The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-13

happiness of the Union. Sir, the only constitu-
tional amendment that have heard Of lately,
is that extraordinary one recommended in
tain posthumous political volume, with which i
hope every man in America will shortly make
himself acquainted. The amendment suggested
In this volume proposes, that Instead of choos.
ing one President of the United States, we
should hereafter have two eected--one from
the North, by Northern votes-one from the
South, by Southern votes. Each of these Pres-
dents is, believe to have the command Of the
army and the navy of the Union, and double
veto power is TO be exercised by them Such
an amendment would, as every man of pract
cal good sense in the world will readily decide,
break up the Union in about four or five weeks
Now, ii it is such fintastical amendment AS
this, or anything like it, that the honorable gen.
tleman from South Carolina wishes Incorporated
into that sacred instrument, would counsel him
most seriously to let the Constitution of our
fathers alone for the present, or at least to be
certain that he has some scheme Of emendation
already matured, more worthy OF approval thln
the one just specified, before he ventures either
to obtrude 1t on the attention of his country
men, or To complain that this noblest production
OF the human understanding has lost all those
high capacities, which the wise men of the land
once supposed II to possess, OF securing the free
dom and happiness Of the millions living under
its protection, as long civilization and social
virtue shall continue 10 dwell in this favored
hemisphere.
The honorable gentleman complains some
what vehemently of the want of anion in the
South, and declares that the Southern States
will be inevitably ruined, unless there is more of
concord and united action among them. There
are two answers to this par, Of the honorable
gentleman's speech. Frs am of opinion that
the South is really already in quite united
condition--every Southern State, except South
Carolina, having clearly and undenaby decided
in favor of acqulescence in the acts of adjust
ment; and secondly, if there is want of abso.
lutte union in the South upon the questions en-
braced in the plan of settlement, it is simply
because small minority OF Southern men, who
seem to imagine themselves the whole South,
refuse to pay proper Difference to the views OF
an Overwhelming majority, who are entirely
satisfied with what Congress- has done to COM
pose the troublous feelings of the nations which
minority are constantly urging upon their coun
trymen some visionary project, of one kind or
another, supposed by them 10 be an absolute
sine qua non to the true happiness and glory Of
the country.
feel justified in adding, sir, that the intelli
gent citizens represented in this body by the
gentleman himself, are quite inclined to allow
the republic to return to that state of repose
which it formerly enjoyed, inasIuuch as they
have recently determined, by an overwhelming
not To secede from the Union on nc.
count of grievances imagined at present to
exist, nor until some other Southern State shall
testify a willingness to unite with them in this |
perilous experiment, which confidently believe
is state of things that will never be realized |
Sir, must be allowed to express the high gra
LITIGATION which have derived from the final de-
clson of the people OF South Carolina in oppo- |
sitiOn to the mischievous counsels Of that band |
of demagogues who have sought TO involve |
them in schemes of rank disunon and foul
treason ! have rejoiccd particularly over this
happy result, Mr.. President, because had more
than year since predicted il both here and
elsewhere. always believed that the people of
South Carolina, when allowed TO think calmly,
and to act niaturey upon this vital and mo
mentous question Of Union and disunion would
so dcmean themselves as to prove to the world
their utter unwillingness deliberately to sur
render their own repose and happiness in order
to crafty the INSCRIPTIONS aspirations of am
bilious tactonsts. | rejoice, sir, that the ma
terials have been thus supplied for that which
cannot but be recognized by posterity as the
brightest page in tile history of this ancient
commonwealth; and ! trust that the day is yet
far distant, when deuded by evil counsels, her
people shall deliberately prefer scenes of bloody
anarchy and awless confusion to the multiplied
and unappreeiabc blessings which result from
the sound and honest administration OF wise
and bsnlicient government
Mr. BUTLER. | wish sir, to make soma
explanation. There are some remarks made by
the senator which may advert to hereafter, but
which | will reserve for another occasion. One
portion of his remarks, however, applied as
suppose, TO me as chairman of the Judiciary
Committee, and alluded to me as not desiring
20 bring In the Fugtive-slave bill at as early
time as practicable, that it might not be acted
upon by its friends and advocates. Now, sir,
that Fugitive slave bill was introduced by my
self chairman Of the Judiciary Committee
one session before it was taken up and acted
upon at all ] was the very first person TO in.
troduce il and ! believe that while | am the
chairman and organ Of any committee, shall
never use my incidental position for any party
purposes whatsoever. bring in the measures
ordered by the committee as early NJ practicable
and that particular measure | brought in two
sessions before il was finally adopted When
my friend, Mr.. MASON, of Virginia, offered
substitute for it, | felt it TO be then in his hands
hNu HoW itt ilit iii WIN 10 TIE tfutu WIFI
regard to this bill. 1t was called up in the early
part Of the session for consideration, and $
chairman Of the committee ! made some remarks
upon it. was followed by the senator from
Virginia, Mr.. MASON, when, at the instance of
the honorable senator from Kentucky, not now
in his seat, Mr.. CLAY these compromise
measures were introduced, with n request that
the consideration of the Fugitive. slave bill
should be suspended that it might make part
of those measures. What my friend from Vir
ginia Mr. MAsoSl may have said to the gentle
man ia private know not ] am not very much
in the habit of repeating private conversations,
and will not undertake to say what remarks he
may have made lie may very possibly have
said, why take up this measure separately and
alone, and thus weaken ourselves in the great
contest in which we are engag Ia contest in
which believe may say that no one on this
floor acted so many different parts ms did the
gentlemen from Mississippi. III recolect Alright,
his name was signed to the paper sent to the
90, ernor OF Mississippi by the representatives.
of that State, warning the governor and people
of that State against the dangers which were