Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-04-24


tends. You cannot constitutionally withdraw
your authority from the States or the Territories.
So far as that instrument imposes upon you the
duties and obligations to govern, II laws exist in
Territories, this Government must see them faith
fully executed. They cannot place themselves or
be placed by this Government beyond its jurisdic-
| tion.
Mr.. President, l regret that there is design |
here to make this Kansas question, not the cause,
for that lies DEEPER but the occasion, for separa-
tion Of these States. There are those who affect |
| to believe that the Union is disadvantage to |
them-those who have Calculated its value" |
This was said by the Senator from Georgia, [Mr. |
TooMDs, but he did not say he had calculated its
cost for no figures represent the cost of this |
Union; and, lightly as he may speak or think of |
it, believe 1t to be worth more than it cost to |
the whole country although the patriotic blood |
and treasure sacrificed to secure it were enough |
to enrich an empire. Let it be preserved it has
blessings in store for us and our posterity, If we
but act according to its injunctions.
do not propose to enlarge upon this topic; bat
do say that, 50 far as know the objects of those
with whom now act, they have no motive or
purpose to disturb the institutions of the South,
or to create any illfeeling between the different
sections of this country; and, having lived some
what longer than most of the Senators here, win
tell them all that will act with no party, at any
time, that entertains or proposes any such meas
ures. Sir the warmest and closest party ties that
have existed with me have been severed. do
not know where the party is to which l was proud
to belong. l do not know how, or by whom it
was destroyed but its principles will endure as
long as this Government lasts. Most of the great
men who upheld them have passed away but they
have left history, and we shall leave its princi-
pies, which win yet be acted upon, to the pros
penty and renown of our common country. Others
may have the honors, but that will make no diff
ference to you Mr.. SEWARD, who was in the chair
or to me.
i Mr.. President, have made these references to
our early records to show what were the doctrines
of the fathers of the Republic. And these show
conclusively that the same opinions were held by
them that are now acted upon by Senators upon
this side of the Chamber; and what may appear
singular, they are met by the same kind of COM
plants aud threats which have been used in this
infected district" embraced in the States of
South Carolina and Georgia, from the Congress of
l776 down to the present time. These States
were not suited with the Declaration of Independ-
ence as originally reported; they threatened the
convention in 1887, not to unite with the other
States unless the Constitution was altered; and
both instruments were altered to suit their views
about slavery; and since this discussion COM
menced, every Senator who has spoken upon 1t
from the four States now occupying the original
territory of the two referred to, have threatened
US with secession unless this question is settled to
suit them; no other States ready with esti-
mates of the value of the Union, with plans for
peaceable secession, and inquiries of how it is to
be prevented, and extravagant estimates of the re-
sources and power of the new Republic. Such
things would be alarming, if now made for the
first time; but they have been the peculiar char
acteristics Of the region for than eighty
years; and yet they have been got along with in
some way or other, without much real danger TO
the Union 1t is but justice to these States to say
that they have furnished many patriots, many
sound and able statesmen, and have been regarded
banner States, for the high quality of their dis
tinguished men. To all these threats of secession
and disuuion, have only to say that, in my judg
ment, we can get along better together than we
can separately. 1t does not alter my mind about
this to hear the Senator from South Carolina
sound, in tones Of triumph, that "cotton s king"
and rules the commercial world that the South
have only to fold their arms and all nations must
come 10 their terms; that they need no connection
with the rest Of the United States, and very little
intercourse with the world. Well, sir, it is well
70 feel pleasantly, and the South is a pleasant re-
gion: they have a good country and profitable
productions, and l rejoice with them at that; but
this idea that State can isolate itself aud live
alone, is mistake.
|. l recollect to have read somewhere that man
who thinks he can get along without the rest of
the world is very much mistaken but that he
who thinks the world cannot get along without
him is much more mistaken. 1t would be still
more strikngly the case with States than with IN.
dividuals. The Senator supposes, If they should
refuse TO plant cotton for three years. the thrones
Of Europe would toppe and fall. This reminds
one Of the tone of the English press just before
our with that country in 1912. They demon
strated that we should come TO a dead lock II we
undertook to get along without them and as to
maintaining a war with them, that was only ridi.
culous But we fought them about three years,
and were just beginning to learn the art OF war,
when peace was made If we had fought them
three years more it would have been ofttle conse.
quence to US whether we renewed our trade with
her people or not We should have made our.
selves independent. l am, however, in favor OF
commerce, il reciprocal (; but with no degrading
inequality or dependence ; and have no notion
Of acknowledging any such relation between this
country and England, or any other country, as
was set up by them before 1919. I think the cot
ton planters are irnbibing this English notion l
have referred TO, in supposng that their staple
rules; instead Of this think II likely that IL they
stopped planting cotton for five years, instead of
ovcrturning all governments and all creation, as
they fancy, mankind would learn to go along with
out cotton and just before everybody bowed to
them, they would forget that there had ever been
such thing cotton used for their convenience
It is within my lifetime that this material has
been extensively cultivated in this s-ccuntry. Its
a very valuable crop, and ministers greatly to the
profit and comfort Of man and it is because of this