The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-17

their own government The Last senisnce O
the PROCLAMATION expressed the hops that 4
would be arceptablc 10 the people. The pnpcl
itself bore intensal evidence that !, Was not Ii,
action OF the people. bat the prompting sug
gestion Of military governor. claiming 10 en-
ercise civil authority over them.
say the ease Is worse than IL the transient
inhabitants should, AT their own vollion, claiu
to snatch the territory from the United State.
and appropriate II TO themselves. Ii was not
dignifiedsby the Impress OF popular purpose. II
the consequences whichar likely TO result from
this movement were not 80 grave, we should
look upon all the action which occurred anterio,
to the assembling Of that convention, the manner
IN which the elections were conducted, and ii
which the ratification of the consultation war
expressed, ms farce. In that series OF letters
thought TO be worthy OF being incorporated into
a book, written by Bayard Taylor, we are in.
formed that while travelling in one district just
botore the election, he came near being seized
on and elected TO the convention Roiens rolens--
like league ORegan, the hero of modern
chiyalry. That which was intended as a satire
on our popular elections might here have been
verified.
do not propose to detain the Senate by en-
tering into evidence of that kind These and
graver facts are abundant, but know ii is USE
less to produce them My purpose now, Mr..
President, is to make serious appeal To the
Senate against the net which there is but little
doubt they are about to perform In the name
of equality, of constitutional right, of peace, OF
fraternity, call upon the majority to abstain
utter no menace, ] foretell no violence now,
as heretofore, refuse to contemplate or speak
of disunion as remedy. But, sir, ain sorrow
rather than anger" 1 solemny warn the major
ity that they do not look to the South us field
on which victories are to be won without cost,
and where the emoluments Of conquest are TO be
obtlined without sacrifice. We, sir, are the de-
scendants of those who united with the men of
the North in the revolutionary struggle upon
what was to them an abstract principle; we are
the descendants of those who east behind them
considerations of safety and nterest--who look
ed danger in the face, and united with yonr f:.-
theirs because they were oppressed. Then, sir,
unless it is believed that we are degenerate sons
OF our glorious sires, in that fact should be
found warning against presnming too far
upon the loyalty which, by the sons as BY their
sires, has been exhibited to the Union. That
loyalty is to the Union as established by the
Constitution. Sir, they are not bound TO the
mere form that holds the States together. I'll
hitoN nave TclQ Illclr history
with understanding, they would reject it as worth
less weed whenever the anmating spirit of the
Constitution shall have passed from the body.
Then, Senators, countrymen, brethren-by
these, and by other appelations, if there be
Others more endearing and impressive than
these, | call upon you to pause in the course
which, pressed by an Incorporate zeal, you are
pursuing, and warn You, lest blinded by the lust
for sectional dominion, You plunge into an abyss
in which will lie buried forever the glorious
memories of the past, the equally glorious hopes
of the future, and the present unreasonable
happiness of our common country. 1t is not as
one who threatens nor as one who prepares for
collision with his enemies, but us one who has
right to invoke your fraternal feeling, and to
guard you against an error which will equally
bear on us both; as one who, having shared
your hopes and your happiness, and who is
about to share your misfortunes, if misfortunes
shall bcfall u.s. it is rs an American citizen that
speak to an American Senate-it is in this
character that | have ventured to warn Won:
it is with this feeling that make my last sol
emn appeal.