The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent., 1850-08-23


It's benefcient effects and consequences, in the
pursuit of distractions and metaphysical theories
objects unattainable or impossible in their ma
| ture-while that honor of our common native
State, which reverence and respect with as
much devotion as he does, while the honor of
| that State and the honor of the South are
| preserved uhimpaired by this measure?
appeal, sir, to the senators from Rhode Island
and from Delaware, my little friends which have
stood by me, and by which have stood in all the
vicissitudes of my political life; two glorious pa
triotic little States. which, if there is to be a
breaking up of the waters of this Union, win BE
swanwed up in the common deluge, and left
without support Will they hazard the Union,
which IS their strength, their power and their
greatness?
| Let such an event as have alluded 10 occur,
and where will be Tire sovereign power of Della
ware and Rhode Island? If this Union shall be-
come separated, new unions, new conlederacies
will arise. And with respect 20 this-if there
be any--l hope there is no one in the Senate
before whose imagination is fitting the IDEA
Of a great southern conederacy 10 take possess
! sion OF the Balize and the mouth OF the Mssis-
sippi--l say in my place never! rerer! NEVER
| will we who occupy the broad waters Of the Mis-.
sissippi consent that any foreign flag shall tioat
at the BaliZe, or upon the tnrrets ofthe Crescent
| y--never--never! call upon all the South.
Sir, We have had hard words, bitter words, bitter
thoughts, unpleasant feelings towards each other
in the progress of this great measure. Let lis
| 20 to the altar Of our country and swear, as the
oath was taken of old, that We will stand b%her:
we will support her; that we will uphold her
/ constitution; that we will preserve her Union.
J nd az III -.
and healing system of measures which will hush
all the jarrlng elements, and bring peace an tran
guilty TO oul homes.
Let me, MIR. President in conclusion, say tha.
the most disastrous consequences would occur,
in my oynion, were we to go home, doing notll-
ing to satisfy and tranduilize the country upon
| these great questions. What will be the iudo.
ment Of mankind, what the judgment Of that pur-
ton Of mankind, who are looking upon the pro-
gress Of this scheme Of self.governmant as being
that which holds the highest hopes and expecta-
tons of amelioratng the condition OF mankind
what will their judgment be? Will not all
the monarchs Of the Old World pronounce our
glorious Republic disgracetul failure? What
will be the judgment of our constituents when
we return to them, and they ask US, How have
you left your country? Is all qnet--all happy?
Are all the seeds of distraction or division crush
ed and dissipated? And, sir, when you come
into the bosom of our family--when you come
to converse with the partner Of your fortunes, of
/ your happiness, and of your sorrows--and when,
in the midst of the common offspring of both of
you; she asks you, as there any danger Of ci-
vii war? Is there any danger Of the torch being
applied TO any portion of the country? Have
! you settled the questions which You have been
so long discussing and celebrating upon at
| Washington? Is all peace and all quie?" What
! response, Mr.. President, can you make to that
| wife of your choice and those children with
whom you have been blessed by God2 Will
you go home and leave all in disorder and CON
fusioR-all unsettled-al open? The conter-
tions and agitations OF the past will be increased
and augmented BY the agitations resulting from
our neglect to decide them. Sir, we shall stand
condemned by all human Judgment below, and
of those above il is not for me to speak. We
shall stand condemned in our own conscences
by our own constituents. by our own country.
The measure may be defeated. | have been
aware that its passage for MANY days was not
absolutely certain. From the first to the last,
hoped and believed it would pass; because from
the first to the last believed it was founded on
the principles OF just ond righteous concession
-ofmutua Cancellation. believe that it deals
unjustly BY no part Of the Republic; that it saves
their honor and, as far as it is dependent upon
Congress, saves the interest of all quarters of
the country. But, sir, have known that the
decision Of its fate depended upon four or five
votes in the Senate Of the United States, and
upon whose ultimate judgment we could not
count upon the one side or the other with abSo-
lutte certainty. It's fate is now committed to the
hands Of the Senate, and to those five or six
votes to which, have referred. 1t may be defea-
ted. 1t is possible that, for the chastisement of
our sins or transgressions the rod of Providence
may be still applied 10 us, may be still suspen-
ded over u.s. But, if defeated, it will be a tr-
umph Of ullraism and impracticability-a tri-
umph of most extraordinary conjunction Of ex-
iremes-a victory wol by a5olitonism-a VIC
tory achieved BY free-soilism-the victory Of dis
cord aud agitation over peace and tranquility;
and pray 10 Almighty God that it may not, in
consequence Of the inauspcious result, lead to
the most unhappy and dsasterons consequences
to our beloved country. Applause.
Here Mr. Barnwel, rose and briefly defended
the course Of South Carolina, and the speech of
Mr.. Rhett
MIR. Clay. Mr.. President, ! said nothing
with respect 10 the character Of Mr.. Rhett. for [
might as well name him. know him personally,
and nave some respect iOr MIN. But II he pro-
nounced the sentiment attributed to him, OF rails
ing the standard of disunion and resistance to
the common government, whatever he has been,
if he follows up that declaration by correspond.
ing overt acts, he will be a traitor, and | hope he
viii meet the fate of traitor. Grea: applause
in the galleries, with difficulty suppressed by the
Chair.
The President. The Chair will be under
the necessity of ordering the gallery to be cleared
if there is again the slightest interruption. He
has once already given warning that he is under
the necessity of keeping order. The Senate
chamber is not theatre.
Mr.. Clay resumed. Mr.. President, have
heard with pain and regret confirmation OF The
remarks made, that the settlement Of disuniun
is becoming familiar. hope it is confined to
South Carolina. do not regard as my duty
what the honorable Senator seems to regard as
his. If Kentucky tomorrow unfurls the ban.
ner of resistance uniustly, never will fight un.
der that banner. ] owe paramount allegiance
to the whole Union-a subordinate one to nv
own State. When my state is right--when it
has cause for resistence-when tyranny, and
wrong, and oppression insuferable arise then
will share heI fortunes; but if she summons me
to the battlefield, or to support her in any cause
which is unjust against the Union, never, neuer
will engage with her in such cause,