The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1852-09-14

man was received with enthusiastic cheers.
Dlsclalmng any purpose OF making any
thing like regular address, be said he
never before was SO much under the in.
tiuence OF conflicting emotions. There
was much m the appearance OF the assem-.
bly, which filed his heart with Joy; yet
feeling OF sadness oppressed linn when he
cast has eyes over that vast calm. 10.
solved multitude, aud remembered tha.
they had gathered there to consider u ques.
ton which for twenty years had never been
raised 10 any pubic body in our country
That question was not whether the Union
should he perpetual, but whether there
should be iisunion.
He was in the Unite States Senate
when that word was heard for the first
time on that floor and never should he Tor.
get the thrill Of horror it sent through that
body, A deep aud solemn pause ensued,
and Senators shuddered as they slowly
turned their eyes upon the bold author of
the appalling suggestion, But he had now
lived to hear Kisses while one OF the see,
feiarles Of the meeting was reading a res
oIution in favor Of the Union. Crhis re.
mark dlew hssas, and Gen. Pierce pro-
ceeded.) hey hiss again Let the men
who do it Show themselves. (Up rose
two cergymen, the Rev. Mr.. foss and
Rev. Mr.. Davis.) Here, then (said Gen
I P.,) we have men who seek to destroy the
Union, (One of them replied, No. If
you will let us explain, we will show that
we do not intend that We are willing TO
meet the question. however, in any way
Gen. Pierce continued: You Shall have
your opportunity all in good time. Let
the discussion come, and he that is defeated
must go to the wall and yield the question.
That is the way TO manage such matters
in free country. There must be breaking
up of the Government IN case of defeat
If we are precipitated into war hy lanat.
icism, we cannot conquer Both sections
of the country may be inundated. Meth.
ther could come ont of The contest short
of ruin. 1t is said that we of the North
could bring two men into the field for eve.
ry one that the Sonth could muster: but
it would be found when the trial should
come, that the man who makes that boast
would not be one of the two men to 90
| forth TO meet even the one man from tie
South. Great chceringl
| Gen. Pierce said the men then in the hall
! who had abandoned themselves to the in.
| fatuation OF dsunion sentiments. would
probably live to regret and repent OF their
present course. In the coming days of de.
crepitude, when the inlirmities Of age shall
/ Il.
/ their children around them, and confess
how they were once betrayed into moral
treason, aud as legacy. say to lliem,--
Stand by your Union, aud stand by yonr
country" lie said he deemed il unneces,
sary to 60 into formal argument in sup
port of the Union The resolutions EN-.
braced all that coald be said on the sub.
ject. When the compromise was first pro-
poled in Congress, lie had no doubt that
the Union would go down unless the mea-
sures recommended were carried. The de.
feat Of the first attempt overwhelmed him
4 with apprehension, understanding that the
compromise was intended TO give to the
South sense of greater security for one of
their rights than they felt they had for
some time possessed Who did not de.
plore slavery? But what sound thinking
mind regarded that as the only evil which
could rest upon the land The men who
would dissolve the Union did not hate or
deplore slavery more than he did but even
with it, we had lived in peace. prosperity.
and security from the foundation Of our IN
sti'utions 10 the present time. II the con-
stitu;ion provided for the return Of fugitive
slaves, il should be done, that was what lie
wanted 10 do; THAT was what our forefath-
ers agreed We should do, aud that was
what the friends OF the Union established
by them wanted to do [iiisses.l These
(saId Gen, P..) are the arguments OF the
" higher law" | suppose.
Tqese provokers Of disunion claimed to
men of humanity, with no other object
than humanity They were the men who
were always preaching against war. Yet
how was a peaceable dissolution Of the
Union to be accomplished! II one por>
tion OF the States could secede without VII
olence, how long would peace continue :
The slaves would escape their owners
would pursue them. If the slaves were
protected IN the free States, the owners
would pursue them with AIMED forces
Troops would be raised to resist them ba-
talions would be added to batalions on each
side. and the free States would be the bat
tle-ground. were such armies would be
founi engaged beyond what Napolecn
ever saw in the most terrific Of his bloody
oattIo-felds. It was the fear OF such dread.
ful consequences that caused such univer-
sal revo. utlon offeelng throughout the Un-
ion when the original compromise project
failed. Tue eyes Of the nation were opcn-l
ed to the magnitude OF the danger. Even
those who opposed it in Congress felt they
were standing OH the brink Of precipice.
There sccmed 80 be 40 step between dis
union and faithful adherence TO the com.
pact Of the Union lie knew tia, was the
f.ot..w NouLcra ,r fNnsuxoeo la .,o,.ga