The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-02-19
PATRIOTIC sENTIMENgs-sENATOR
CRITTENDEN's SPEECH.

The Hon. John J. Crttenden, os Kentucky,
made speech in the United states Senate on
the LIST, upon the proposisisn TO take up the
bill admitting Minnesota ipto the Union as
State. The disiinguishedtr after justly
and powerfully opposing She proposition to
defer further action upon the bill until Kan
sas should be ready for admission, diverged
somewhat from the immediate subject under
consideration, and made the following patr-
otic appeal in behalf Of the Uuion. The sen.
timents here uttered are y Just, so touching,
and SO true, that they ds~sfye being written
in letters of gold and engraved upon every
heart. Thus remarks Kensueky's noble son ::
With all these arguments and views, and
in almost every nrgumeRt aud controversy
that | now witness on this floor, are mingled,
to give them strength and peinl, either prog.
nostics oe the oyertb rop{ ~ IL. .po overn ment,
or threats rguinsI it, eAs3,xes. sI'lis is the
common Strengthening means now thrown
into every argument here. While we prize
the Union, while we would, am sure, and
the very gentlemen who use this language
would do all they could to preserve and per.
pe!uate the Constitution and the Union, there
is not day that We are not doomed to listen
here, over and over again, to threats Of its
overthrow; predictions made, little prophecies
| thrown out, that to-day, or tomorrow, or at
some day Eear at hand, this government is TO
be no more. Sir this is the most unfortunate
and omnous sign that exists in the whole
country, in my Judgment If such language
can be famiiarly used, and thrown into every
argument as II make weight-ss dust in the
balance--if these threats can be made here
against the existence of the Union, and il
they can have any effect upon the people Of
this country, then, indeed, sir, we may well
npprehend that it cannot last long. hope il
will last forever; and If nobody threatened il
until did, it would last for ever. [Applause
in the galleries.] Yes sir, and it will last
much longer than gentlemen here, by con.
tinual repetition and reflection, and medita
tion, believe to be so near at hand; and i
would last much longer, perhaps, but for thest
meditations. They prize it so highly that tn,
remolest danger affects them; and they forth
with begin to prophecy that its end is near
hand; or they are provoked at something
which is done which they think is adverse t
the interests of the Republic and the Union
and then they threaten; but all this is promot
ing the very purpose and the very end agains
which know, in their heart, they are oppos
ed, and with their hands would oppose.
We should do well, think, to throw ou
of all our ordinary course of argument thes
threats and these prophecies. | believe tn
Union is to live, not because wish it, or yov
wish it, sir, but it is to live for ages: believ
it is enshrined in the hearts of the peopl,
and they will be it's sustainers and MAINTAIN
ers even If we should be recreant to the par
we are to act, and desire its overthrow. 1t
no, in our power-lhank God ii is not in tn
power of the Senate, or of the Congress q
the United States, to overthrow this govern
ment, and rejoice in il,