The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-12-20

our liberty to taxation as well expenditure Wa
have allowed the constitution TO be trampled uader foot
and when this last great outrage occurred it plain
that il the North got the ascendeney to the approprs
ton OF the Territories Il would not be with us question
OF liberty but II would be question OF existence. The
South must be free, the South perish That is
her doom II any other people, any other nation upon
EARTH IS 10 control her destnes, she must be blosd
from the list OF States II is in vain to look for concia
that they will stay their policy Of self aggandizemsn
they may pause but not stop The policy OF this Union
Is under The control OF northern sentiment and northern
interests and in pursuing this course they will only do
what probably every other people would do under the
same circumstances II the South stood in precisely the
same position, do not know that she would not pursue
the same course toward the North which the North has
pursued toward the South for have profound con-
ycon ol the utter weakness and perversy OF fallen
| nature.
Mr. President. is not the part OF patriot or brave
man ever TO despair Looking the condition OF things,
of the South in relation the North 10 tell me whether
il is possible TO avoid the conflict that must come And
if the conflict is 10 come, what the South gain by de-
lay? What can the citizens Of the cotton States gain by
pos,ponng this controversy II you know that you have
deadly enemy, and that he is determined TO destroy
youha he only waits for midnight light the fire that
will involve your family in fameswill you wait until
the night and The torch is appled will you not
meet him p open contest and open day, and settle for him
question whether you shall live or die' The South can
gain nothing by delay Hence il is that have been for
secession with other southern States and if they would
not secede with have been for the secession of South
Carolina alone She can but be subjected and enslaved
we can but have those guns mounted at Fort Moul.
ire and the bayones OF the soldiers within its walls used
| against US. We nothing but an outraged and
degraded colony Worse than that, we are insulted
and endangered colony and il we do not shortly right
ourselves, in my opinion must be ruined col
ony The fate OF Jamaica must be ours, although our
country different from jamaica where the beasts Of the
field and the African do not necessarily take possession
| of the home of the proud Anglo-Saxon am for
meeting the difficulty now. The sooner, in my estima.
ion the better for the people represent-he better for
one common effort let State, if she has the courage
and the power DO it snd for good Or cyl bavey dare
represent-my counsel for the South.
i But we told that we have right to secede from
the Union, and that the general government will bayone
and shoot ii we make the attempt Sir, what the gov
eminent will will not do is not question for freemen
With them mere force never yet satisfied or deers Has
State right to secede from the Union That is the
question II she has the right, what matters that
brute power stands in the way am not TO be deferred
by the accumulation OF force recently sent to the United
States forts in Charleston bay No, sir if needed any
thing inspire TO march would be that because
proves that this government is prepared TO be despo
tisln-a military coercve, bloody despoism-such as
lately subjected Hungary 10 Austria. In that attitude, SO
far from shrinking IRON the controversy my spirit rises
higher, and am more prepared than ever to meet the
conflict, whatever 1t may be, and TO carry It on to the
last.
But. sir will endeavor to show that the State Of
| South Carolina has right to secede from this Union II
she thinks fit The night OF secession IS not right de-
! rived from the constitution Of the United States OBJ
served that some resolutions which were laid before
The bs s s Wsr Of as
tive assemblies, and of taxing people, and all the
other powers connected with State government existed
stituton OF the United States The right to secede like
all these powers, is reserved right 1t is necessary
incident connected with the reserved sovereignty OF the
States. One State could not give to another, and the
constitution could not give TO the States, the right to
cede They had it previously The first question for us
TO consider is were the States sovereign II they
sovereign, is there anything in the constitution OF the
United States TO impair that sovereignty! II the States
were soveegn-,if the constitution is compact between
If ntInpt thara
grant of the sovereignty OF the Statesthat sovereign
ty still exists Although the State does not and could
contain in it grant OF sovereignty, yet does in sew
era clauses particular, distinctly recognise it,
allude now TO that clause concerning treason II reads
II thus:
Treason against United States shall consist only in
svying against them 1.-The Sates] in adherng to
their enemies 1.-THE enemies of the Saes giving them aid
and comfort"
Treason is violation of your allegiance your
ereign. Allegiance according TO the laws OF nations 10
coneatvs protection. The sovereign protects; and
on that ground allegiance is due and treason viola
the sovereignty OF the State and treason Against whom
treason be committed under the constitution OF the
United States Against the government OF the United
Satesagans, the Union, the people OF the Union ag
gregatey No. sir; the government is only the agent OF
the soveegnes OF the States 1t is the creature OF these
soveregnes-made for certain purposes, and endowed
with certain powers to effect them But the sovereign
ties the States and hence the constitution speaks OF
them the sole objects OF treason There is then. in this
distinct recognition OF il in the constitution. Treason
against the United States is a violation OF allegiance the
gnes who established the system of government,
and those soveregntes described in the constitution
as the States. A person levyng war against hem, or
giving aid and comfort 10 their enemies, is guilty OF ea;
son-showing distinctly that treason be committed
agains, them and against them only.
But lei us leave that question: and go higher up IN the
argument pray the Senate TO bear with me, because,
if my conception of public affairs correct, this 10 no
idle dissertation; s by play here tor the entertain
of the audiences bu, it is question upon which
bayonets may be crossed and blood may be spilled
oforaif ia an
state of things at the South TO know where his duty hes,
in order that he may discharge faithfully TO that an
\ thori,y which has right to demand its exercise.
Let us 90 back of the constitution, where this question
properly belongs The Declaration OF Independence de-
claes the States TO be ee sovereign, and independent
States have heard il said that that united decla
ration and that, therefore, it only meant that the States
were sovereign and independent unitcdly The State
represent did wait for the Declaration OF lndepend-
ence TO establish her independent existence Neither
did the people OF Virginia, the people OF New
Jersey. In March, 1915, the people OF South Caro-
: lima set up for themselves a government and con-
stltuton OF their Pardon me here, sir, dgress
and state how they accomplished They were not very
scupuous concerning the words traitors and demagosues
They intent upon ihngs, and did not fear the words
rebel and traitor when they Illuminated agans.
them Not having arms, they determined to seize !, ,1oo
muskes from the British arsenal at night II 40 nap
pened that that very night they to execute he IN
iention they heard the glorious news Oh ne oaue ~
Lexington You may easily imagine hat " ou no. as
pr them but they marched in upon me pil"sn sall
son that night and seized the l2oo musken-an oPen'
acknowledged act of treason. lhey wanted poWoeI,
and seized government vessel containing II, lying 81
Augustine and supplied themselves a propos,uon wss
made in their self-constl'uted assembly py nui Su
dle,on 10 lake the British governor Lord William Camp
- c,a,odv IA w nearly carried and the gov