The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-08-03
CoHNEcrIcUT ON THE KKBRAsKA ELL.
SPEECH OF HON. Mr.. GILLETTE OF CONN

In the Senate, July 6, 1884.
Mr.. GILLETTE. MIR. President, | present
to the Senate q series of resolutions which have
been passed by the Legislature of Connecticut
ask that they may be read, laid upon the
table, and printed.
The Secretary read the resolutions, and the
Senate was addressed by MIR. ToucEY.
Mr.. GILLETTE. Mr.. President: feel deep
" embarrassed in appearing before the Senate
IN a position of unavoidable antagcnism TO nv
honorable colleague but under sense of duty
to the State which have the honor in part
to represent, must ask the indulgence of the
Senate few moments, while notice some oil
the remarks which have fallen from his lips
on this occasion. AS antipodal as are our re.
spective positions on the great question of the
age and country, | trust that for the honor Of
our common State and the dignity Of the SEN
ste, We may always be on terms of kindly In
tercourse. | do not intend On account Of any
contrariety Of opinions, to become unmindful
of the courtesies and proprieties which appro-
priately belong to Senatorial no less than to
| civilized life
| do not rise, sir, with any wish or intention
of inyslidating anything that my honorable
colleague has offered, any further than he has
implicated others in his defence. So far from
| it, am willing, nay, deeirous, that he should
have the full benefit of all be can ssy, legiti-
mately, in extenuation of bis course. / have
no heart to aggravate, by any word or deed Of
mine, the embarrassments Of his position and
had he conducted his defence without sssal-
ing the honor Of our common State, which, it
seems to me, we are alike interested to preserve
and defend, | should have been silent
But, sir, | feel that the character of the State
of Connecticut is deeply involved, and | should
f.1so A. x I..A-
TO that good cid Commonwealth, if should sit
mute and passive when her honor is assailsc-
that State which stood second only to Mesa
ohusetts in the revolutionary struggle-.hst
State whose history is radiant with so many
illustrious names, and which has been q human
hive, tending forth sWsrms of her adventurous
and cultivated children, to lay the sociel found
ations of new regions, and mould their insh-
tutions BIZ education, virtue, and freedcm-that
State. of which the accomplished historian,
Bancroft, a citizen of Massachusetts, has said
"There is no State in the Union, and know
not any in the world, in whose early history
if were citizen, l could find more of which
to be proud, and less that | should wish to
blot"
That State, sir Of which the late Mr. Cal
houn, in a speech delivered on this floor, in
February, 1S47, said, with O magnanimity
at is owing mainly to the States Of Connec-
ticut and New Jersey, that We have Federal
instead of National GoTernment-the best
Government instead of the worst and most To-
tolerGble on earth. Who are the men of theee
States to whom we arc indebted for this excel
lent form Of Government 1 will name them
their names ought to be written on hrass and
live forever. They were Chief Justice Ellsworth
and Roger Sherman, Of Connecticut, and Judge
Patterson, of New Jersey. The other States
further south were blind they did not see the
future. But to the GOODNESS and segscity of
these three men, aided by few others not so
prominent, do we owe the present Constitu-
tom
You viii excuse me- then, sir, for indulgiDg
a little State pride, and feeling somewhat sen
sitive when the honor Of that State is assailed
! shall detain the Senate but few moments.
| shall not enter into abstract questions, CT
indulge in pestihgging subtleties; but shall
only attempt To dsabuse the character Of the
State CT tho ssporsiOps which have been cast
upon il, that it may shine forth in its native
eifolgence.
1t mGy not be unproftable, in the first place,
TO inquire, what is the cause Of tho disagree.
ment between my honorable colleague and the
State which We represent? Why has this un-
happy difference, TO use no stronger term,
arisen between q sovereign State and one Of
its representatives on this floor? IL is one of
the bitter fruits OF the latest great peace meas
ure, which was to settle all agitation for all
time in this country. 1t had its origin in the
overthrow of the Missouri Compromise. This
is the pestilent tox out of which it sp.ang.
will state the facts as briefly Is possible In re-
lation to this matter.
The proposition TO violate the public faith
by the abrogat:on of that Compromise, thus
breaking down the last barrier against slavery
to oil the Territories Of the United States, and
leaving them wide open to its dark inunda-
tons Territories which had been declared
forever free by what was considered, at the
time, to be solemn and irrepeslsble compact
startled the good people of Connections from
thur slumber5, and rallied them to the polls st
their late State election in April, and tie bal
let boxes rang cut their indignant No" This
wGs The great issue In that election, and never
WIS there political revolution in any State
more complete and signal. It was attended
With no storm Of popular excitement. 1t was
conducted with remarkable moderation and
calmnes5 Hardly leaf trcmbled in the
breeze. 1t was the natural, spontaneous up
rising Of the people, to avert a great impending
calamity, and save themselves and their coun-
tfy from its disastrous consequences Outside
of the pale of the Governmental officials, there
was hardly voice of dissent. The result, sir,
was what We should naturally expect. Both
branches of the Legislature were overHhelm-
ingly opposed to the odieus measure. Soon
after conveniDg, early in the month of Nav.
the subject was brought up, and resolutions
presented, declaring it to be violative Of the
public faith, destructive of mutual confidence,
subYersiVe of the fundamental principles of
natural justice, and threatening the stability
of this Government; and they instructed their
Senators, and earnestly requested their Repre-
sentati7es, to oppose it by ali honorable means,
and to tie last extremity. These resolutions
passed the House by vote of nearly three to
one, and in the Senate with only single mega
tive.
Now, submit to the consideration of honor
able Senstors, whether there was ever a fairer,
fuller, more explicit and authoritative express
sion of the popular sentiment Of any State, any
where, as any time on any question The
Legislature expressed the sentiments Of the
people Of Connecticut on that momentous oues.
ton. There was hardly discordant note from
any quarter Of the State. These resolutions
were duly forwarded to Congress. The dread.
ed Bill soon came from the House, with an
amendment for the final action Of the Senate
and what did my honorable colleague? 1t il
known to the Senate and the country On the
memorable night of the final vote few mo-
msnts before the question was put, he arose in
| bis scat, with characteristic elaboration, and
| informed the Senate that he was under inssruc
tons to vote against the bill, but he had deter
| mined.t TO disobey the instructions of an Aboli
tion Wig Legislature, and vote for the bill
beautiful exposition Of the doosrine of "popu
lar sovereignty" by one Of Its distinguished
adyoeatesl Hardly had the last word for popu
lar sovereignty in Kansas and Nebraska died
away upon his lips before be arises in The