The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-08-05


On the power OF Congress the Territories and the rel
atve position of political parties in reference to tn,
same delivered in the House of Representatives July 28
1856. H..## l.a
Mr. CHAIRMAN: Prompted by an earnest desire to avert
possible the evils which u.s. and threaten til,
overthrow of cherished institutions which have hitherto
been regarded not only sacred but mpregnabe have
sought the oor but must confess with but little hspe OF
being Needed amid the noise and confusion which at pres
ent bewilders the public mind So often have the alarm
pes been rung In the OF the people TO summon them
TO the extngushment Of flames which only existed in the
fancy OF the ardent but cautious patriot that when
those startling sounda fall upon the public the repe
ton serves only to u TO sounder sleep and dreams
Of uninterrupted security Blind and infatuated be
the man. and unobservant the eye which does not now
discern the dangers before He indeed has read his
tory TO little profit studied passing events with less and
must be totally ignorant Of the nature and peculiar char
acterscs Of the people of this country who at this time IL
rec rom apprehensi0ns OF approaching evils OF the most
alarming magnitude. A ew-a very few--short months
ago. two great aud proud partes contended for the
terry In this government They were both national and
patriotic The of the South and the of the North
irrespective OF State lines geographical afnies rallied
under their banners Each for the mastery not to
ensave the defeated but for the honor of being foremost
In advancing the interests and adding to the prosperity OF
great common country Under the excitements pro-
duced by their emulation activity energy and
industry impaired to the masses and country has
grown and prospered without parallel Like links of
steel they bound together the different sections of this
Union, and embracing in their liberal policy the interests
OF every part kept alive those sentiments OF affection and
feelings OF raternal sympathy which constitute the rne
bonds of anon and in the absence of which all forms of
government fail and constitutions powerless for good
But the spoier came Weak and despised at frst a
few fanatics band together in the North They proclaim
unrelenting hostility to the institution Of slavery de-
nounce it violation OF the law of God and holding
themselves aoof from all parties pursue the idea of
its determination AS their numbers gradually increased,
politicians although scornng the sentiment nevertheless
pandered to the predces Of this sect and courted their
influence They never gave il without an equivalent
They coured persecution and abuse to enlist sympathy,
and thereby add to their numbers From these and kim
dred causes they grew and multiplied until the cloud no
larger than mans hand, which Calhoun in 1885,
pregnant with evil has darkened the whole northern sky
The first indications of real danger the integrity of the
Union were the fearful inroads made upon the church
Several Of the largest and most influential denominations
of Christians yielding the silent but dangerous error
seduousy nculcated by the abotonsts that slavery
sin, attempted to engraft it upon the policy OF the
Christian brotherhood Thus gave way of the strong
est links the chain which bound together But there
remained two great national parties animated with
trotsm which seemed nvulnerabe to the attacks of this
nsdous sectional enemy Long have they wthstood the
nroads upon their ranks, and msnfnlly batted against
the dark spirit of dissolution But the spoler came and
flowers, which the hand of affection planted have hardly
had time to bloom the graves Of Clay and Webster
before the great party to whose they devoted their
high talenstheir manhoods prime and experienced age
TO build and sustain-is thrown down and destroyed
The fall of the whg party may excite the jeers OF the
thoughtess and gladden. the hearts of Of its oppo
nen No such feeling enters my bosom. Although never
member of that party ever admired the lofty genius Of
its statesmen and respected and honored the patriotism of
its masses, and when /. fell In ruins for felt that
although democracy had survived oeman worthy of its
steel the country had lost friend in her hour OF great
need Sir the which led to this catastrophe
it were well seriously consider The which
struck down old and honored opponents have COM
menced the sappng and mining operation upon the ma
onal democracy and unless eradicated speedily viii un
dermine the best government God ever gave TO man.
We must not underrste the dificultes which surround
us. The disease which aflcts the body polite Is
deep seated and OF long duration No temponnng RENE
dies will reach and overcome it. No compromise opates
must be administered to relieve present pain and n the
patient into false security They conceal but do not check
the step Of the destroyer steadily advancing false theo-
ry of system of government prevails TO an alarming
in the northern section Of this Union and has con-
tribued than any other TO the growth OF that
fapatcism which imperils eur institutions. Forgetting
that the federal government is unity only for the specific
objects enumerated in the constitution and system is
separate and distinct in all things else they re
sponsibity for the evils real imaginary that exist in
its various parts and thus apr Of nermeddling springs
up which, under the plausible Of dschargng duty
transcends the limits Of legislative action and in It's mis-
sion Of curing evils multples conflicts and collisions
which II was the very object in the formation o. our gov
ernment TO avoid IL there no conflicting interests In
this coppryf our people were in all their pursuits and
desires bomogenpous-then there were no necessity for
State governments.
The very fact Of varied and opposite Interests in
nexon with that other truth that the people OF each o
c2ty would know best their wants and provide best
for their necessities produced admirable system
OF ederatve governments The federal bead finds In the
constitution its limited sphere Of action Each OF the
parts Is responsible only itself for the good bad POI
icy which Il may in wisdom folly adopt Reversing this
theory the abolloniss looking TO the general govern
ment the great sovereign power In the land as part OF
the government inney themselves responsible for what
they the sin Of slavery and thereupon seek to get
control Of the government In order 10 WELD Its power 10
the destruction Of the institution do not propose here
discuss the question whether slavery be sin or not
but state this proposition that there msst be radical
change in public opinion at the NORTH or else we must be
prepared look dsunion in the face with all its horrd
brood Of evils The maotes In the northern States must
either understand and live up 10 the Ststergh theory
Of government that every State aud locality are re-
sponsibe for their sins change their opinion upon
the moral era Of slavery In government considered
unity with power to control the parts such antago-
nisns as slavery and aboionism dwell together in
peace Ever since the creation Of man, moral opinions
this have controlled his actions And moral ideas
are followed by action We may entertain and
dismiss this or that Intellectual proposition founded
expediency policy, at peasurei but when the con-
science II involved whether right or wrong religious or
superstious there s such option. Under this rea-
nfatuaton its goal is heaven or bell and II never
stops short OF ts destination The empty granite sepu-
cbre Of the Saviour more sacred than the dust
upon which he walked became object OF Importance
enough TO all Europe TO arms and the preaching
Peter the hermit that IL the duty OF the pous be
lever take up TO this sacred relic from the
ndel Saracen mashaled the chvsry OF western Europe
10 one of the bloody conflicts recorded in hstory
This tragic incident OF the middle ages should serve az
warning and remind Of the fact that In own coun-
try there exists anaticism the less turbulent IN
spite OF the benefit olive hundred years Of Christian light
and civilization Can hope for change Of opinion in the
northern mind afflicted with this madness Not in one
generation For thirty have these fanateal opinions
been seduousy ncucaed Under the parental roof where
the light Of frss dswned in the nursery chamber
where images make their most lasting impression in the
school-roo where boyhood Is most creduous from the
pulpit where doctrines taught with authority and en-