The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-04-28
ADDRESS,.

FELLOW CITIZENS: The present aspect of our Fed
eral relations and the threatening attitude of Ger
tain of our sister States in rogardto them will
Us, We trust for presenting to your serious contem
plation some facts and some considerations which
we think, deeply concern our safety nation ant
our happiness a State.
Under the Irresistible influences of the spirit O
liberty and the genial protection of wise institutions
thirteen separate British colonies along the At
lantc border. peopled by less than three million
OF inhabitants, have, within but little more thar
hall century. risen into thirty-one United Anne
rcan States stretching broadly across to the great
Pacific itself, and numbering for their population
more than twenty three millions of souls.
Unenthrailed, independent, self governed; free
| TO the utmost measure of freedom; commando q
peace on our own continent and abroad; deriving
from It prosperity unexampled in the entire his
tory OF the world; the untrammelled energies o.
our people, physical and intellectual, left at large
to their own boundless Developments, we have at.
tanned position among the nations of the earth
which, whilst 1t has made our country refuge fol-
the oppressed of every CLINE. has at once excited
the fear and the respect, the jealousy and the hope
the envy, the admiration, and the wonder Of the
rest of mankind.
It is to the patriotism of our fathers in rivetting
our original ties of brotherhood by the still closer
and stronger links of \ government in common,
and TO their skilful and wise distribution of Fcde-
raj and State authorities, that we owe under Pro-
violence, these matchless blessings. These amply
justify US, then, in regarding "the continuation Of
the Union as primary object Of patriotic desire,'
and in claiming as already solved the doubt "whe-
Their q common government could embrace so large
sphere"
achieved our independence should be s'the unity Of
government which constitutes US one people" In
the language of the Farewell Address of him who
merits to be called the Father of our Country, we
should regard that unity a. ga main pillar Of our
real Independence; the support Of our tranquility
at home, our peace abroad, of our safety, of our
prosperity; Of the very liberty which 30 high
ly prize" Hearkening to this solemn and venc-
Irah oohp oh 81 k~k
al, and immovable attachment to it," and ear
nestly desire TO SEQ every one "thnk and speak of
il as the palladium Of political safety and
prosperity; watch for its preservation with lea
even a suspicion that it can, in any event, be
abandoned; and Indignantly frown upon the
frst dawning of every attempt TO ALLEVIATE any
portion of our country from the rest, enfee-
bic the sacred ties that link together the various
parts.'
To the efficiency and permanency of the Union
the Federal Government 10 Indispensable; and, ns
this sprang only from compromise and mutual
concession between diverse interests II only,
all know, be successfully administers by our con-
senting ever to act in the same conciatory spirit
which originally gave it birth. But, besides, a
proper respect for its authority and acquiescence
in it, measures are duties required by the plainest
considerations Of national, Of State, and of indi-
vidual welfare.
impaired we would resist all innovation upon its
principles; and, dscardfngA oits grants power
the several departments, the lntitudinous well
the narrow rule of construction, we would in all
cases determine its meaning according to the best
judgments. fairly; condemning without reserve all
powers that withheld, and upholding with firm
ness such AZ arc granted, over mindful that in ex
pounding the great charter we should not overlook
1.-THE defects, The deformities, and the ominous
prospects" for which its trainers we're to provide a
remedy.
Without designing to convert this address into q
general declaration of political faith or to trespass
far into the field of current politics, we think the
importance of the Tariff and Internal Improvement
questions ouch as demands of us q brief notice.
subject to few obvious limitations, it belongs ex-
clusively to the several States 10 regulate, at plea
sure, their domestic institutions whilst to the Fed
eral authority equally confded those larger and
more national powers which concern the mutual
relations of the States themselves and deemed
necessary to be exercised by that authority, in or
der to the common safety and prosperity In a
country 80 widespread as ours, embracing 40 ma
ny diversified interests, there must be contrariey Of
opinion upon measures, which, designed to estab-
lish policy calculated to affect the Industrial pur-
suits and domestic economy of communities as
well as ofindviduals, operate Of necessity, for that
very reason, unequally. A system of legislation
for such purpose, in order 10 be perfectly equal
and just in its effects. would require wisdom Of
design and power of combination far exceeding
what IL granted to mortal man. Discarding, there
fore, Utopian and visionary, any expectation of
such impossible perfection in our laws, and aiming
only at what is nttainable, we should remain salts
fed with measures fit, in their general result to
accomplish the end in view, and to promote, upon
the whole, high social and individual benefits even
though, in particular instances, they may operate
injuriously.
Under the influence of these considerations, how.
ever much we might oppose, as to tariff, return
to an excessive rate of duties or as to internal i'm
provements. q lavish system Of appropriations, we
may be well content, by a judicious arrangement
of duties upon foreign merchandise such as are
necessary for an economical administration of the
Government, to encourage our domestic manufac-
lures, and TO provide. in time of peace, such inn
provements of our harbors, sea and lake, and our
principal as may be necessary to consolidate
strength within and to secure our safety with
out. With the protection of such tariff, and the
construction OF such works, there be little rea-
son to apprehend any considerable dissatisfaction.
For it IL only when excessive duties are imposed,
and when appropriations are heedlessly pushed to
works of minor importance, that the suspicion il
excited OF anintention to convert the high powers
of government into mere machinery for subserv-
ing local. sectionalyor sordid purposes. A strong
feeling Of nationality exists, fortunately amongst
us; and it needs only wise and temperate ad-
mipistration of Federal affairs in order TO exalt
to the highest degree the just pride which every
true American feels in the progress Of his countrys
greatness.
The Federal and State governments are parts of
our system alike necessary; and long the for
mer shall keep within it, appropriate orbit, the
danger of conflict will be small But any deflec..
States, will, as a usurpation Of authority and in
derogation OF the Constitution, be sure to be met
by determined resistance. striking evidence of
this was given in tho general excitement amongst
the people and in tho threatening attitude of the
southern States, whilst il was supposed that Con-
gress, forgetful of its duty to afford protection to
all, was meditating aggression upon the pee uliar
property of those States.
BY an irritating agitation, the Free sellers of the
northern States, and their confederates the Adolf
tioniss, aided by their miserable tools in Congress-
have greatly weakened those ties of brotherhood
which once united W firmly; and it is not to be
disguised that events have of late, rapidly tended
to bring upon VI that unhappy geographical divi-
sion parties. against which, fraught with dan
ger to the Union, the country long since received
an impressive warming. We lament that any ex-
cuse for such division should be found in the past
action of Federal legislation; and we indulge the
hope, that in its recent measures, commonly known
as the Compromise, we may realize the covenant
which to terminate the strife that has 20 largely
contributed to exasperate and to 'srender alien to
by fraternal Affection"
Whilst candor compels us to admit that those
measures are not, in all respects, what we could
desire, we yet do not hesitate to declare that we
perceive in them nothing tyrannical, nor degrad-