Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-08-22
Remarks Of MIR Clay on Disunion.

lhere Is language too often employed
by Senators speaking for the South, 'the
SOUTH the whole South. Sir, think it
would be very fortunate if Senators were
always confident that they were truly rep
resenting the sentiments of their own
State, without undertaking 10 speak the
sentiments Of States exterior to their own.
Now speak in no unkind spirit toward
the Senator from Virginia, when say,
believe that if the people of Virginia had
been here, four fiiths of them " ould have
voted for that compromise measure which
the Senator has felt it a cons scientious duty
to oppose and vote against.
Sir, l know that the opportunities of
the gentleman from Virginia to obtain in
formation are much greater than my own.
But profess to know something about
the sentiment of the State which gave me
birth. And believe that tomorrow, if
the people of Virginia were polled, three
fourths or four tifths of them would be
found to be in favor of this MEASURE
Now, does the Senator from Virginia, or
the Senator from South Carolina imagine,
when they have returned home TO their
constituents-with the opposite opinions
prevailing upon the subject of this COM
promise-with this olive-branch held out
to the whole Union-do they expect to be
able to have the sword drawn against the
Union? There never was such conflict
OF opinion as will arise in the slavholding
States upon the very ground of the reiec-
tion of this compromise.
Mr. President, have said I want TO
know whether we are bound together by
rope of sand, or an effective, capable
government, competent to enforce the
powers vested in it by the Constitution Of
the United States. And what is the doc
trine of nullification-set up again, re-
vived. resuscita,ed, not enlarged nor i'm
proved, nor extended in his new edition
of it? Why, that single State shall un-
dertake to say that law passed by the
twenty-nine other States is inconstitution.
al and void, and that she can raise the
standard Of resistance and defy the au.
thority of the twen,y-nine. Sir, l denied
the doctrine twenty years ago l will die
in denying it. There is no such principle
II State choose to assume the attitude
OF defiance to the general authority and
to set up its separate opinion against the
twensy-nne other States, it takes the con-
sequences upon itself, and the question is
reduced 10 this: Shall the twenty-nine
yield to one, or shall we command the one:
Call her by what name you please
State, corporation, or a sovereignty-i
State puts herselfup against the authori
ty oil the Union, it must submit or revolt
as any other revolving community must
Nor, sir, need gentlemen lay TO thei
souls the ilattering JUNCTION that the arm,
IS composed of officers from Kentucky
| Virginia. South Carolina and other State
who will not draw the sword to put dow1
dlsunion and notification. What, sir =
The army of the United States, under tn
command of the Chief Magistrate of tn
Union, or under the command of tie gal
liant officer who led in the conquest @
Mexico, not do their duty Gentlemel
Will find themselves very much mistaken
if they think such state of things will
arise. And | may say, | did not put th,
case of Virginia. ! respect her; ven
crate her. She is my parent, and l hav,
feelings toward her which are inspired il
the filial bosom toward its parent. l dit
not put the case Of Virginia by name.
put the case of no State by name. TIL,
| honorable Senator from South Carolin;
put his words into my mouth, when h,
made me refer to his State. l respec
every State. But if any State chooses I,
array itself in opposition to the authorit,
of the United States, and order its citizen.
TO array themselves in hostile attitude
toward the Union, the Union is gone, o,
| that resistance must cease.
The honorable Senator from South
| Carolina tells us Of the situation of Berna.
dotte, who, when he came to the confines
of France, was unwilling to invade his ma.
tive country. Let me remind the Senator
of case much more analogous to true re.
publican doctrines than the case of the
King Of Sweden. admire more that Ro.
man father who, for the sake Of Rome
| condemned and causedto be executed his
own son. That is more in accordance
with my notion Of Republican liberty.
The honorable Senator speaks of Vir.
ginia being my country. No, sir, thi,
Union is my country. The thirty States
are my country. Kentucky is my coun-
try. Virginia is no more my country than
any other of the States of the Union
She has created on my part obligations
and feelings and duties toward her, in my
private character, which nothing on earth
would induce me TO forfeit or violate. --
But will put the case of my own State.
If my own State, contrary to her duty
should raise the standard of disunion
against the residue of the Union, should
60 against her. Even against Kentucky
AusTR1A.--Accounts from Vienna
state that the Minister of War has re-
signed, in consequence of Haynau's dis.
missal. Radetsky has rendered his resig-
nation, it is said, on the same account.