Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-12-28
SPEECH OF HON. B. F. WADE,

Mr.. WADE. Mr.. President, AZ p time like
this, when there seems 10 be a wild and I'M
reasonable excitement in many parts Of the
country, certainly have very little faith in
the efficacy Of any argument that may be
made; but at the same time, ! must say,
when | hear it stated by many Senators in
this Chamber, where we all raised our hands
to Heaven, and took a solemn oath TO sup
port the Constitution Of the United States.
that we are on the eve Of a dissolution of
this Union, and that the Constitution is 10 be
tramplcd under loOt-.silence under such cir
cumstances seems to me akin 70 treason itself.
have listened to the complaints on the
other side patiently, and with an ardent desire
to ascertain what was the particular difficulty
under which they were aboring Many Of
those who have supposed themselves aggriey-
ed have spoken; but / confess that am now
totally unable 90 understand precisely what it
is of which they complain. Why, sir, the
party which lately elected their President,
and are prospectively to come into power,
have never held an executive Office under the
General Government, nor has any individual
Of them. IL is most manifest, therefore. that
the party to which belong have as yet com
mitted no act Of which nybody can complain.
II they have fears as 90 the course that we
may hereafter pursue, they are mere appre-
hensons-a bare suspicion arising, ] fear,
out of their unwarrantablo prciudices, and
nothing else
wish TO ascertain at the outset whether
we arc right for ! tell gentlemen that, if they
can convince me that ! am holding any poli-
tical principle that is not warranted by the
Consultation under which we live, or that
trenches upon their rights, they need not ask
me 10 compromise IL. ! viii be ever ready
to grant redress. and to right myself whenever
! am wrong No man need approach me with
a threat that the Government under which
live is to be destroyed; because hope have
now and ever shall have. such o sense Of
justice that when any man shows me that
am wrong, l shall be ready to right it with
out price or compromise.
Now, sir, what is it of which gentlemen
complain; When ! left my homo in the
West TO come to this place, ali was calm.
cheerful, and contented. | hcnrd of no dis
content. ] apprehendcd that there was no
thing 10 interrupt the harmonious course Of
our legislation, did not learn that, since
we adjourned from this place at the end of
the last session, there had been any new fact
intervening that shoulda at all disturb the pub
lie mind. ! do not know that there has been
any encloachment upon the rights of any sec
ton Of the country since that timc and there
fore expected to have a very harmonious ses-
sion. IL is very true, sir that the great Re
publican party which has been organized ever
since you repealed the Missouri compromise,
and who gave you four years ago full warning
that their growing strength would probably
result as it has resulted, have carried the late
election; but did not suppose that would
disturb the equanimty of this body. |
did suppose that every man who was observ-
ant of the signs of the times might well see
that things would result precisely as they
have resulted Nor do | understand now
that anything growing out of that election is
the cause Of the present excitement that per-
vades the country.
Why, Mr. President this is most singu-
lar state of things. Who is it that is COM
planning; They that have been in a minori-
ty; They that have been the subjects of an
oppressive and aggressive Government; No,
sir. Let US suppose that when the leaders
of the old glorious Revolution met at Phi
ladelphia eighty-four years ago to draw up
bill of indictment against wicked King and
his ministers, they had been at loss what
they should set forth as the causes of their
complaint. They had no difficulty in setting
them forth so that the great article of i'm
parchment will 90 down to all posterity as a
full justification Of all the acts they did
But let us suppose that, instead of its being
these old patriots who had met there to dis
solve their connection with the British Gov
eminent and to trample their flag under foot.
1t had been the ministers Of the Crown, the
leading members of the British Parliament,
of the Iouniupnt tI,t J., !
Britain for thirty years previous: who would
not have branded every man of them as a
traitors: 1t would be said: 'You who have
had the Government in your own hands; YOU
who have been the ministers for the Crown.
advising everything that has been done, set
up here that you have been oppressed and ~s
grieved by the action Of that very Govern
ment which you have directed yourselves, -
Instead OF sublime revolution, the uprising
of an oppressed people, ready to battle a.
gainst unequal power for their rights, it would
have been an act of treason.
How is it with the leaders Of this modern
revolution: Are they in position to com
plain of the action of this Government for
years past; Why, sir, they have had more
than two thirds of the Senate for many years
past, and until very recently, and have al
must AAht AbMs ! NN-MlD complain, ought
to say-represent Dut little more than one
fourth Of the free people of these United
States, and yet your counsels prevail, and
have prevailed all along for at least ten years
past. In the Cabinet, in the Senate of the
United States, in the Supreme Court, in eve
ny department Of the Government, your Off j.
GERS, or those devoted to you, have been in
the majority, aud have dictated all the poll
cies Of this Government Is it not strange.
sir, that they who now occupy these positions
should come here and complain that their
rights are stricken down by the action of the
Government
But what has caused this great excitement
that undoubtedly prevails in portion of our
country If the newspapers are to be credit
ed, there is a reign Of terror in all the cities
and large towns in the southern portion of
this community that looks very much like
the reign of terror in Paris during the French
revolution. There are acts of violence that
we read Of almost every day, wherein the
rights of northern men are stricken down
where they are sent back with indignities,
where they are scourged, tarred, featherod.
and murdered, and no inquiry made as to the
cause. do not suppose that the regular
Government, in times Of excitement like these.
is really responsible for such acts | know
that these outbreaks Of passion, these terri
L.