Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-12-28

7
time, you have brought il to the verge {
destruction and the people believing 1t va
! time the sceptre should depart from you
hands, have placed it in more competen
hands. If this is so, you have NJ constitu
ti0nal right 70 complain, when we all dlSavo'
any intention so 10 make use of the vlctorl
we have won, as to Injure you NJ ali. Ihi
brings me here to the question 0l comp promise
The first day OF this session 4 senator rise
and offers resolution to inquire into tn
evils between different sections, and to ascer
tain what could be done to settle the dIilicui
II. tell that senator know OF no difficulty
As TO compromise, supposed We had agree
that the day Of promise was at an end. Th,
most solemn we have made have been VIOLATED
and where are they? Since ! have had q
seat in this Scna.e one Of considerable anti
quity was swept away from cur Statute book;
and when in the minority stood I'D here and
asked you to withhold your Eands-tLat i,
was a sacred compact between seGtiUns-WLat
was the cry? That it was nothiug bat an
act Of Congress, and c;uld BE- swept away by
the same majority that passed it. That WAS
true in fact and true in law, and it showed
the weakness Of compromises. Now, | only
speak for myself, that IN view Of the manner
in which compromises have been treated,
should think hardly any two members Of
the democratic party could look cdca other
in the face and say ''compromise' without a
smile. 4 compromise to be brought about
after the experience we have had, Is aJ'o-
lutely ridiculous. What are We = cJmnroIn-
ise? am one of those who went with zeal
to maintain the principles of tie Republican
party. In 4 constitutional way We met and
nominated our candidates. You did the
same. The issue wus made and We went to
the people with it, and although usually in
the minority, usually beaten, the Justice Of
our principles and the bad administration Of
the Government, convinced the people that q
change ought to be brought about, and after
trying your utmost and we our utmost, we
beat you. We beat You On the rhiuest and
most favorable issue ever presented to the
American people. and enc they understood
the best-aud now when We come u the cap
ital, We tell YOU that our candidates must be
inaugurated, and administer the Government
precisely as their predecessors have done. 1t
would be humiliating and dishonUrable 10 Us
If we listened to q compromise by which We
should lay aside the verdict Of the people
When YOU come to that you have no govern
ment, but anarchy intervenes and civil war
may follow, and all the evils that the human
can raise may be consequent
upon such a course as that. The American
people would lose the sheet anchor OF liberty
whenever it is denied Oh this floor that
fIirly given, shall rule. ! know
not waat others may DO. but | tell you, with
that verdict Of the people in my pocket, and
standing on the platform On which these can
didates were elected, | would suffer any lAinG
before would compromise in any way.
deem il no case where we have light to
extend courtesy or generosity. The absolute
right. tie most sacred that u free people can
bestow upon any man, IS their verdict that
gives him a fall title to the Ciiice he holds. If
We cannot stand there, we cannot stand any
where: and, my friends. any other verdict
would be as fatal to you Is to Us. You say
he cane from one section Of the country.
Whas Of that? Mr.. Wade appealed to gen
.lemen on the other side to say il they be-
Iieved if the result Gf the contest had been the
other way, the Republicans would have
threatened disunion? lie claimed that if MIR.
Lincoln was an honest man, he would ad-
minister the Constitution faithfully There
fore say to YOU, as far as am concerned, I
Will yield TO no compromise. | do n0c come
here begging one Ii would be an indirnity
to the people represent If | was TO stand here
-ccrcant to the rights Of my party We have
won our right to the chet inagistracy, and
f YOU are us willing 10 do justice TO others as
10 exact il from them, YOU would never rise
10 ask tor compromise. Many Of you stand
n an attitude hostile to this Government
when you threaten, unless we do 50 and 50,
rou viii - out Of The Union and destroy the
Government. | say, in M private capacity,
never yield to any thing by way OF threats.
IN nv public capacity | have 10 right to
,ield. Therefore, ! would net entertain 4
proposition for compromise Tuis long,
.hronic controversy must be met upon the
principles Of the Constitution. hope tmay
,e adjusted, but know Of no way except !
hat laid down by the Constitution Of the /
Jnited States. When we 90 astray from |
hat, we plunge ourselves INTO difficulties.
There are different ways Of constituting 1t, but !
n my Judgment it is the wisest Constitution |
ver yet organized and am willing to stand |
" it. | ask for nothing more.
There is another subject about which l |
,ught 10 say something. 1t is claimed that /
-ou have a right to secede at your pleasure.
cannot find any warrant Tor doctrine ike
hat in the Constitution. Ia my Judgment,
{ would be subyersivo Of constitutional obi |
,ations. Ii that is 50, we have no govern
nent. 1t would reduce this Union to mere |
Of States, to be rent asunder |
It the will of any oaptiOus member OF 1t.
The State Of South Carolina is a email State; |
,ut probably, if she was sunk by an earth |
iuake, we should hardly find it out, except |
" the unwonted harmony that would prevail |
n this chamber. | say this from no III Will. |
think she is unwise but would be will
ng to let her 20 out if we could do so with |
,ut an example fatal to all Government. But |
standing here, nv wishes must be controlled |
" constitutional duty. l don't see how any
nan can contend that State can 90 out OF
he Government at pleasure. The question
vas reviewed 80 years ago, and received
7erdict which, it was supposed, had set 1t at
TEST forever. By Gen. jackson, aud the men
who surrounded him, it was pronounced a
lelusion and utterly disruptlve OF all govern
nent. Yet, here 1t is to-day, blooming and
fresh. Mr. Calhoun, even, held to the doc
,rnes that we have power 10 make war on
State. You will find this doctrine in his
ong letter to Gov. Hamilton.
| acknowledge, to the fullest extent, the
light of revolution, if you SO call it-a right
70 destroy the Government and erect another
N Its ruins more in accordance with~your
wishes. But when you undertake 1t, you
undertake it with this provision Ii you are
successful, all is right-you are heroes; but
f YOU are defeated you are rebels.
That is the character of the resolutlonlsts
f successful, all we'll if unsuccessful, the
government treats them as traitors. He dld
not see cause to apprehend that any party
TO make war on the seeding States;
be only asserted the right to do so II they
saw fit. He would not, however, counsel or
ldyise any party to do it. He would be
very tender with the rights of the people
who were about TO break up the government
under which they had deliberately come to
the conclusion they could not live; bat he
that the position of the rcpnb-
licans would compel them to take austere
ground Although State seeedes, they
cannot recognize her right to 20 cut Oh the
Union until she gains the consent OF the Ui-
ion. The duty Of the chief magistrate Is to
execute the law in every part OF the govern
ment. We cannot be released from this OBJ
LEGATION. Nothing in the Constitution OF
the United States will warrant his saying
that a single Star has fallen. He is sworn