Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1860-02-04
SPEECH OF
Hon. Stephen A. Douglas,


IN Senate, Monday, JaRudgy 30, 1860
The hour having arrived for the consideration
or the special order, the Senate proceeded tC
consider the following resolution, submitted By
sir. DouGLAs IN the 10th Instant
Pesoirsd That the Committee ON tho Judiciary he In
strure report bill for the protection Of each State and
Territory Of the Union against Invasion by the auorle'
suppression and punishment Of
any state Territory with intent to invade assail on
modest the government inhabitants property or institu
lions Of any other State or Territory II the Union
Mr. Presidents On the 25th Of November last,
the Governor of Virginia addressed an official
communication to the President of the United
States, in which he said
~ have information from various farters upon which
rcly that ar1nspirncy q i2pnNp'l Hten IN nlsans ana
other States TO rescue John Brown am his associates prls
Al charlesiown Virginia Thesorma'io9 issrecifc
Places in Maryland Ohio and Penn ylvania have been
occupied rpots and rendezvous bYhee desperadues
unobstructei BY guards otherwise, invade this state,
and we are kept in continual apprchenf Of outrage from
FIRE and rapine appso OF these facts In order that
you may take steps 10 preserve peace wecn tho States
To this communication, the President of the
United States, on the 2sth Of November, re-
turned reply from which reat the following
sentence:
NJ loss TO dlscoyerany provlsio in the Constii
iion or laws Of the United which w I'D authorize
10 take steps for thlspurposeh lhai to preserve the
peace between the statcsl
This announcement produced aprofound i'm
preston upon the public mind, especially in
the slayehoding States. at was generally re-
reiyed and regarded rs an oilicialand authors
tatiyc announcement that the Constitution of
the United States coniers no powir upon the
Federal Government to protect lac several
Stntes of this Union against invasion from the
other States. | shall notstop to inquire whether
the President meant to declare that the exist
.tt,st. Ia, NJ hat
the Constitution empowers Congress to enact
no laws which would authorize the Federal in
terposition TO protect the States from Viyasion;
nv object is to raise the inquiry. and H. ask the
Judgment of the Senate and of the Mouse of
Representa-. IS on the question, Whether it is
not within tie power of Congress, and he duty
of Congress, under the Constitution, 4 enact
all laws which are necessary and propcf for the
protection of each and every State against in
vasion, either from foreign Powers or tfon any
portion Of the United States
The denial of the existence of such a power
in the Federal Government has inducedun in
uuiry among conservative men-men loyal to
the Constitution and devoted to the Union--as
10 what means they have Of protection, Y the
Federal Government is not authorized toy pro-
tect them against external violence. ltFiust
he conceded that no community is safe, no State
can enjoy peace OF prosperity, or domcsticran-
guilty, without security against external Nio-
lence. 1t must he conceded that no community
is safe, no State can enjoy peace, or prosper
ty, or domestic tranquility, without security
against external violence. Every State and
nation of the world, outside of this Republic, is
supposed to maintain armies and navies for this
precise purpose. 1t is the only legitimate pur-
nose for which armies and navies are main
tanned in time ofpeace. They may be kept
for ambitious purposes, for the purposes OF a9'
erosion and foreign war; but the legitlmau
purpose of military force in time OF peace Y
to insure domestic tranquility against violence
or aggression from without their respective
limits. The States of this Union would possess
that power were it not for the restraints I'M
posed upon them by the Federal Constitution,
When that Constitution was made, the States
surrendered to the Federal Government the
power to raise and support armies, and the
power to provide and maintain nayles, ana not
only thus surrendered the means OF protection
from invasion, but consented 10 prohibition
upon themselves which declared that no State
shonld keep troops or vessels of war in time OF
peace.
The question now recurs, whether the States
of this Union are in that helpless condition.
with their hands tied by the Constitution,
stripped of all means of repelling assaults ana
maintaining their existence, without guaran-
tee from the Federal Government, from the
Union, to protect them against violence II the
people of this country shall settle down into
The conviction that there is no power IN inc
Federal Government under the Constitution 'c
protect each and every State from violence
from aggression, from oppression, they VIII de-
nand that the cord be severed, and that the
Weanons be restored to their hands with which
they NAV defend themselves. This inquiry in
wolves the pcrpetuity of the Union. The means
of defence, the means of rcpelling assaults, the
means ofproviding against invasion, must ex-
list as n condition of the safety and the eXis-
tence of the States.
Now, sir, | hope to be able to demonstrate
that there is no wrong in this Union for which
the Constitution of the United States has no
provided n remedy. believe, and | hope
shall lie able TO maintain, that a remedy is fur
nished for any wrong that can be perpetratet
within the Union if the Federal Government
performs its whole duty. think II is clear, OF
!. careful examination of the Constitution, tina
the mower is conferred upon Congress, first t.
provide for repelling invasion from ioreigI
countries; and, secondly, to protect each stat
Of this Union against invasion from any othc
State, Territory, or place, within the jurlsdic
ton of the United States. | will first call you
attention, sir, to the power conferred upon Con
,tress TO protect the United States-includini
States. Territories, and the District of Colum
bia; including every inch of ground within on
limits and Observation-Disclosures ioieIBh nv "a
sion. In the eighth section of the first articl
Of the Constitution, you find that Congress ha
power
3To rase and support armies to provide md maintain
NAVY; 10 make rules for the government and regulation
The land and naval forces to provide for calling lorh ~
inlltn nrxecutc the laws of tho Union suppress ineu
rection and rcpol inyason
These various clauses confer upon Congress
mower to use the whole military force OF tn
country for the purposes specified in the oon
stitution. They shall provide for the cxe exec,
lion of the laws of the Union; and, secondly
suppress instructions. The instructions ther
referred to are Instructions against the AL
thority of the United States-insurrecton
against n State authority being provided fori
a subsequent section, in which the Unite
States cannot interfere, except upon he appl
cation of the State authorities. me invssi 10
which is to he repealed by this clause Of u
Constitutions an invasion of the United state
The language is Congress shall have power
"repel invasions." That gives the anthor Z,
10 repel the invasion, no matter whethor u
aaa,a,. aha land within the limits OF Nlrglnl