Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-06-22
Reply of Mr.. Webster.
WASHINGTON, Jl

N.
GENTLEMEN: Your friendly and acceptable letter
of April, was received. .o..
1t is true gentlemen, that have made an effort in
the Senate to allay the spirit of sectional strife
which has threatened the destruction OF our Union;
and such efforts shall continue to make, earnestly,
and with whatever ability possess, under deep con-
vction that that spirit of sectional strife" if not
checked will long drive the country into lam
entabe and disastrous condition 1t exceedingly to
be regretted, that any part Of the Public Press in
the State in which you reside, elsewhere, should
discourage and often does, denouace all attempts
at reconciliation and peace and should contribute by
Its daily effusons to promote wlll 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 seem to have lost all sense Of COM
mon country all sentiments of patriotism unless there
may be patriotism in those local feelings IN which the
Great Father of his country SO ahecuonately admon-
ished US never tC indulge That the conductors OF
these Presses mistake the opinions of the People
very considerable extent doubt not; but while they
active and Jealous who can tell how far,
how fast, their sentiments may spread?
1t is no longer be doubted that there persons
both the North and in the South who opposed to
the existence of the present Constitution Of the United
States and would gladly brought end Some
in both extremes openly avowthis wsh and others
cea it under very thin DISCUSSES. Nevertheless the
great body of the People, North and South, firmly
attached to the Union; their hearts for it, and with
it, and they will defend it against all open attempts
for its overthrow. This is my decided opinion. The
Union. therefore, we may hope, will not be rudey
broken up; but this spirit of sectional strife if be
not eectually rebuked will produce infinite mischiets
by embarrassing the Government, thwarting and de-
featng 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 dissensions2 We are now in
the seventh month Of the session OF Congress, and
what has been done? Even the ordinary annual APP
preparation bills have not been brought forward, or
-. Fo,r III
behind the proper time. 1t has at last become inds
pensably necessary it seems to me- that men OF sense
and intelligence, who really lovers of their coun-
try and its Union should open their eyes to the state
of things. There will be- there must be, 1t is in the
nature of things that there should be- some shock,
some cessation in the movement of the Government,
some diseputable rreguarity, not far ahead,
less the good of the country. in all its parts will
rouse themselves to the performance OF the duties
which the exigency demands.
While so many persons and so many Presses IN the
North maintain such loud and bitter complaints
against the South and while many persons and so
many Presses in the South utter complaints equally
loud and bitter against the North, neither the North
nor the South states, definitely and precisely any
tual grievance such could justify, in any reasona-
BILE mans opinion. the distant idea of disunon.
For the most part these mutual complaints are gene
raj indetermnate uttered in angry terms. but placed
no specific ground. In the speech to which your
letter refers have mentioned what think to 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 rights invaded its honor
insulted its character assaed and its just paticipa
ton in political power denied. Sagacous men can
not but suspect, from all this, that more is intended
than is avowed and that there lies at the bottom
purpose of the separation of the States for reasons
avowed or dsavowed, for grievances redressed or
unredressed This purpose, be it remembered do
not consider peryading large masses but of its ex
istence among the Extremists both sides cannot
entertain question. .m.. =.
In the speech to which you refer, it my
purpose among other things show that peaceable
secession Of some States from the rest or peaceable
separation OF them all was among the most improba
BILE of imaginable events; that Nature, the seas the
CULTS the lakes, and the rivers bound together by
ties nearly impossible to be broken; man could
make any plan of secession separation satisfactory
10 others; and more than all, that no man could dis
Germ any thing likely to arise to any State from Sc
cession or separation, not raught with political evil
of every description, and every degree. And notwth
standing the influence 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 probable result /;
some certainly have desired, and do desire it but
far as have observed when the question is put di-
rectly home TO the People, notwithstanding whatever
certain Presses and certain politicians say to the con-
trary the People of the South still Tor the UNION,
by immense maorites. Wherever there is a truly
American heart the love of the UNION is entwlned IN
its nmost tbres II duty TO encourage and APP
plaud this popular eeng to respect il ourselves and
take care that by denial of justice, by no unne-
ceSsary discussion of exciting but abstract questions
by no threat menace, 10 interfere arh Tidt does
not belong TO US, do weaken that attachment
TO the Union which is so indispensable to the happi-