
can come than such a union-a body without
soul that stinks in the nostrs Of sentiment, of
reason, and Of religionl
Whilst, then, | commend your submission to
law; your determination TO pass laws, in good
and your determination to stand by the pledged
faith of the Government in regard to the admis-
sion Of four more slave States from Texas If she
will it-your fixed purpose in or out of the pub
lie councils, to stand upon "the penalties of the
bond ~ cannot but regret that you did not feel
it your duty, as Northern Senator ms Daniel
Webster, as a MAN, to say a word in favor of free
dom. which would encourage its friends, and carry
terror into the hearts Of its enemies.
Twenty millions of men, spread from sea to sea }
II there be not a man of great soul among them,
!, ia more cause for tears and contrition than of
triumph and laudatOry poetry
IL is subject of regret, that you did not equally
MS decisively lay down the platform OF defence
where liberty is to entrench herself against the
assaults Of those who you confess, have moved
from the ground occupied at the formation OF the
Constitution, and now threaten to enter, WIN
strov the temple of our common worship; that
Won have not said for your section what MI
Calhoun has said for his; that, at all hazards
Northern freemen shall remain 80, even 10 the