The daily union., 1852-02-14


has ursdcton the final arbite has decided that il is
TO have slaves recapured ander law re
curing The agency OF the federal government 10 execute
H. 80 long as that law remains, bound 10 be gov
emed by it. We had right to the best law which
could be passed. TO enable 10 our fugitive slaves
and those OF US who understand our constitutional rights
al the South have considered Tor the first moment
and have intended that il should be considered that
we permitted that right to enter in any degree into the
merits oil the compromise measures because it was
constitutional right which could not be compromised
Therefore, although is stated 10 be the great com
pensating advantage which the South has received
for all the wrongs which have been done her by the
other measures OF compromise, we do not look at il in
that light We take the fugitiveslave law simply as
law 10 secure plain constitutional right, which have
and which entitled TO have, under the decision OF
the Supreme Court of the United Sates and we consider
that entitled to the best law which can be passed
to secure this object We would have been satisfied
with the law passed under Washngton's adminisra.
tion-the old law of l796if the northern people would
have faithfully execuedit.
will say further, in reference to this law that, al
though 1t was set by those who advocated the compro
mise measures M as the great advantage to the
look TO the fact the alarming fact that when 10 be
passed only received the votes OF three northern sena
tors and OF twentyseyen members OF the House Of Rep
resentatives from the North. This was startling fact,
and one calculated TO make the impression upon the minds
OF the southern people that northern senators and repre-
sentatves did not intend to maintain their constitutional
obligations to the South on this question; that they
woud not give the moral power OF their opinion to sup
port this law; and that their constituents would not
faithfully observe it, when their representatives would
not do their duty in passing it: We had right 10 look
with alarm at this position of things But there
now TO be better state of feeling at the North on this
subject than had expected DO not find at present
is such disposition, have not seen ii manifested |
have seen by the message OF the governors OF several
States whose opinions said formerly TO be
to this law, that they recommend acquescence in it, and
that It be abided by am gratifed that such is becom
ing the state OF things, not with reference TO the compro
mise measures but with reference to plain conslitn
hiatt vhnla apf
ern people were opposed 10 the institution OF slavery,
still had never believed that the conservative and intel
gent sentiment OF the great majority OF them, when the
question was presented fairly before !hem would be
found to place itself in defiance of constitutional law
OF the country and endeavor by force fraud, to pre-
vent its execution have always hoped better things
and trust and believe better state OF things is growing
up on this subject
Mr. President, 1 have now gone through with these
measures briefly as could without going into detail
merely gancng at the prominent objections held by the
people of Mississippi, mainly by the democratic State
rights party, which induced their opposition to them.
Having concluded my remarks upon the resolution, and
the merits OF the question which it embraces wish now
to say few words in reference 10 the character OF the
Union, and my hopes for its preservation, and then |
shall have done
The Union as | understand it, is the government of
is the government formed by fathers in the
written compact OF the constitution This is the Union TO
establish which the battles Of the revolution fought
the Union which Washington cherished and which JEFF
ferson and Madison, and all the apostles of republican
liberty since, have strven to maintain. This is the
Union which have been taught 10 love and reverence
and in which, have learned from the teachings of these
usrous Patriots and sages garnered the hopes OF
all free constitutional governments To this Union, as [
have at all times been, am willing, as is the party in
Mississippi whose sentiments represent, now and for.
ever, TO ''pledge my life, my fortune and my sacred
honor" And, sir, will say that all that has been writ
ten BY Washington in his Farewell kddressa that has
been written or spoken by him at any time, before
snce-all that has been written by Jefferson Madison,
Jackson and by all the other great men of the country
couragng devotion the Union. applies only TO the Union
exists under the written guarantees OF the consttu-
ton respect all they have said upon this subject
highly as any other American citizen can do. however
brightly may glow the flame Of patriotism in his bosom.
| yield TO none in my devotion to this Union. And
all the sentiments which have been expressed in favor OF
its preservation by the great sages and patriots 10 whom
have referred. apply truly my position, and, in my
judgment, far than to the position of those who
sing their 10 Paans TO union OF compromises, which,
if they do not certainly violate al least leopard the
stution Sir in The American Pantheon which have
read there is no separate god the Union In the great
temple OF American liberty which | have visited, in
which American freemen make their worship TO the
divinity OF their county, there is separate statue to
the Union but in its midst and around its great altar
stand the several statues Of the several sovereign inde
pendent States, they came one by one to build up the
great compact o the Union; and in their midst stands the
great statue OF the Constitution having inscribed upon
its heart in letters brilliant than gold and radiant
with the pure light OF Heaven, the words "THE UNION"
Let one, then, say the Union is in danger while the
constitution SAFE because you cannot touch the until
you have touched the heart OF the other upon which the
life OF both depends.
Mr. President. we have government which we all
love, and OF which we proud-a government under
which have prospered for than sixty years in a
degree heretofore unknown in the history OF mankind
"Ths government is founded on Union OF the States
and that Union is established Defined and sanctioned by
the constitution OF the United States" My hopes Tor its
preservation in strict construction OF that constitu
ton in all the legislation OF Congress-in contning the
action OF the government in all It's departments strictly
within the limitations OF the instrument in which the
government itself finds the origin and limit OF its pow
ers MY fears for It's overthrow are, the usurpation
Of power by the federal government, not warranted
by the constitution, which the Father oil his Coun-
try, in his Farewell Address, cautoning against
those usurpaons, says us The customary treapon
by 1piich free governments are destroyed" let us,
then, Mr.. President, conduct all the legislation OF
the government in future strictly within the lmlta.
tons OF the constitution, and the quiet which now
happily rests upon the country after the exciting con-
test through which have passed. will again be
disturbed The harp OF national freedom may be tuned
TO harmony at the Capitol and when the tal-note is
struck upon II its vibrations will find sympathetic chord
In every State OF the Union, and its echoes will come
back TO the motberear in tones sweeer than they went
out from every eontenied and happy daughter OF the
republic. The Bird OF Jove, beautifully imaged over
your head, Mr.. President-the emblem OF national
power and gloy-will continue to whr aloft. with
firing wing, eternal in his fight through the bright
heavens OF political freedom, holding in his taloDs the
arrows OF war, quivered but undrawn, all pointing in
direction, indicating that they TO be sped
unless against common enemy.bearing In his beak the
streamer with no star missing from the constellation,
none dimmed in its luse, and having written upon IT
forever in words that cannot be erased, the motto OF the
dignity and equality OF the Siates "E Puribus Unum
not many out Of one, but one out OF many
Canton matt,nss, Floor o,ioIoths, Carpe,ips, Sc
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