The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-06-10
NO. 284.

But why talk seriously Of this pretence that
the fate of the Republic is poised in the par
tisan scale Of the Convention The pretence
is mere iustian, and in our inner hearts we all
know IT, Laughter. There are personal in
terests at stake and personal destinies to be
worked out under the fnality, and they are
therefore for it, All it means when translated,
is precisely this Those who are in favor Of
it. and who have committed their political
success to it, if they succeed in its adoption,
have got the advantage of those who believe
that if this Uuion is dissolved if this fair fabric
of ours must crumble to pieces, Y wall not De
through the agency of men, buto reason and
if it is to be saved it will he saved through the
elements and energies Of reasons looking 10 It's
salvation, and not the resolutions of such
bodies ms the Baltimore Convention. 49,
Now. sir, what il the precedent mat X pro
posed to be set by these philosophers in Govern
menti 1t is just this One of their members
rises upon this floor and announces one of the
Compromise measures as part Of the COnst-
tuition. which cannot be repealed without a
violation of the Constitution. Another goes to
Baltimore, and they resolve that the preserya-
ton of the Union depends upon the incorpOra-
ton OF the Compromise measures into the creed
Of the Democratic Party. Well what do you
do You make all those who made the resolu-
ton, Of course, the sayiours of the country.
These men contemplate that it will be so, and
work upon the sensibility, more or less of the
people of this country, TO induce them TO lay
aside the right Of the freeman 10 think for
himself and march up to the ballot-box and
vote for John Doe or Richard Roe, without
reference to his politics, and then turn around
and say if you wish to dissolve this union, dis
solve it at your peril Laughterl Well,
sectional party is created by it. and then this
small capital, in the way of compromise and
dissolving the Union will begin TO show itself
You will see Ohio and Pennsylvania go for
Scott, and you will see New York go for Scott
This is what will be the effect of this move
| ment.
Mr.. Polk. Let them go would rather be
without them than with them unless they
sustain the Constitution.
Mr.. CARTIER know my friend is sing,l-
lar upon this subject He reminds me of
gentleman once heard of, who was found at
a mad-house in London, and when he was
asked why he was there, replied oh sim
ply because the world and differed in opinion
The world thinks me mad and think tho
world mad. Laughter The result will be
defeat-defeat on sectional issues-and this
Union party the occasion of it. Then, this
Union party-this Union-saying party-will be
in the field. The cry will be, Down with
seetionalism . Hurrah for the fnality of
the compromise thinking all the time, that
in four years from this time they will have
raised considerable party by it Now, if
you propose 10 make this one measure above
all others-higher than the Constitution, and
higher than the sworn officers who are to ex-
ecute it-beWare how you attempt 10 force it
upon the people, for they will think just as
they plese and vote just as they please You
cannot make this hnality Of the Compromise
measures stop the circulation of the blood
though their veins, nor will it stop the opera
tiens Of the human intellect- You are not
going n prevent this young growing people,
who have been inspired into thought, TO eyer
| else the freedom Of thought. No, no when
you stop the people Of the United States from
thinking, you can stop the planetary system
from moving. When you stop the freedom of
| thought and of expressing it in rational legs-
lation you have got despotsm. And then, as
much as idolize this Government and its in
situations, want to zee it tumble. Then it is
time that it should tumble II this Govern
ment cannot carry out the legitimate, constitu-
tional Offices for which il was created-to wit
the development OF mans rights-the right to
think, and the right to speak-when it ceases
to perform that Office, it is not worth preserva-
ton.
| Now, do not pretend to speak for Ohio in.
this matter am unauthorized to speak for
her. But if | were TO speak in the language
| of her conventions or in the sentiment of her
conventions for the last six years | would say
you cannot prevent her from thinking nor
| from speaking what she thinks and she will
go on thinking, looking 10 the Constitution and
| God for their responsibility; and al your Com
promise resolutions, and all your other resolu-
| tions having the tendency of n restriction upon
| freedom of thought, and upon freedom of nc
ton for the future, will make no difference
with them And though she has now, AS sub
stantial and progressive n Democracy AS ever
undertook to plant the germ OF freedom upon
the face of the earth, or ever undertook the
work Of developing it and although that De
mocracy has the power of that State upon any
Democratic question: yet il is possible to send
it into a fearful minority and that in my hum
bic judgment, will be the effect of your fnality.
Mr.. Polk. We do not want their company.
Mr. CARTIER. ! presume they will be very
much mortified il they do not have the compa-
ny Of the gentleman.
Mr. Polk. What | intended to say was
that would prefer resolution in favor of the
fnalty of the Compromise, even if we were to
be defeated by it.
MIR CARTIER. The gentleman comes from
State where the Democracy is accustomed TO
defeat.
Mr.. Chairman, my State is the frst-born Of
the Ordinance Of 81 we are indebted to our
mother, Old Virginia God bless her) among
many other good agencies and influences, for
love Of personal liberty. The sentiment has
grown up in soil dedicated 10 freedom of
thought, and progress of sentiment. 1t cannot
and will not be abandoned. Nor will the citi-
zens Of my State be terrified into a retrograde
doctrine. The people OF Ohio have come to
the conclusion that there is bone and sinew
enough in the Constitution and constituted au-
thorities Of the country UNDECIDED by the clap
trap Of caucus, TO make the old ship of Stat
move on upon the highway marked out bJo5
framers and they are not 50 badly = 10 he
about breakers as some gentlemen gl Tbev
They arc not troubled about itoclns;on that
have come 70 the deliberate "a Mai zoo on
the oldeship will sail OF. 80 Gown and mnl.
have they TO doubt Y, ana = nsysIleI in any ma.
tiplied IN ratio w..ted upon the face Of the
''p ''"s s,e. nlc we are willing to let our
s'o'e na"'ehe South administer their institu-
49,, g's :. .neir own way--whIle we believe that
~. .,o stitution of slavery is a municipal inst-
lion. belonging to them aud not 10 the State
3f Ohio and while we hold ourselves ready to
execute every provision Of the Constitution, we
ire not going to be alarmed; and while they
will do this OF their own free will, we are not
going to be put under bonds, AS my friend from
Texas [Mr Howard suggests When you
come there to put us under bonds, we will beg
10 be excused We will ask you TO partake Of .
our hospitality, and then we will bid you good
day. and will not ask you TO come again on
the same errand. This is the way we viii
treat the matter of fnalityp
The true philosophy is to exclude the slave
question from your National Conventions from