Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-05-23

experienced There is one thing they might have |
learned and that is that they cannot drive the ma
iority Of the southern people into line of action OF
that kind They may, by expressing their extreme 4
opinions, involve us in dficuties 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 I'M
wisely in my judgment, to express these views and
divide us at home. Mr.. Calhoun made remark
which reported to me, shortly before his DEATH
which refer to because in my Judgment it Illus
lrates the feeling Of the South, and, have allu-
ded to him. beg leave to say that having once IN
nv 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 1s4S, on the Clayton COM
promise, satisfied me because he agreed to take
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 on the line of the
constitution to preserve it But SIR the remark to
which allude, this; after 1 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 were to repeat it. which it is not necessary
that should do, 1t would only be creditabe to him
and his views-a gentleman from South Carolina,
then colleague Of his, gentleman with whom |
was on terms of great intimacy-said in the House
one day to me in conversation, last evening when
! was talking to Mr. Calhoun, by his bedside CIV
ing him nv views as to what would be the effect Of
dissolution Of the Union, he stopped me; and he
always stops me at that point. He said, you may
be right in your opinions, your argument is very
plausible | admit that cannot answer II, 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 say is that if the North
force it upon muSt make up our minds to take
it," That, think substantially his position,
that If we could maintain equality and our
rights in the Union, ought to stand by 1t; but,
if forced to take the other alternative, ought TO
make up 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, to submit to 1t
when their great essential rights are invaded; but
they will not in advance of such emergency,
take steps to produce its dissolution.
Ny own opinions on that subject have already
been sufficiently expressed and there 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
his in which he warned gentlemen the other side
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 contn-
gency, doubt whether any gentleman will De more
jealous, though doubtless many will be more able,
than MYSELF
not regard it a sufficient to break up the
Democratic party, much less to Justify revolution,
that Obliged to stand upon the old Cincinnati
platform. 1t the unanimous feeling Of the
South four years ago and of the Democracy of the
North, that the Cincinnati platform right. Be-
cause 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 | 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
are to have king would as soon acknowledge
that cotton is king anybody else. But sir. can
not admit that the who are planting cotton are
necessarily wiser better than those in old Vir-
ginia, who are cultvating tobacco and wheat, and
no cotton at all. Virginia has much interest in
slavery and the slave question the Gulf States.-
We ought all to act together. We ought all to go
into the contest and make a common fight will
say, however, though may be treadlng on delicate
! ground, that if | even thought craftsmanship
! 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 90 into
common struggle, with our Democratic friends in
we had done all that men could be expected to do to
maintain our rights and they would sympathize, to
! some extent, with us in any action which we might
have to take. On the other hand, if We to cut
loose from them make purely sectional party, say
that the whole North was hostile we should, Of
course soldify it against us and, think, with due
difference to the opinion Of others, it would be the
most insane policy that could be adopted If there
| were ten men hostile to me, and ten others whom
have 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 Inc this question:
There are some gentlemen who think that these
tional conventions mischievous things and that
they had better be broken up. Some believe that if
the conventions were broken up, we should have
candidates put out who might run better. | think
this is all mistake The country is not in the
condition in which it was in 1924, when there was
but one party Then they could dispense with con-
yentions safely, and every man support the candi-
date OF his choice. Now, there is formidable or
ganlzation which four years ago. almost strong
enough to get possession Of the Government which
believe has revolutionary objects in view and if
! we divide, think we surrender the Government to
them. Suppose we had southern candidate run
ming in the fifteen slave States and northern
didate running, l do not believe We could bring
the same force to support man in the South
that we could bring to the support Of one
carrying the national Democratic banner. The
great argument which has been used with us,
and the most effective, to bring men to our
support, North and South, is, that the Democratic
party is one which stands up in the thirty three
| States, and makes fight everywhere. Its flag waves
from Maine to California, and men are everywhere
marshaed under it. Cut it in two and many patriots
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 said
very sagaciously, when they thought the Democracy
| broken to DicceS that they tn have n
triumph, because great many conservative end
tmid men supported the Democratic party to pre-
serve the Union, and would now leave il. Sir, do
not consider it reproach to any man say that he