Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-03-23

Union being in danger /, as q conservative,
middle man in this country. tell you that be-
lieve In my heart of hearts that this Union il
in danger; and believe that it is endangered
because certain principles have been promul-
gated in that section of the country holding
the large neutrality-suspicious. of higher-law-
ism principles which set the Constitution at
naught; principles which abrogate the opinion
and the decisions of the Supreme Court
principles which have been introduced into this
country, which are at variance, and in direct
conflict with all the received opinions of a
popular, free, representative form of govern
ment.
Mr.. President, / am representing here in
part a State as truly devoted to her southern
associations and southern glory as any other
state. am representing a city, two thirds of
OF whose commercial capital is southern. am
representing people whose hearts are as
nearly allied to the South as those of the peo-
pie of any other southern State but, sir, at
the same time, am representing State and
city whose whole future is based upon this
Union, who have signaliZed their devotion to
the Union, who have contributed as fully and
as freely to the formation of this Government
any other State in the Confederacy and
should be recreant to the trust that has been
cOnfided to my hands if / did not protest
against the agitation of this question. which
has no practical bearing upon the subject of
slavery. 1t has been said on the other side of
the Chamber. that the majority of the people
of Kansas have the right to amend their con-
stitution in their own way, and for their own
purposes. in their own time; and, sir, admit
1T. | believe the people of Kansas, in their
sovereign capacity State, have that right,
and not before believe that by the agitation
of that question here on this floor, you are
keeping up, giving pabulnm to that sectional
strife which, unless it ceases, must deal the
1an a. -. 4 g.
pieces the wise charter of our American citi-
zenship. l believe it in my heart and in my
soul. L am conservative in all my feelings
and views. / am as much opposed to ultraism
or higher-lawism whether it comes from
the far South or the far North, as any
Senator here. l believe that our des-
tiny is in this Union. under the Con-
stitution, and 1t is only under it: for when the
Constitution ceases to be respected when the
decisions of the Supreme Court fail to be re-
garded-that umpire, that referee in the very
construction of this Government, to whom all
litigated eases are referred-there is an end TO
free representative G. vernment here.
Gentlemen talk of dividing this Union.
You may, by a CONFUSION, break up the
Union; but you cannot divide it. You can
not divide it. You cannot, in my Judgment,
bring upon this continent two separate and
distinct Powers. They cannot exist with the
sources of their mighty rivers in one section
and their mouths in the other. They cannot
exist together in peace. Free government will
then have failed; its soaring spirit will have
departed; and then you will come to a strong
er and more consolidated Government than
that under which they now live. | trust in
God that may be spared that day: | trust in
God that time may never come; but if the
spirit of sectional strife is allowed to remain
in this country; If this question is allowed to
be longer presented to the masses of the peo-
ple-appealing directly to their sectional pre-
judices and passions; if the elements of dis
cord be not removed from here; then, sir, |
have but little hope for the settlement of the
question without blood.
Here Mr.. Mr.. X. protested against certain
portions of the constitution of Minnesota,
which authorize ALLEN suffrage. We omit
what he said ON this head
Upon national questions there is no afiilia-
ton between the party of the Senator from
New York and myself. Upon mere questions
of policy make no pledges. So long as that
great gulf has been made between us on sec
tional issues in cOntraventiOn to the guaran-
tees of the Constitution of this country, in vi
OlatiOn of cOmpacts and compromises, while
we shall be very good friends we cannot work
at the same pile. ! am free to admit q say 1t
in order to set myself right here) that mean
to vote for the LecomptOn constitution be-
cause it takes the slavery question ont of this
Chamber, because il gives you no pretext, no
legitimate right urOn this floor to agitate
further the question of slavery except upon
that responsibility which all agitators and
persons and parties found in rebellion Gf you
please to accept that word) against the organ
lied authorities of the Government, choose to
take.
Sir, the responsibility of agitation will rest
upon the gentlemen here who initiate it when
once the mantle of sovereignty has been
thrown upon the people of Kansas, and out
side pressure has been removed. | am happy
to say frankly, boldly, and to the world, that
| am perfectly free to admit that the message
of the President upon that question, however
much he may have been wrong in his policy
before, in my Judgment is the only measure
of peace that has been presented here. AS
such | accept it. Upon that ground | take it.
believe. before God. he is right, take that
responsibility upon myself; but whatever re
suit may come, am not to be held accounta-
BILE for it, The authors, and beginners, and
originators, of this question must take the res
possibility to themselves. | do not mean to
vote TO keep up agitation in Kansas by letting
the people of Maine or Georgia. Maryland or
Vermont claim the right to frame a constitu-
ton there. A constitution has been presented
to me in conformity with law, legal in all its
bearings. The question of fraud | ignore.
There has been cheatery of every kind. l do
not mean to consider it. If representatives
come here under fraudulent vote it is com
petent for this body to purge itself of them,
and to investigate frauds affecting the cleo
ton of its members.
| have stated my views, Mr.. President; |
have protested against the principle of the
Minnesota constitution. | speak for a State
that | believe To be az truly. know to he as
thoroughly. sensitive upon all questions affect
ing the rights of the South "a any; yet, at the
same time, with every pulsation of her heart
beating for the preservation of this Union;
with every commercial tie and connection
that she has with the South aud Southwest,
she is endeavoring TO act rs u mediator in all
this war of strife upon an impractical issue
one. really in my humble judgement, of not
the slightest moment or the slightest impor-
lance. for the reasons have stated; because
slave labor will be controlled by the principle
of political economy, the immutable law of
supply and demand. l vote, then, To take
the question of slavery away from these Halls
by the only means that is in my power. /
vote in accordance with the principle or the
party that have the honor to represent,
which has for one of its cardinal doctrines
that alien suffrage and squatter sovereignty
be repudiated. Believing that the proper
authority has decided il not to be necessary To
submit the Lecompton constitution 10 every
resident inhabitant of Kansas for "A vote of
approval or rejection, / shall vote for the ac-
ceptanee of that constitution.
One other point of view | will allude TO
before conclude; and that is the inalienable
right of the people OF State, in the exercise
of popular sovereignty, in conformity TO law,
To- amend their consultation in their own way
and Tor their own purposes. The Legislature
of my own State of Maryland has, within the
last three days, passed bill on precisely that
ground, all parties concurring in it. Amer
leans aud Democrats have just passed a bill
To take the sense of the people ON amending
the constitution of Mary land, which now has