The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-16

never made the uitlmatuu that q dissolution oil
the Union was to take place it it was not OBJ.
tanned. II cannot be shown in the proceedings
Of the convention. The convention has been
called REASONABLE body. Some of those who
originated it, and at first approved its action now
say that every act Of it was a miserable blunder
and failure. | recollect that an eminent Sena.
tor, but do not allude to him in the above re-
marks, who was here at former session OF
Congress, when these compromise measures
were first under discussion, but who is now a
member # another department of the govern
ment, SAID in reference to the meeting of the
Nashville convention, that he rccollected, when
the treaty was concluded between England and
France, at the Peace of Amens, stern old
Englishman and an orator, who regarded the
treaty as ominous to England, said in the house
of commons, that if King William could know
the terms of the treaty, he would turn in his
coffin and he commended that saying, in all its
fullness, to any persons who should meet in
Nashville to concert measures for the overthrow
Of the Union, over the bones of Andrew Jack
son. Well, sir, this was very good saying.
was member Of the Nashville convention,
elected by the legislature of my State-I went
there to represent the sentiment of my State,
which was at that time generally in opposition
to what was considered would be the legislation
of Congress in the enactment of these compro.
mise measures Our purpose was not the DISCO
luton of the Union; it was to preserve the
Union by tho preservation, in it's purity, of the
Constitution That was the object of the Nash.
vile convention. That was the object with
which went to it. had the honor to draw up
and present to the convention the series of res
olutons-with the exception Of one, relating to
non intercourse between the States--whch were
offered on the part Of Mississippi They were
approved by the delegation from Mississippi
The first one commenced by saying that the Oh
jects Of the convention were cOnciatory; that
its end and aim was the preservation of the
Union, by the preservation, in its purity, of the
Constitution. There was not single sentiment
in all of them which breathed spirit of disunion,
nor was there in the resolutions adopted by the
convention. SO conscious was | that no such
spirit existed in my own mind, nor in the minds
of those with whom co-operated, that on
Sabbath day intervening the proceedings Of the
convention, visited with other delegates from
other States, the Hermtage-aye, sir, visited
the grave of Andrew Jackson | stood upon
the granite slab which covered it. felt no shock
The bones of the old hero reposed as quietly as
the dust beneath which they slept, and thought
heard his spirit voice whispering in my ear
Preserve the Union, but preserve Nth IL, The
Constitution.
Mr. SEBASTIAN With the consent of the
Senator from Mississippi, will move an adjourn
ment
Mr.. McRAE believe shall not be able to
conclude to-day; and lift is the pleasure of the
Senate, l am willing to give way to an adjourn.
ment.
Mr.. SEBASTIAN. move, then, that the
Senate do now adjourn.
The motion was agreed to, and Senate ad-
journed.
February 8.
Mr.. PRESIDENT: When | gave way to the
motion to adjourn on Thursday last, I was
wiping out, as far truthful statement of facts
could do so, the charge which is most unfairly
and unjustly made against the Democratic State
Rights party of Mississippi, of being disunion-
lists. | may say the charge made against the
Democratic party" because those who opposed
the measures of compromise consisted mainly
of the old Democratic party, with comparatively
small number of intelligent State. Rights
Wings, united with them upon the principle OF
the resolutions of 1913 and 1899, in opposition
to what they considered to be usurpations of
power by the federal government, and encroach.
ments upon the rights of the States in the en-
actment of those measures. may say further,
against the Democratic party of Mississippi"
for the reason that the Democratic party is a
State Rights party According to my under
standing, there has never really existed in this
country but two great parties since the founda
ton of the government. These parties have
been divided upon single great principle, and
that principle is, the construction of the Consti-
tuition in the legislation of Congress The diff.
ference between these parties arises from what
we call a strict construction of the Cons tuition,
and wide construction of the Constitution /;
the republican construction or the federal con.
struction of tho Constitution; the Democratic
construction or the Wing construction of the
Constitution. Whatever name these parties
may have heretofore assumed at any time, or
may hereafter assume, this is the great
principle on which they are divided In refer.
ence to other differences between them, they
are differences in regard to measures of policy
arising under this great principle of construction
of the Constitution. For instance, the oues
ton Of charter for bank, so far as the con-
stitutionaity of it is concerned, is a question
which grows up, on one side, under what is said
to be construction of the Constitution by i'm.
plication and is opposed on the other, by what
is called a strict construction Of the Constitu.
ton. So in reference to the tariff; so in refer
ence to works of internal improvement by the
general government, and in reference to the
ulStrIoutlon Vi Inc proceeds OF the sales OF the
public lands among the States,
The Democratic party, therefore, is that party
which is in favor of a strict construction of the
Constitution; and that is the party in Misss
sippi which opposed what they considered to be
the encroachments of the federal government
upon the rights of the States, under what they
termed a wide construction of the Constitution,
in the enactment of the measures of compro.
mise.
1t has been charged against us, in connection
with these measures of compromise, that we
were dsunionists, because we believed in the
right of secession. This is, perhaps, the most
important charge and the one which is most
dwelt upon by our opponents, by which they
expect to fix upon US the fact, that We are in
favor of dissolution of the Union, on account
of the passage of these measures. Or, to state
it as those do who misrepresent us, we were
secessionists; being in favor of secession from
the Union on account of these measures ofcom
promise. IT, sir, it is meant, that the party in
Mississippi who opposed these measures be-
leved, under certain condition of circum-
stances, when the action of the federal govern