The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-03-16
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OF ALABAMA,


a. gro,oing out Of tie subject Of dc
:. aeestic stacesy. Delivered in til
Senate, Decemder 24, 1851.
Mr.. Clemens said:
Mr.. President: Ifit had been lcf
to me to determine whether this res
dantion should be introduced, I wonlt
most probably have answered, no
Not that I doubted its propricty, no,
that = ever had any fears Of the con
sequences which might flow from it,
But some OF. those with whom | have
been accustomed to act did entertai,
Che opinion that it might result in
evil, and | am always willing to pay
aome respect even to the fears of an
ally. The resolution, however, is
now here, and the question is not
upon the propriety of its introduction,
but upon the auty of its passa 90.
The character of the debate which
has taken place renders it imperative,
in my Judgment: that it shall be
passed. 1t has becn assailed in a
manner and from quarters which
gave to us no astonishmcnt. The
eceHe We witnessed the other dav du-
fing the delivery by the Senator
from South Carolina (ATr. Rhett) of
his harangue, surprised no one here:
but it would have been matter of
profound astonishmcnt to thc country
# they could have been spectators Of
what occurred. There was the Sen
ator from Massachusetts, (AIr. Sum.
ner,) the Senator from Ohio, (Mr.
Chase, and the Senator from New
ss's q ss$sE9 sE9Yn'sbire, (NIr. Hale,) gathered
t ataa ssGa ri ;sprt 9! Of fratcrnal ring,
a6onsf 5ss
while the conntcnce Of the cS'SSisffs iSenato5 tS5I:
! from New Ynrl- ( ~. C-...-.l
radiant with gladncss. Thus was
exhibited the spectacle Of an extreme
Southern Senator denouncing, i'll
no measured terms, the government
of his country, and declaring himself
A disuuionist, on account Of alleged
wrongs heapcd upon him, with four
as rabid aboitionists, as this land con
tains, drinking i'll lis words with
eager appreciation applauding, cheer
ing and encouraging him. All this
was nothing new to us, however
strange it may appea: to the PLAIN
and honest ycomany Of the country.
Nor was it, when calmly considered,
at all unnatural.
GA fellow feeling makes wondrous kind"
a. There is sympathy in treason as
4swell as i'll knavcry; and those who
arc earnestly striving to accomplish
the same end need not quarrel about
the separate means employed.
The senior Senator from South
Carolina. (AIr. Butler,) to whom ]
never alludc except i'll terms Of the
highest respect, has questioned the
propricty Of this resolution, because,
lie says, it can give no additional
validity to the law. True, sir, it
cannot. But it can and will do
something better. 1t will give an
assurance to the country that we
intend to put an end to agitation. 1t
will strike from the hands Of the
demagoguc the most potent weapon
with which he is armed. The Nor.
thern freesoilcr is daily proclaiming
chat there is 10 obligation upon
him to abide by the Compromise, be-
cause Southern men are determined
to uproot and destroy it. In proof
of. this he cites the resolutions OF
y Southern rights associations, and the
speeches Of Southern rights orators
Vhe Southern secesSionist tells his
hearers that the Compromise is
nullity, and cites in his turn the
acts and declarations of his Northern
eo.laborers. Thus they 50 on, cacl
party playing into tho hands of the
other-cach one furnishing the Other
with the meaEs Of rousing and keep
ing alive public d!strust aud cnmity
If this resolution is passed by such {
majority asI trust it will be, tha
game will be at an end. The friend
Of law and good order can point to
substantial assurance that the peace
of the country and the existence 0
the Union shall not again be put il
jeoparay. | Was no friend Of ,ht
Compromise; nor is it necessary fo
me to say that ! do not approve 0
all its parts. | believe that by tha
settlement the North acquired more
t:lan she was fairly entitled to, ant
that we lost more than we ought t
lave been asked to yield. 1t i
one thing, however, to resist th,
passage Ola law, and quite anothe
thing to resist this law after it ha
pas;.l Whru ia *, LILLE h,l 80