The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-02
LECTURE OF THE hon HENRY FoorE,

LECTURE OF THE HON HENRY S FooTE,
MISSISSIPPI,
Delivered al Tie Musical Fund Hail. on Monday evening
December 30, 1850, 10 aid IN rebuilding The Southioark
church.
1t was quite early period OF our colonial history
that the necessity Tor close, firm, and raeInal Union
among the numerous but distinct Ang American settle
Massachusetts TO Georgia. began not only TO be ser
ously felt, but 10 be publicly acknowledged. To an
illaslrous citizen Of Philadelphia--to him whose
"qaie, memory climbs to Heaven,
Calming the lightning which he thence hah riven,
Or drawing from the no less kindied earth
Fsesdom and peace TO that which boasts his birth
to your own beloved and yenerated Frank Amer
lea indebted for the first regular proposition OF general
Pennsylvania in Congress which held It's session IN me
city OF Albany in the year 1854, that DR.. Franklin
brought forward his plan of colonial union, which re-
ceived the unanimous sanction of that enlightened body
This plan was unfortunately defeated in the end in
sequence Of the unexpected and bea opposition of the
BTitish government When, few years later, wise
and variant orefahers were compelled. by long course
Of tyrannous and cruel OPPRESSION 10 resort 10 for
the vindcaton Of their rights and liberties the expe,
dency OF adopting compact OF union, which should
embrace all the colonies which might be nclned to become
parties TO It, and be- at the time, Of character
the &c soa and was hs
rection the desnies OF the republic at this
crisis most fortunately confded The first decisive
ment in the Continental Congress towards the attainment
OF this important object understood to have been that
Of the great parsonage already named, who, early as
the month Of july i775 submitted articles of conled
body into which not only all the British colonies on the
continent were be admitted, but Ireland and the West
India islands also The articles OF confederation which
establishment OF perpetual Union !" and when these
articles were supplanted by the present federal cons
tution the trainers OF the latter instrument shorty
took special pains to declare in the preamble there
Of in the most formal and striking manner that
OF their chief objects in setting on foot the frame OF gov
eminent which they had deliberately constructed was,
to form more perfect union than that which had pre-.
viousy existed under the confederation. The conven-
item TO whose abors the federal constitution
know to have acted under the authority Of special act
Of Congress, which explicitly forth the purposes
held in view in calling that body together and which APP
pear 70 have been the creation OF "a firm national gov
erninent,' and " the preservation OF the Unon''-he
manifold blessings OF which had been too sensibly felt
not to be cordially appreciated II cannot but be well
known to all whom now behold before me and around
me- that In 1857 there were now, many persons OF
inconsiderable influence, who openly in favor of
dssolvng the Union then subsistng aud that great
forts were made by the secessonsts OF that day induce
their felowczens generally to refuse their sanction 10
the scheme OF government which had been brought into
existence ayowsdy as plan Of mutual concession and
compromise Of that plan Washington is known TO have
thus written short time after its adoption " There are
some things in the FORM will readily acknowledge
which never did, and am persuaded never will, obtain
my cordial appropriations but did then consider, and do
now most firmly believe that in the aggregate il is the
best constitution that be obtained at this epoch and
tAat this or dissolution awaits our choice, and is
the only alternative" Again, he says: Ii appears
to me little short of miracle that the delegates
from 80 many States. different from each other in
.neir manners, circumstances and prelndices should
unite 40 system OF national government so little liable
10 well.founded objections. Nor am | yet such an
enthusiastic, partial, undscrminating admire of ii
not to perceive it is tnctured with real though
not radical defects" Doctor Franklin, in a short speech
delivered by him towards the close Of the convention,
had SAID . consent 10 this constitution because ex
Pect no better. and because am not i, is not the
best The opinions have had of lis errors sacrifice
to the public good" Such profound and practical
as Washington and franklin did not think of looking
for absolute perfection in aught OF human design
Workmanship they knew how TO make discreet and
liberal allowance for conflicting opinions, for sectional
Jealousy and the thousand other influences unavorable
TO wise and wholesome legislation which must
sarly to some extent prevail in deliberatve assembly
like that OF which they had been members Ii not
for such men as these ke certain heree political Opt
msts OF the present day. TO denounce in terms OF
measured reprobaton great scheme OF adjustment
and compromise, because ], did not precisely halmo-
Of public policy The Union was greatly too
valuable in their estmation and lar too dear TO
their hearts, to be given up nconsderaiely in order
10 crafty the idle whm OF the moment, TO the
temporary triumph Of faction They recolected too well
and painfully the precious bloodtwhch had been she'd
and the toll which had been encountered, and the
struggle, willingly TO yield up all which had been
achieved in that struggle for Ane,ca and for he tcord
They were lovers of order friends social concord and
opposed TO anarchy and civil strife. They imper.
tecons in the constitution, and they did undertake
10 deny their existence but they satisfied that the
refusal 10 ratfy the part OF the States would be fol-
lowed by the dissolution of the Union and this they
held to be the greatest evil which could possibly bea
the country Accordingly they exerted themselves las
have OF late the champions OF the scheme OF compro-
mise which has been recently adopted by Congress
suppress excitement, 10 se agitation, and to quiet the
country. They urged their counlrymen to accept The
plan OF the convention and utterly 10 disregard those
sedous DISCLAIMERS who were openly seeking notofety
and consequence by the destruction of civil Institutions
which they either had not sufficient intellect TO appe
ciate sufficient virtue to respect
Mr. Madison, in the 37th number OF the Federalisi in
combating the qubblng directors of that period, who
nssted upon the rejection OF the constitution because
was not in their estimation perfectly faultess model oil
government employed language which it would be well
II certain hypercrtical gentlemen who are now laborng
TO perpetuas discussion and discord among us woula
consider Would it be wonderful !"
says he eff, under the pressure of all these difficulties
the convention should have been forced into some deva
tons from that artificial structure and that regular sym
metry which abstract view Of the subject might lead
an Ingenious theorst besiow constitution planned
in his coeet or in his imagination The real wonder
H. that 40 many difficulties have been surmounted and
sunnouned with unanimy almost unprecedented az
il must have been unexpected IL is impossible for any
OF candor to reflect this circumstance without
partakng OF the asonshmeni. 1t is impossible for the
man o pious reflection not 10 perceive finger OF
that Almighty Hand which has been so frequently and
sgnally extended relief in The critical stages of the
revolution.
The history Of almost all the great councils and con.
sultaone held among mankind Tor reconcng their dis.
cordant opinions assuagng hernutua jealouses, and
adjusting their respective interests, is history of factions
contentious and disapponimcns, and may be cIassed