The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-01

estimation OF the people OF the south had u done otheI
wise All its constitutional power has been employed TO
maintain the neutrality law in its spirit and enforce it to
the letter Indeed sir, vgilaDt has been the admin
staOn Ia the suppression of expeditions to Nicaragua
that Of the first aud best from the South have
thought that the neutrality laws have been enlarged by
construction and strained in their execution. Hgrand
ues fail to prefer bills petit ures TO convict let the
blame rest upon them, upon the law which, for wise
purposes under free system vests in them these pow
crs
Let il be remembered that the federal executive
hausts all its powers when in good faith and with ygor,
it accuses and prosecues. Nor is prosecution without
conviction always farce The fact that prosecutions
pressed and offenders subjected 10 the expense and anxiety
attendant upon bonds imprisonment far 10 deter
Others from similar adventures, and often answers this
important object of punishment The correspondence of
the Treasury and Navy Departments discloses Jealous
efforts TO preserve untansed the honor of the country
and maintain nyiolste its law of neutrality. Yet,
sir, there not wanting in this country familiar
with the limited powers of Executive and the checks
which constitution interposes between those powers
aud the lberty of the citizen ready to echo the of
Foreigners that government connves at these expe
ons and secretly reoices at their escape from our
shores Shame upon all who for purposes Of party thus
lower the standard of American character abroad and
bring reproach Upon their country ia the eyes OF the
civilized world
Equally vigaut has been the administration in its ef
forts to suppress the African slave trade Efforts have
been made TO detect all who participated in the enter
prise and all detected have been committed for trial
What may be the result of the prosecutions no man can
foresee but the government has gone the entire length
of its constitutional limit Active agents appointed,
assistant counsel Is employed and no labor or expense
has been spared to bring the offenders to justice Should
dro result let il be attributed either to the arshnesS
of law of doubtful constitutional authority, making
the trade piracy to that inestimabe constitutional
privilege OF trial by jury which sometimes enables the
guilty TO escape, but otener is the only security for the
| innocent.
! From these facts Mr. Chairman which caunot be
trutbfully denied assert that in the important function
of the execution of The law this administration has Ills
charged its whole duty, without respect 10 sections pr to
men. IL has most enphatcay, known no North no
I South, no East West II has been cnabed THUS To
execute laws of gnosi sectional character all sections OF
the Uuon because il lifted into power by all sections
of the Union and this last thought leads me to the
consideration Of the third purpose for which alluded to
the 'hgher law and some of its consequences. That
purpose is to show that administration elevated TO
power by party except party composed AT mate
rial from both the great distinctive sections OF this con,
ceracy, govern that ccnedcrcy, and execute the
laws In peace. II never be done hy any adminsra
| ton put into power by section alone. lu other
words the purely sectional party will inev
aby result in the overthrow of the government and
dissolution of the Union Suppose the republican pnrty
had succeeded in the last presidential contest aud i
clustering enterprises and slave trade adventures similar
to those lately exhibited at the South, had been set
on foot does any man believe the adninstra
top of that party could have suppressed them IN peace
Suppose the South had acquicsced in the inauguration Of
such administration six months would not have
elapsed before revolution and ruin would have over
whelmed the country. Let it be remembered that rctoif
hons he uok Of sober jorics acting through ne
forms Of irv spark is thrown into some iniammabe
neghborhood it ignes the hearts of the people there
and catching and spreading into other neghborhood it
and burns wherever it finds material on which to
feed and it finds that material wherever hearts, kindred
to those first nfamed beat with the same sympathes OF
Cline country section. Men thus on fire do not
stop to argue. The heart the great governor of the will
beats for action, and act they must.
Now sir in view of this principle of human nature,
universal in man. let suppose an administration not
/ fzr l,n M Tho Gnnfh /
the dominant section, not voted for by man ut the
North to undertake to enforce law calculated to arouse
sectional feeling in the weaker section what, ask
would be the natural consequence Resistance to ITS exc
cution--wroneul and unlawful in its origin, ii you
please confined, it might be, to single ncShborhood,
perhaps to hundred men but resistance still would De
made 10 execute the law thus resisted, force wonld
necessarily he rcsored to and it requires no prophet 10
oresec that the first drop of blood shed by order OF such
executivc-in whose choice they had no share--wonld
like the blood split at Lexington, arouse million OF
hearts, and baptze another newborn nation
| Mr. Chairman there excitement, intense excite
ment at Mobile and Savannah in consequence OF the
efforts of his administration, elected in part by the people
there to enforce the laws Who shall say what would
have been the consequences had force been used by
tional administration, for which no man among that
people had votcd-Day which administration had been
installed into power by organization hostile to one Oh
their dearest rights, the right of property and that oo
when the offenders sought to be punished were seeking
in the opinion of portions of that people, to extend ana
strengthen that great right of property
Sir my colleague in the Senate, Mr. lvERsoN, few
days since, expressed the opinion that the Union could
not survive the election Mr. SEWARD TO the presidency
that opinion has been dcued and the senator derided
Yet undertake to say that more solemn truth never
was uttered in the American Senate and every man IN
Georgia, who knows anything OF me- knows that IN my
heart the wish father to the thought. My views
have ever been conservative my love of the Union of
my fathers intense | have sometimes thought Mr.
Chairman too strong but, sir, my Judgment, stripped
of all feeling, cold aud naked, no other result
from his accession to power. Even if the South waited
for the Inauguration of who announces that all the
States must be slave, the first effort he made to
enforce any law connected with slavery would be resist
ed it, for other reason for the purpose OF producing
! a separation blood, revolution, civil war would fol
! low and the Union fathers made t--a Union
of equal and asscnting Staeswoud DC NJ ah Gnu ioi
! ever.
of all parties oc eytsnq and organized the democratic party
alone govern this country in peace and give to the
people security everywhere. II is the only party possess
cd strength North and South aud therefore The only
paty that can govern in peace both North and South
The republican PARTY confined 10 the North the Amer
lean party the South the latter not so confined from
its principles but because il is absorbed by the rcpub
cans the North, and has distinctive strength there
am aware that an effoit is being made to form party
out of the two uniting the Americans and the more con
crvatvc republicans upon approach, at least, of ma
onal principles. This policy was toreshadowed in an
allie speech ly the distinguished gentleman from Ken
! tuckv [Mr. MARSHALL few nights ago. | wish that
policy success for if the democratic party must be de
oated for the sake of the country aud the continuance
and SUCCESS of institutions let it c done by party
assHadta 10 national not sectional drawing it's
inspiration FROM the constitution and with patriotism
! ns broad as the Union.
nxpilli IA,