The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-13
THAT DISBNioN cHARGE.
IFrom dc E,slcrn Arga1, ]

groundless charge OF On adyo ,acy OF disunion.
it IS asserted thai ia 1850 and 1864 ho ''dd all he
could 10 induce the people of Mississippi dissolve the
Union, hy seeding from H." This s@ssrtion made ii
entire disregard Of dh and Without alducing any cyl
dence b. sustain IT, IL il Is Nh. Dayiss right to d.
lTse thus reversing the rule which Justice, morality apd
dcocncy prescrbe and calling upon him Go prove his ia
nooenoe Of offence not only not proved against him.
but not al this time even charged from any responsible
| source
We distinctly challenge the Advertiser TO produce from
the speeches writings of Mr. Davis single sentence
which advocates a dissolution of the Union.
The Advertiser goes to say. -0 81 Fl3st
" During the past winter Mr. Davis took occasion 10
deny in the Senate that he had occnped dsunion
attitude made disunion speeches. His disclaimer
rather surprise In the North and judging from the
tone of the Charleston Mercury, il must have been
equally astonishing southward,''
Now, the occasion not taken, but offered and
promptly met n Mariner which our readers will ne
member That the editor of the Advertiser knows the
charge to be fase ia fairly 10 BIO presumed from the fact
that he afterwards modfes it 'ato reference to Mr.. Da
vas opinion IN favor OF the abstract right Of State to
secede from the Unio remedy for political evils
an opinion which novse involves ufcss 10 dissolve
the union unwiIlngncs to labor 10 prevent that
suit, when fanatcsm and treason, denying any
obligation to maintain the laws Of the land and observe
the requirements of the constitution struggling to
destroy the compact OF tho States by which they
united.
each individual, whose conccit and extravaganza hath
such extent the right TO set up for himself law higher
than legislative statutes constitutional provisions social
requirements and the revealed will of the Creator to
carp at who claims that the States sovereign par
ties to the compact of union released from their oh
ligations when that compact Is broken, for who
asserts the power OF mob TO set at defiance the laws of
the land and sustains legislatures in multiplying the
sttutional enactments of Congress- be mortified
who holds with Jefferson and Madison, that the States
are the final judges of the compact into which they
tered and of the mode and manner of redress when that
compact Is broken but le must be ignorant indeed
both of political principles and history, who conounds
this belief with the purpose to destroy the Union Of tho
States ordained and established by the constitution
That may be deceived by reckless assertion
and in justice to Mr. Davis whose opinions have been
grossly misreprcsentcd, present extracts from
his speeches made in 1850, during the discussion Of The
compromise BILL the occasion to which, i to any, the al
legation must refer ssa.ts
On the 9th of june, 1850, Mr.. Davis says
81 cannot estimate the intelligence Of my countrymen
chcaply to believe to be Judged by either tho
praise condemnation of hired scribbers. trust my
e which, except when in the service Of my country has
been sront in the State partly represent gives char
acter not thus to DO destroyed have hoped for not
feared the coming of the judgment OF my constituents,
though from the very inception of this down to
the present hour, the country Inns been flooded with mis-
ses representing all who favor this particular bill in
favor Of the Union and every souherncr who opposes
opposing 1t for purposes of disunion. Now, sir,
when respectable shall make that charge
against me, will answer him. When any respectable
man shall of being disunionist, will
answer him in monosyllabIcs.
SAT present have wish to enter into IN argument
to prove that false which hope gentleman will
charge and which my whole life utterly condemns II
have superstition, sir, which governs my mind and
holds it captive, srSiois for Me Union.
If one can Inherit sentiment may be said TO have
inherited this from my revolutionary father And il
education develop sentiment in the heart and mind
of man, surely mine has been such would most de-
yclop feelings Of attachment for the Union But sir
have allegiance to the State which represent here,
have allegiance to those who have ntriisted their in
forests to me- which every consideration Of faith and duty
which every feeling Of honor tells me is above all other
political considerations trust shall find my al
legiance there and here in conflict God forbid that tho
day should when to be true my constituents
is to be hostile TO the Union IT. sir have reached
that hour in the progress Of Institutions it is past the
age to which the Union should have lived II we have got
to the point where il is treason to the United States pro-
tcct the rights and interests of constituents ask why
should they longer be represented hereY Why longer
remain part of the Union II there is dominant party
in this Union which deny to uB equality and the
rights we derive through the constitution il
longer the frccmcn fathers left IL we to DO
crushed by the power of unrcstrancd majority this is
not the Union for which the blood Of the revolution
shed this is not the Union taught from my cradle
to this is not the Union in the service of which
large portion of my life has been passed this il not tho
Union for which our fathers Pledged their property their
hives and their sacred honor No, sir; this would be
central government raised the destruction Of all the
principles of the constitution and the first the highest
obligation of every who has sworn 20 support that
constitution would be resistance to such sation This
Is my position.
But shy again, am not here to prescribe the terms
Of secession here represent the people Of Mis-
sisspp at the seat Of the general My duty
is to sustain the Union and the constitution and whilst
am here that duty will endeavor to perform have
nothing to about dsunon 1t is an alternative not
to he anticipatelone to which could only look for
ward ~ the last resort but ii one mo say which,
under certain contingencies, am willing meet and
Will leave my constituents to judge when that contn
gency shall arrive have suggestion To make TO
them for am not Of those who seek to control the
public opinion which they pretend represent MY pur
pose is honestly to follow the wishes Of nv constit
cnts as far as they accord with the constitution have
sworn TO support have nothing to say upon that
point.
81 desire paciicaton / desire settlement wish to
see the legislation OF the country go on again in its
peaceful channels wish again stand with my brother
senators without conflicting opinion of such character
as TO disturb kind relations wish again to look upon
TINS broad land without seeing the people of one portion
OF the Union discussing the affairs Of the other n such
manner s to destroy the fraternity which is the strongest
support, the only reliable bond of our Union Do not
many things which daily pass around us oreshow grow
ing dlstrst OF section for the other Are we not
sufficiently warned that stand upon the verge Of civil
war Is not the smallest item In the account of sec.
tonal differences which have stated the gfowng alien
alton, not to say sectional hostility between the citizens
OF this Union, enough to fill every American heart with
the desire to come TO the rescue in order that he may
aid, 10y head hand, and heart IN the adoption of
plan for tho final settlement of this question so fruitful
ofev and threatening in its present aspect Could
such plan be brought forward would be one OF the
first TO labor for it, and Of the last to grow weary