The southern press., 1852-04-03

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all events, trent 10 ts country under his sanction.
The question now is, whether this avowa
helps his political character for sincerity In
Nav, 1851, at a mass Democratic convention
called in. his district, and called to use bis
own language before that convention, as reported
in the Commonwealth of April 4. 1861, as
suppose at my suggestion !" and six months
| (bear In mind) after the fugitive slave law had
passed Congress, and after he had gone Through
repeated unsuccessful trials for an election to
this body, no came out against the unconstitu,
tlonality of the fugitive slave law t.
Now, why, If the honorable member did not
believe that the doctrines of the Democratic
party, in regard to slavery were, in l848, sound
did ne not THEN come out and oppose them, in.
stead OF remaining quiet and permitting resolu
tons, the doctrines of which he did not believe
IN, to 60 forth to the country Endorsed by his
name! And is it for the gentleman now to
tauDt me, and those who think with me, with
eating Southern dirt 81 But have digressed
too much | leave it to the gentleman to salty
if he can, the world, and particularly the party
who loved, in other days, to honor what they
then believed to be his principles and his talents
in regard to his course. He has not yet been
able 70 satisfy me-
Sir, the efforts of the class of politicians just
spoken of point to but one issue, and that the
rule or ruin Of this Union; and with such an
issue before me, shall hesitate where to stand
No, sir. Give me the Union as it is, rather than
what goes by the name Of liberty, with anarchy
and civil war the result. Give me the az
Pluribus Unum' which now live under, rather
than the !" Liberty, Equality and fraternity" Of
o licentious French republic. Nv.
speak as northern--a Connecticut man
proud of my State, which sent more of her sons
to the battlefield Of the Revolution than any
other State, in proportion to her population
! proud of her Institutions of learning, her CON-
mon schools, her quiet abodes of religion, OF
industry, and of thrift; and proud Of her add
yenturoas- citizens, whose hardy enterprise leads
them to the four quarters of the globe; and
say that the 6 land of steady habits" loves too
much the Union as it is, and she and the whole
North are indebted too much to it for her and
their prosperity ever to countenance treason
against it.
But, sir, know may be met here with the
cry of these agtators, that there is no danger Of
dissolution it is part of the policy of these
sentinels "on the watchtower of freedom, =
while they apply the torch, to cry, "Al's well y
but who sir, that has listened TO the facts which
have come out In the debates on this floor, at
this session, Of the honorable members from
Mississippi, can for moment doubt il? Why,
sir, the very fact that men talk Of secession is
enough 10 rouse the patriot TO his sense of duty
lis sufficient to warn us of the volcano which
is under our feet. Let us pause for a moment,
and see by contrast where we stand. During
the late war with Great Britain convention of
the New England States met at Hartford-that
convention, as is we'll known, sat with closed
doors, and the seal of secrecy was put upon its
| members. II was, in my opinion, as UNIV orthy
q concave as ever met together; and blush for
my native State, that it was ever permitted to
hold its sittings within the borders of Connecti-
cut. What was the object of that convention !
Nothing was positively known at the time, but
suspicion-that suspicion which, as Randolph
once said on memorable occasion, is often
"more than equal to the most damuing proof
proclaimed that il met TO take measures for the
secession Of the New England States from the
Union. You know, sir, how the public mind
received this startling news, and the bitter and
well-merited indignation which went up from
all parts Of the Union against this reasonable
assemblaee Sir. the rebuke of an insulted
people followed its members 10 their graves,
not one Of whom hardly dared present himself
afterwards to the people for their suffrages.
Suppose, sir, that ut that time, any one had pre-
%Ssa 'S Ss oS sss sn es e sHu
that he would have been considered, IL not q
traitor TO his country, at least a fit subject for
the lunatic asylum!
But what are we now witness TO in this AGE
Of reason and progress in government? Why
sir, when, above all other times and seasons
we should prize this Union Of ours, whose a gi.
covers the Atlantic and the Pacific shores
whose prosperity is wonder even 10 ourselve,
whose flag Is the mistress Of the sea, ard IN
der whose ample folds the oppressed of every
nation are taking refuge, we see conventions
openly called presses openly advocating, and
orators proclaming from the housetops-ss Sc
cession," and dissolution !" and the people
discussing thai, phieh 10 think If, even at the
time jost alluded to, the public mind rose as one
man 10 rebuke.
And vet we are told that there is no danger IN
all this ! Surely
+" II is the very error OF the moon
She comes more near the earth than she was
g wont,
And makes men mad !"
Mr.. Chairman: The secession Of sovereign
State from this Union, Is q very easy act 20 per.
form, where there u a will land God grant Il
may never arise) 10 DO H. Whether Il Is a con.
stitutional or revolutionary right which must be
exercised, IL q question which have no time 70
discuss here. ] prefer 10 look at the practical
bearing Of the result, should the issue Of seces.
sion ever be made. Suppose State deter.
mines upon secession, what poloer n speak not
Of ight'O Of the federal government under
the Constitution, will force IL TO reua in the
coDfederaey? las II any powerl In theory
even, u IL questionable 70 some minds, while in
a practical point Of view Il Is powerless. What
government brmed upon compact and a
compromise, an, founded upon the will and of
fecfson % the people governed. and deriving all
lie strength from the popular voice, compelling
the people Of asovereign State, at the point Of
the bayOnet, inio submission The idea is al
war with every principle Of our republican gov.
eminent. But z Il j. carried out, what then
Tell me The worth Of that State 20 this Union
which is kept q MS only by powder and ball !
Let State determine upon secession, and while
the strong arm q federal authority cannot force
il 10 is place in he galaxy Of stars which com.
pose the Union, will be no easy undertaking
10 persuade u bar 10 the point Il before occu.
pied by the side " its sister States in the con.
federacy