The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-03-18

/ admitted that, under the power to regulat
commerce, we could build piers and break
waters, and remove distractions in harbors
and have always contended that the sam
principles applied to harbors upon the lake
and to the rapids of the Mississippi, and tn
great rivers as to similar constructions or I'm
prOyements on the sea-board. That is tn
doctrine which | asserted twenty years age
I and which assert now, and | challenge an
man to show where or when | have asserte
ANYTHING else So of the Bank | sustaine
the veto in 1882, and did not waver in 1884, o
afterwards So of the Sub-Treasury. adyo
! Gated before the Administration adopted II
and stood by it till it came out triumphant a
last As to those great questions pertaining Z
/ the nature of our institutions. | hold that our
is not a Government Of unlimited powers. a
some would treat it-although theyeo not dis
tinctly profess that doctrine. hold that TIN
! is Government with strictly limited powers
specially granted, and that the great dange
! to be apprehended is from the invasion of tht
rights Of the States by the Federal Power
I hat is the doctrine which have always helC
| since was old enough to hold opinions. Any
| gentleman who knows anything about my his
/ tory. knows that have never held any Other
V.
stood upon both sides of many great public
questions! The gentleman makes charges
and does not pretend to produce or to posses
the evidence to sustain them. Why | dC
not know Perhaps he does not know. Thost
who suggest the charges may know that they
have no others which can be better sustained.
The gentleman does not attempt to assail my
position, or my course, upon any OF the Other
great questions Of national importance, by say
ing specifically | am on both sides of it-a
charge rather difficult to be made out rather
difficult to be attempted to be made out because
there is not evidence TO be fonnd, to start upon
the undertaking
The gentleman says that when | was in
Springfield. Illinois, during the last winter, an
article appeared in the Springfield Register ,
and he inslnuates, what he ought not to insin-
uate. that the handwriting of that article re-
sembes mine If the gentleman has the arti-
Gle in his possession, | will thank him to pro-
duce it
M N>v,a ~ Sova Dets ~
MIR RANToUL II he has it not, ne mussnot
maze me nSA,Ntl,.Jis 80 A&o,s,Y .,ice 0lG,.,,,.-
writing. because he had no cause for suppo-
sing that wrote an article of that kind.
Nothing in my history would indicate that was
likely to write such an article and doubt
whether the gentleman, i'll the bottom OF his
heart, ever had any suspicion that | wrote 1t.
If he suspects it, let him give the grounds for
the charge; for gentlemen should not bring
charges without grounds. | think the Commit
tee will perceive that should not have been
likely to have written that article when have
stated few facts.
was in Springfield, Illinois, in the month of
February. 1851, upon business of great impor-
lance to those associated with me- and to my
self individually. ! was attending to that bust
ness, and avoiding politics as far as | could.
Before left home on the 9Th day of October,
1850, had been unanimously nominated for
Congress by very large Democratic cOnven-
ton, which, even in these days of casuistry no
one has yet denied udS Democratic convention.
1t was fully attended by delegates from the
several towns in the district, and they nOmi-
mated me for Congress unanimously They
passed Il resolution declaring their firm convic-
ton that the fugitive slave law, just passed on
the Goth of September was unconstitutional.
was nominated on the 9Th of October. The
election was to come off on the / 18th of Noyem-
Der On the 9TH of November, think it was,
a meeting was held in the town of BevGrly-my
native town, in which now reside, and where
everybody knows my history and opinions. At
that meeting took up the various leading topics
Of the day, and among others the fugitive slave
law; and ! then declared, in the most distinct
and unequivocal terms, my entire conviction of
the unOnstitutonality Of that law. gave my
reasons for that conviction. That say, was
on the It'll of November, and the election came
off on the nth.
NV learned friend thinks some conversation
about some resolutions in Boston convicts me OF
taking an opposite stand. All ! have to say
about that is, that when talk to those gentle
men again, think it will be in writing. Nj,
position was as well known then as | coulC
make it. | had addressed meeting in tn,
Town Hall of Beverly-a town Of some five o.
! six thousand inhabitants, some eight hundred
of whom were present. | generally try to tall
50 as to be understood and say those eigh
hundred men understood me to declare tn,
fugitive slave law unconstitutional, and for tn,
same reasons that today declare it unconsti
tutional After that. does anybody suppose
went to Boston to tell them | was in favor O
the fugitive slave law! think, if had acteC
in quite so extraordinary manner, shoulC
have been locked up in an insane hospital
Having made that speech upon the 9TH of No
yember, and the election having been held OF
the It'll of the same month went to Boston
every day until about the middle of December
Mr.. DAVIS. viii the gentleman allow IN,
to ask him whether he denies having received
those resolutions and looked over them Ant
does he deny having had an interview with tn,
Union Safety Committee!
Mr.. RANToUL | will answer the gentleman
with great pleasure. | admit that had inter
views, not only with members of the Unior
Safety Committee but with large number o
the Webster men of the city of Boston. The,
were so crazy just at that time, that they nigh
we'll misunderstood any one they met with
They really imagined that they had saved tn
Union. | only say that the world may see
from the position which took every pains t
make public, that did not intend to palm my
self off upon Mr.. Webster's friends as n sup
porter of the compromises.
Mr. DAVIS. | merely wish to ask whethe
it is true that the honorable gentleman too
those resolves home with him, and returne
| them!
Mr. RANToUL. will answer the gentleman
The resolves were brought into my Office in tn
afternoon, before ! left Boston for Beverly
When | came back, found them upon m
office table These gentlemen may have SUI
posed that ! spent the whole night studyn
the resolutions Such is not the fact. That
have expressed myself in the very highest term
in praise of the intellect of Daniel Webster,
perfectly true, and will furnish it to the ger
tleman in print if he wants to see it, That
have expressed regard for the Union
true; and will express it again if have ot
casion. That have said | will stand by tn
Constitution is true; and say 80 now. A ma
could hardly say at that time, that Mr.. Wei
ster was man of great intellect. that he wa
in favor of the Union, and that he would stan
by the Constitution, without being consdere
u Webster man, and in favor of his election {
the Presidency That was the inference draw
at once an inference which did not inten
to he drawn IN my case, as the gentleman ma
see from my taking care to pronounce pubcl
Just the opposite doctrine from time to time, a