Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-06-10

course Of members of Congress- by the vuperative
vcctives against slavery papers at the North
but notwithstanding all this, they will withhold the ex-
preston of their indignation; they will forbear all vio
lent modes of redress and cling to the Union long as
their rights shall remain intact Whilst there is anchor
| age for hope they will still adhere to it.
But Mr. President, il is not on the North alone that
the people of Tennessee keep watch upon all movements
tending to disruption of the Union Fraternaly they
regard their fellow citizens Of the South, they
picous Of the designs OF portion OF them While they
are ever disposed and ready stand by them in resisting
oppression any Infringement of their just rights under
the Constitution and to go beyond that limit under
some circumstances, yet they viii never counenance any
movement the part of their Southern brethren which
they apprehend will lead to separation from the Union
This was well illustrated during the period of the nul
cation excitement Strongly as the people Of Tennessee
were opposed the doctrine of nucaon and devoted
as they then and always have been to the Union
had my misgivngs that all the power of the Govern
could have restrained many OF them from flying
the of their Southern brethren had drop of
blood been shed in that controversy Their generous i'm
pulses, believed, could not have been controlled Ii
blood had once flowed, the excitement would have be-
come intense and infectious the Union would have been
in danger; but still the people Of Tennessee would have
chung to it, even in the midst of the battle.
SIR the public men, with few exceptions, In that State
have always taken ground against all attempts ut the
South to weaken the Union and noby and go-
rousy have they been supported by the yeomanry the
minded patriotic cultyators of the SOIL and every
other class of citizens who do not look to Office for their
support who do look to the rewards Of station who
do aspire the high places in the land They have
stood resoutey by the public Of the State
these great questions. They continue to have suspicious
of class their counrymen of the SOUTH those who
have heretofore shown their indifference not their hos
tty to the Union Sir Georgia has not been very dis
tngushed in loyalty to the Union or to the obligations Of
the Constitution either in sentiment or in action, at all
times. aude to the Indian controversy we'll her
notification sentiments Whatever Tennessee may have
thought of that controversy scarcely doubt that
Federal army had at any time been sent to control the
action of her State authorities, they would have in
tcrered. The noble feelings and dictates
Of such apeope might have led them to take ground with
the weaker party in such confct butt nevertheless,
they habitually cautious and wdeawake to the ma
chnations of Southern gentlemen all subjects which
tend to dscord and dsunion chvarous and patriotic as
they may be- do not wish to get up any discussion on
such subjects here; but must say that the people of
Tennessee will not be free from suspicious to some
things which they may They will not be over
well satisfied that this intended for the best
interests Of the country They will not be well satisfied
with the OF those who they suppose to be
quite well pleased that the cadron Of Northern agitation
and fanatcsm shall again be brought to the boiling point
The honorable Senator may congratulate himself and
rejoice hearing the of Abotonsts and ultra
Freesoilers and the ebuons of the antsavery feel
ing at the North matter how high they may rise Sir
the people of Tennessee will scrunize and weigh well
the course of those gentlemen who like the Senator from
Georgia. appear reckless Of the consequences OF this
at the North Of men, if any there be, who
not if they do engender and excite into activity the fend
ish Internal spirits of disunion at the North, if may be
allowed to call it do not say that the Senator from
Georgia is of them. But do refer to those who,
like him. have fears of the cries and groans Of the
antisayery at the North The people of Tennessee
will doubt the propriey and wisdom of adding fuel to
the flame kindled by the Aboltioniss Of the North by
repeating the Missouri compromise They will see that
it must and will have bad effect the steady, sober,
patriotic, national of the North. There are many
gentlemen at the South who may not what conse-
quences may flow from such The people of Ten
nessee have enough, Judgment and penetration
enough to perceive that though the feeling of the North
excited by the passage Of this BILL may be restrained with
such bounds Immediate diSuniOn,
yet that perhaps fugitive slaves may be captured
and returned from the North and that the swelling tide
of anaticsm, and the intense sentiment of hostility
to the Institutions of the South created by this BILL may
lead to such that irritation and resentment will
be in excited and knded into flame at the South
and that then shall find all the fears and apprehen
sions of civil and disunion renewed which spread
CONSERVATION throughout the land in $50
Sir, it before such prospect that-the appre-
hension that the excitement at the North would engender
reciprocal excitement at the South and Of the conse
quences which would inevitably foow-that some of my
colleagues Of the House and myself qualed to use the
honorable Senator's language That is all the qualng
that acknowledge in my course this subject and
feel myself justified especially SO when regard this BILL
far any principle advantage to the South or the
country is concerned abstraction for when
look position of these Territories and consider the
effect of the provisions of this bill, see that no adj
dtona slave territory is likely to accrue to the South
and if there should be- in view of the consequences
to the harmony and peace of the country would con-
slider the acquisition dearly trust the excitement
at the North will not rise to that point that the South
will be constrained to the conclusion that they
longer live in peace and harmony with the people
of the North. trust that abolitioniss may be
thrown into either House of Congress- that the fugitive
slave law may continue to be respected and enforced at
the North and that shall in reasonably short period
again be restored to the quiet which have enjoyed
since 1850. hope it may be so, but have my fears
may be mistaken in tho people of the State OF Ten
believe, under Heaven, that am not mistaken,
but that they the people they ever were They
will keep vigant watch upon the South as well as the
North. They will stand by the South whenever their
rights invaded whenever there is aggression the
part of the North upon the rights of the South they will
be ready to unite in solid phalanx with their Southern
brethren; and here elsewhere the South will present
a front unbroken by any man from Tennessee.
Mr.. President as have been arragned by the honora-
bic Senator from Georgia for msrepresentng rs he al
eges the sentiments of my constituents in opposing this
BILL will inform him that, another occasion, felt 1T
to be my duty to take quite great risk to
myself as feel that have incurred in opposing this
measure, and upon kindred question Soon after the
to have its natural effect irritation and resentment at the
South it will be recolected that question in Con-
gross on the right of petition which the North and
the South were divided. When the question first put
to vote in the House of Representatives, of which was
then member went with what seemed to be the gene
raj sentiment of the South though doubted the policy
of the But, before the question again up
i'll the House. at later period Of the session of Con-
gress at the next session. became satisfied that the
rejection OF abolition petitions promoting the cause
of abolition at the North, and accordingly changed my
and voted 10 receive them though stood alone
that vote in the Tennessee delegation and almost alone
in the whole southern representation. took my course
that question knowing that the Impressions and opin
/ OF m nm he forrnn