Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1851-03-01
LETTER FROM DANIEL WEBSTER.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 81, 1851.

eeip; O. yoat letter O! he 18Th Of ibis moa,h in
wiling me TO tend meeting proposed to be hold
en- al Tauytown on the 3Oih instant by the PEG
pie OF Nesiches'er county. without any distinction
OF party, who approve OF the compromise meas
ures OF the last session Of Congress.
My public duties do not allow me to accept hi
invitation; but you need not doubt that | cord
ally approve the objects and purposes for which
the people OF WesIchester propose to assemble
hope the spirit Of dsunion may he consider
ed as now, in some degree. checked; but that i
has existed both al the North aud al the South anC
does still exist TO dangerous extent, canao,, a,
1t seems to me, be denied by any honest man.
In the South, the separation of the States i.
openly proposed, discussed, and recommended
absolutely or eonditicnslly, in legislative halls
and in conventions called together by the au.
ihoriIy Of law.
In The North, the State governments have moi
run into such excess, and the purpose of over.
turning the government shows itself more clearly
IN resolutions agreed to in voluntary assemblies
of individuals announcing the laws of the land.
and declaring fixed intent 10 disobey them.
notice that in one of these meetings holden
said to have been very numerously attended. tie
members unanimously resolved "tha,, as God il
our helper, we will not suffer any person charged
with being fugitive from labor to be taken from
among Us; and TO this resolve we plege ourselves,
our fortunes, and our sacred honor. I"
These persons do not seem to have been aware
mat the purpose thus avowcd by them is distinct.
y reasonable. If any law of The land be resist.
Ell ny force OF arms or force Of numbers, with
declared intent to resist the application OF tia,
law' IN all cases this is evying war against the
government within the meaning Cf the consti,u.
'lon and Is an act OF reason. drawing after il all
the consequences OF that offence. This is the
precise case in which convictions for treason took
place IN Pennsylvania during General Washing.
tons administration. And not only does such a
spirit as this manifest itself in heated and violent
public assemblies, but it is also defended en-.
Outraged, and commended by considerable Dor.
ton Of the public press and what is still worse.
the pulpit has, in too many instances, uttered
these tones OF opposition to the law, instead Of
the voice OF Christian meekness, repentance,
and the fear oil God. Indeed, occasions have
happened in which men and women have ensav.
ed in a sort OF rivalry or contest to see whether
the laws Of society, or the institutions of religion
and authority Of Divine Revelation, could be
treated with the more contempt
II is evident that If this spirit be no, checked.
il will endanger the government il it spread far
and wide, 1t vii! overthrow the government.
There are ample pledges, gentlemen, that with
you aud your fellow. citizens of Neschcser no
nther feeling will be entertained than that of
jealous attachment to the Union and the cons,i |
'tnIien, and determination 10 support both 10
he last extremity. Among your committee | see
he son OF great and an illustrious man. equally |
distinguished ia the revolutionary and the consii.
ulional period Of his country. Alexander Ham.
lton was one Of the twelve commissioners who
net at Annapolis, in September, l7s6, aud re.
commended to the country the establishment; OF
Of government adequate to the eIi-
,encirs Of the Union" Here was the cradle of
hat form OF government which has 40 long
pound US all together, and made US so prosper
ms at home and so much respected abroad. -
Where the blood OF Alexander Hamilton fills the
'eins, or his example and patriotic services are
remembered, the language Of separation, seces.
'ion, aud disunon will find no utterance, and pur.
'oses Of violent resistance to the laws no appro>
,alion OF tolerance.
Gentlemen, the mortal remains of another
,reat man, venerated and loved through the
whole course Of long lite, repOse in the county
# Westcheser of course mean John Jay
The public life Of this ustrious man was al
most entirely devoted 10 the preservation of the
Union OF the States, the establishment OF the
constitution, and the administration of the pow.
RS conferred under il. No man saw more clear.
y or felt more deeply the evils arising from the
xisIence Of States with entire and distinct soy.
reigntieS. No man appealed to his country
men against such state Of things with more
araestness, eloquence, or power. lie saw the
eginnng Of spirit very much like that which
xists now he EretOld its dangers. and did
s much as any man to rescue the public opinion
-om its pernicious grasp.
In 1855 he wrote to Il friend: ut is my first
fish to see the United States assume and merit
re character OF one great nation, whose terrific.
Y is divided into different States merely TOR more
onvenient government" In 1887 he said at
as until lately been a received and uncontra.
cled opinion, that the prosperity Of the people
HHnCtICo OH continuing HTHnly .
liied; and the wishes, prayers, and efforts of
If best and wsest citizens have been constant. ,
directed to thai subject. But politicians now
,pcar, who insist that this opinion ia erroneous,
I'd that, instead Of looking for safety and hap. .
ness in union, we ought to seek it in division
the States into distinct conlederacies or SOW.
reignties.
"Ths country and this people seem to have
zen made 10 each other, and il appears as il il :
as TN design Of Providence that an Inheritance :
D proper and convenient for a band Of brethren i
nited to each other by the strongest ties should !
ever be split into number Of unsocial, jealous,
nd alien sovereigntes.
"They who promote the idea Of substituting
lumber Of distinct confederacies in the room Of !
Ie plan Of the convention seem clearly to fore i
e that the rejection Of il would put the coniinu'
nee OF the Union in the utmost jeopardy. That
,rtAinly would be the case and | sincerely :,
ish that i may be as clearly foreseen by every Z
BOD citizen, that whenever the dissolution OF !"
g Union arrives, America will have reason to