The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-03

lS4S, which he aided ia reporting, or which, al
all events, toenf 10 The country under his sanction
The question now is, whether this avowa
helps his political character for sinceritya In
Nav, 1891, at a mass Democratic convention
called IN his district, and called to use his
own language before TINT convention, as reported
in the "Common,oeakh of April 4, 1851, "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, he came out against the unconstitu-
uonallty OF the fugitive slave law
NOW, why, if the honorable member did not
believe that the doctrines Of the Democratic
party, IN regard to slavery were, in l84S, sound
dld he 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 go forth to the country Endorsed by his
name! And is it for the gentleman now to
taunt me, and those who think with me, with
eating Southern dirt ?" But have digressed
too much. leave it to the &c tleman to salty,
II he can, the world, and particularly the party
VINO 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 TO 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 il il, rather than
what goes by the name of liberty, with anarchy
and civil war the result. Give me the "E
Pluribus Unum" which now live under rather
than the Liberty Equality and fraternity" of
centious French republic
speak as n 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 com
mon schools, her quiet abodes of religion, of
industry, and of thrift and proud Of her ad-
venturous citizens, whose hardy enterprise leads
them to the four quarters of the globe; and
say that the 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 countenanoe treason
against it.
But, sir, know | may be met here with the
cry of these agitatOrs, that there is danger of
dissolution it is part of the policy of these
sentinels ''on the watch.tower of freedom"
while they apply the torch, to cry, ALPS well !"
but who, sir, that has listened to the facts which
have come out in the debates on this floor, at
i tHiS otaolou, VI LIfc HO1lOIdDlc UlcluDtIS
Mississippi, can for Il moment doubt it? Why,
sir, the very fact that men talk of secession is
enough to 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 moment
and by contrast where we stand. During
the late war with Great Britain convention of
the New England States met at llarttord-that
convention, as is we'll known, sat with closed
doors, and the seal of secrecy WIS put upon its
members. 1t was in my opinion, as UNIV orthv
| a conclave rs ever met together; and blush for
my native State, that lit was ever permitted to
hold its sltings within the borders of Connect
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 damning proof
proclaimed that it 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.merted indignation which went up from
all parts of the Union ag inst this reasonable
assemblage. Sir, the rebuke of an insulted
people followed its members to their graves
not one of whom hardly dared present himself
afterwards to the people for their suifrages.
Suppose, sir that at that time, any one had pre-
would be openly adpocated7 who doubts but
that he would have been considered, if not a
traitor to his country, at least 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 ngis
covers the Atlantic and the Pacific shores.
whose prosperity is a wonder even to ourselves
whose flag is the mistress of the sea, ard un-
der whose ample folds the oppressed of every
nation are taking refuge, we see conventions
openly called, presses openly advocating and
orators proclaiming from the housetops-" Sc.
cession," and "dissolution !" and the people
discussing that, ,ohich to think Of, even at the
time just alluded to, the public mind rose as one
man to rebuke.
And yet we are told that there is no danger in
all this Surely
!" 1t is the very error of the moon
She comes more near the earth than she was
| wont,
| And makes men mad +"
Mr. Chairman The secession of sovereign
State from this Union, il very easy act to per-
form, where there is will (and God grant il
may never arse) to do it, Whether it is a con-
stitutional or revolutionary right which must be
exercised, is question which have no time to
discuss here | prefer to look at the practical
bearing of the result should the issue of seces-
sion ever be made Suppose State deter
mines upon secession, what poaoer q speak not
of "right,') of the federal government, under
the Constitution, will force it to reran in the
confederacy! Has il any power? In theory,
even, il is questionable to some minds, while in
practical point of view it is powerless. What!
a government formed upon compact and
compromise, and founded upon the will and af
lection of the people governed, and deriving all
its strength from the popular voice, compelling
the people of a sovereign State, at the point of
the bayonet, into submission? The idea is at
war with every principle of our republican gov
ernment. But if it is carried out, what then
Tell me the worth of that State to this Union
which is kept to us only by powder and ball
Let State determine upon secession, and while
the strong arm of federal authority cannot force
it to its place in the galaxy of stars which com
pose the Union, it will be no easy undertaking
to persuade il back to the point it before occu-
pied by the side of its sister States in the con-
| God