Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-04-13

ton il is mundane question Io1k upon in connexion
with the question Of civil liberty and human progress in other
countries because convinced that if the great experiment
OF republican government fails this continent need never
be attempted again in this world.
And, sir, began fear that the experiment about to
fail that the glorious institutions which you have received
az legacy from wise and noble ancestry and which you
hold In trust not for yourselves ony not for this generation
alone, but for future generations for poseriy and for hu
maniy were by fatality by some judgment perhaps Of
DIVINE wrath, or by of those terrible copjuncures
which destroy the best Of human institutions, approaching
dark, PREMATURE and inglorous end And there not
sir, for serious alarm Was not this felt by every
member Of this body The South complained of grievances
and aggiessons, and complained vehemently. think the
South exaggetes these grievances but doubtless has
grounds Of just complaint. But let say, the North
plains Of grievances ALSO and perhaps has just grounds
OF complaint But individual SECTIONAL and national grev
exist under every Government on the face OF the earth
and grievances fear will continue to exist forever under
every form of human government But suppose, sir, that
all the grievances Of which The South complains wholly
imaginary and Of Northern friends think so, does
this lessen the mminence of the danger No, sir; by
means On The contrary, imaginary grievances are often
NOR dangerous than real Real grievances be
dressed for imaginary grievances there is remedy Sir
more than half the great convuons that have shaken this
world have sprung from imaginary grievances.
isnot real dangers that present prospective
dangers dangers that loom and lower in the distant future
that ighten and alarm most These the dangers that
excite men to acts Of folly, and urge them the
fearful exmites. But sir, there times and
when 1t is impossible to account for the folly of human
duct any hoy. There are periods when and nations
rush bndyor rather with their eyes open, certain and
inevitable deTdcton. This is the history of the world
The annals nations filled with instances of this kind,
with perodca instances Of folly and phrenzy One gene
ration builds p, and another pulls down. One generation
founds empires and another destroys them This has been
the history of TIE world for six thousands years. and will
nue, fear its history forev,r And without meaning
TO cast any reflection upon the generation which belong,
must say hatWhen the total failure of the people
Europe in their ecent struggles aud their
to ameorate hSr condition and reform their institutions,
began 10 fear bahere something wrong in the charac
ter of the prese sge, and that the responsibilities of this
great Governmental fallen, perhaps, generation
quail to the pesencrss and incapable Of wiedng at this
critical uncture h destnes of this great Republic. But,
sir, when assembled in this chamber, if by the
special ordination Providence, the highest nelecs Of this
nation, minds matud and moderated by experience and
aed and ennobed patriotism men capable Of compre-
hendng the dangers md difficulties Of the crisis and having
the courage and capacity and May add the national reputa
ton, TO gapple with these dangers and triumph over them,
think may conclue, and conclude oyuly, that Hea
still smiles this favored and-ha the glorious
the appropriate emblem of this great Republic, not yet
destined to set in darkness and blood but to umne fol
ages hope forever the hroades and brightest political ma
ment that sheltered liberty civzaton and humanity
My admiration and enthusiasm have bsen often excited this
session at the extraordinary efforts of the great statesmen
this body work just and equitable plan for the
settlement of our unfortunate difficulties When saw the
distinguished Senator from kentucky, in the chair pre-
sent bis great plan of national compromise and when listen
ed to his thrilling eloquence and fearless enumeration Of
moral truths in favor of liberty and humany-ruths old as
the laws that govern the moral world and which will live
and knde the hearts Of millions when the present generation
is mouldering in the DUST felt that there is heroisn
higher and hoe than any that inspired conquetor
tread his way through blood and battle to victory and mmo
taify forgot on that occasion that was Democrat anc
that he was the great leader Of the Wing party. remem
bered nothing but the great and the great advocate
nothing but the great Republican and the great American
do not aude to the distinguished Senator from Kentucky
for the purpose Of nv5ious distinction the contrary,
refer to him the type rather the central figure of hos
OF intellectual giants who have employed their tme and tai
ents, and energies this session in the great republican
American work Of compromise call the work Of compro
mise emphalcay American. fearful has
here and throughout the country this whole session.
controversy that exces the strongest and deepest feelings
our naurea controversy, as were between sentiment and
interest," between liberty and slavery And yet, man
now, either in this body the other ball. seriously contem
plates any other result than its amcabe adjustment by
honorable and national compromise. Well, sir, my notion
is, that this controversy could not have ragged month in
any other country earth without national convuson
Why is this sir Because the people Of this country
trained and educated to settle all their difficulties public and
private, by just and honorable compromise while the people
of other countries in great national difficulties,
toned to have immediate to force. Sir, there
are only two principles employed in the government Of
the political world-force and compromise. Some ma
tons governed by both principles others by force
alone but this is the only nation that has always been
governed BY compromise since the foundation OF the Govern
men and il must continue to be governed long 1t
continues 10 be republic. Sir, when compromise ends
force begins, and when force begins begins and the
tocsin of civil is the death kne Of repubhcansm Mr.
President in favor Of the admission Of California into
the Union State. Here there for compromise
also favor Of keeping the question Of admission
connected with any OF the other exciting questions now be-
fore the Senate great MEASURE like the admission of
independent State should, my opinion, be determined
its intrinsic merits and not in connexon with any other
question, however important If California is entitled to ad
mn son it is unjust the people of that Territory, and
wise principle Of legislation, to make that admission de-
pend upon The doubtful issue Of any other question. You
have done injustice enough to the Territories already
have refused to give them governments Of any kind and
when they here with formed by themselves
you refuse sanction them Sir, upon the annexation OF
New Mexico and California, it the imperative duty of
Congress extend the blessings Of government to the people
of th Sc Territories within reasonable tne No coniera-
ons of policy could exonerae Congress from this obligation
The highest trust that God commits to that of govern
and when he disregards this he sins against
Gods appointment and does grevous wrong those whom
fortune has made dependant upon him for government and
proec Sir you have done wrong and grievous wrong
the people of the Territories you them from their
own Governren you severed them from their people
you annexed them your country YOU made them part of
peopeand all by force and then you refused give
th government of any kind and left them in state Of
anarchy poured out blood and win these Ter
torie and when you acquired them you abandoned them.
Sir Congress has consumed more time in talking quarreng
and wangng these Territorial acquisitions without doing
thing for them, than your army took to conquer Mexico
dsmember that country, and the territories TO the Unit
ed States So far experience goes, can vouch for it
that your soldiers perform their duty much promptly
and efficiently than your statesmen.
The people of the Territories, it is true have formed GO
for themselves and perhaps better
adapted to their anomalous condition than that could be
TOR them here by the wisdom of Washington. And
this only proves that when their Government fails provide
portion Of the American people, they competent