Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-05-23

not enter into an argument with such gentlemen as
to how far they are right think they are wrong
Il seems to me thew are incapable Of learning by
experience. There is one thing thoy might have
learned and that is that they cannot drive the ma.
jorty Of the southern people into line of action OF
that kind. They may. by expressing their extreme
opinions involve us in difficulties divide US at the
South. and weaken our influence in the country.
thought, in 1850, that my section suffered be-
cause certain gentlemen deemed it proper, very IN.
wisely. in nv Judgment to express these views and
divide us at home Mr.. Calhoun made remark.
which was reported to me- shortly before his death,
which refer to because, in my Judgment, itilins-
trates the feeling of the South and, as have alu-
ded to him, beg leave to say that having once, IN
my earlier years. in some speech spoken in man.
ner not kind to him, take great pleasure in saying,
on this occasion, that my opinion was subsequently
changed and am satisfied that did him great in
Justice, His course in 1848, on the Clayton COM
promise, satisfied me because he agreed to take a
measure which he thought fell greatly short Of our
rights for the sake of peace aud harmony; and his
course in 1850 satisfied me that he had no Interior
designs against the government; that he was very
anxious. provided it could be kept the line Of the
constitution, to preserve it. But sir, the remark to
which audc was this; after l saw him for the
last time-for believe the last conversation had
with him was on the last dav he was in the Senate,
and if we're to repeat it. which it is not necessary
that should do, 1t would only be creditable to him
and his views-a gentleman from South Carolina.
then colleague of his, gentleman with whom
was on terms of great intimacy-sad in the House
one day to me in conversation, last evening" when
was talking to Mr.. Calhoun, by his bedside, Civ
ing him my views as to what would be the effect Of
dissolution of the Union, he stopped me; and he
always stops me at that point. lie said, you may
be right in your opinions your argument is very
plausible. l admit that l cannot answer it, but
there may come in disturbing causes which would
change all this. The effect of dissolution is one
of those great problems which the human mind
cannot grasp; all we can say is, that if the North
force it upon We mnst make up our minds to take
it," That think, substantially his position,
that if We could maintain our equality and our
rights in the Union, we ought to stand by it; but
if forced to take the other alternative, We ought to
make up our mindsto do it. / think this illustrates
the view of the great majority of the people Of the
South. They have no such blind reverence for the
Union, or for this government, as to submit to it
when their great essential rights are invaded; but
they will not, in advance of such an emergency,
take steps to produce its dissolution.
My own opinions on that subject have already
been sufficiently expressed, and there was no part
of the speech of the Senator from Mississippi yes
terday, able and eloquent as it was, that heard
with more pleasure than did those declarations of
Of the effect that would follow their attempt to carry
out their views. expressed my opinions early this
session; expressed them in the Fremont contest
and shall stand upon them; and in such a contin-
gency, doubt whether any gentleman will &c more
jealous, though doubtless many will be more able,
than myself
But, sir the people of the southern States will
not regard it as sufficient reason to break up the
Democratic party, much less to Justify revolution
49,, Al
platform. 1t was the unanimous feeling of the
South four years ago, and of the Democracy Of the
North, that the Cincinnati platform was right Be-
cause our convention chooses to adhere to it now,
to adhere to it substantially you cannot induce
the majority of the southern people to dissolve the
Democratic party; and hence l regret extremely
that portion of our friends in the South found it
necessary. in their Judgment, to withdraw from the
convention. All those gentlemen that know are
men of high honor, courage, and ability. | think
they made mistake But be that as it may, large
majority of the southern delegates in the proportion
of seventy to fifty, remained in the convention.
Something is said know about the cotton States
withdrawing have great respect for cotton, and if
We are to have a king, would as soon acknowledge
that cotton is king as anybody else But sir, can
not admit that the men who are planting cotton are
necessarily wiser or better than those in old Vr-
ginia, who are cultivating tobacco and wheat, and
slavery and the slave question as the Gulf States
We ought all to act together. We ought all to 60
into the contest and make a common fight. l will
say, however, though may be treadlng on delicate
ground that if l even thought craftsmanship re-
quired dissolution Of the Union. should have a
choice as to how it should be effected looking to
future results. For example; if We were to 60 into
common struggle, with our Democratic friends in
the North aiding US, they would at least see that
W. hail all Int hao tn do RI
maintain our rights, and they would sympathze, to
some extent, with us in any action which we might
have to take On the other hand, if we were to cut
loose from them, make purely sectional party. say
that the whole North was hostile, we should Of
course, solidify it against and, think with due
Difference to the opinion of others, it would be the
most insane policy that could be adopted. II there
were ten men hostile to me, and ten others whom
have as friends would it not be the height of folly
for me to make the whole twenty hostile and turn
them all against me?
But come, Mr.. President, to consider . second
class who do not agree with me on this question:
There are some gentlemen who think that these ma
tional conventions are mischievous things, and thai
they had better be broken up. Some believe that i
the conventions were broken up, We should have
candidates put out who might run better. l thinl
this is all a mistake. The country is not in thu
condition in which it was in 1924, when there wa.
but one party Then they could dispense with con
yentions safely, and every man support the candi
date of his choice. Now, there is a formidable or
ganzation, which four years ago, was almost strong
enough to get possession of the Government, which
believe has revolutionary objects in view; and
we divide, think We surrender the Government t.
them. Suppose we had southern candidate run
ming in the fifteen slave States and northern can
didate running, do not believe We could brnl
the same force to support our man in the Soutl
that we could bring to the support of on
carrying the national Democratic banner Tn
great argument which has been used with us
and the most effective, to bring men to gu
support, North and South, is, that the Democrat
party is one which stands up in the thirty -thre
States, and makes fight everywhere. Its flag wave
from Maine to California. and men are evcrywher
marshaled under it. Cut it in two, and many patriot
and good men, who did not belong to it originally
but who have come into it recently, will fall off.
perceive that some of the Republican papers sal
yery sagacousy when thew Thought the Democrac