Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-04-23
Speech OF Hon. Henry n. Fuller, Of
Reunsy1vaufa.

speech OF Hon. Henry n. Fuller, OF
Pennsylvania,
Delsrered bsfore the Constitutional Union Asss-
eiation of Philadelphia, on The evening Of Apri1
3rd, 1860
Mr. PRESIDENT AND GENTLENES IL am
happy 10 meet with you on this occasion.
Business engagements have heretofore with
held me from an active participation in your
meetings, but have, nevertheless. watched
with earnest attention the inception and pro-
gress of your organization believe it to
be a movement well timed. and 10 the right
direction. Our desire. gentlemen, is to con-
ciliate and to harmonic the opposing inter-
ests and conflicting views of the American
people through the administration of their
government, so that each aud every State OF
the confederation. may feel and know that
this Union is honored and useful and for the
best interests of them all. The unfortunate
tendency of politics in this our day is to
violence and extreme opinions. The great
disturbing question of American politics is
the subject of African slavery. Politicians
at the North have, by heated representations of
supposed wrongs and injuries. so inf1amed
the popular mind that men intelligent men
have been possessed with a false and vagrant
philanthropy as to resist the laws, and to
be driven TO Instruction. treason, and the
scaffold. (Sensation1 Southern politicians
have constantly INDUCED in warm and pas
sionate appeals in behalf of their section, and
they have so exaspe-ated ana maddened the
public mind there, that intelligent men are
preparing for the fatal issue of secession
We desire, gentlemen. to intervene; we de-
sire to conciliate and to harmonize, and we
Fay that We are opposed to the agitation of
| slavery South. Applause We will abide
by the laws as they are. and we desire that
silence for the future which will secure to
this country peace and concord. lApplause.l
That Is the position we mean to occur. Since
lS47, our National and State councils have
done little else but discuss the question of
Slavery, and HAT to the exclusion of almost
every other. Millions of dollars have been
expended, years of time have been employed
in its disputation. and for what? What good
or practical purp' Sc has it accomplished
Has it emancipated one single slave, or in
any manner improved his condition? Has it
secured 10 freedom one single State or one
foot of territory, which by the operation of
climate and. of interest, il let alone, would
not have been free without IL? 1t has. in my
Judgment, accomplished no possible good,
but il has BEEN fruitful OF wrong, OF ill will,
OF uncharitable feelings, of evil and of mis-
chief.
We desire silence and forbearance on this
question, and to act as the citizens of a COM
mon country. We wish, fellow citizens, TO
wipe out Mason d Dixon's line, and every
other line which divides the affections and
interests of The American people. (Ap-
plausel We desire TO summon the people
from dangerous excitement and Improbable
contentious, and to invoke their attention o
the great subject of their common industry.
As Pennsylyanians we desire more Con-
gressional action in behalf of her great pro-
ducing interests. We believe this Govern
ment can, and that our Government ought
to protect the labor of its people. We ask
for that Immediate measure OF relief which
in principle and in fact shall be ample Ielia-
bic, stable and efficient. But we seek no
legislation that is not Just and equal to all
the States. We regard the favorlte policy
of Pennsylvania as beneficial to the whole
country, aud we trust her voice will now he
hearl.
We have no respect for the devotees of
law Tor political action higher than the Con-
stitution, because we believe no man in civil
society can be permitted to SIT up his own
conscience aud individual judgment as a rule
of conduct superior to the laws of the COM
munliy of which he is a member, in matters
affecting the rights, the moral and political
relations of others; such a doctrine would
lay the axe at the root of all social Organza-
ton and undermine the foundations of all
civil government. We equally disregard
the threatened action of those who declare
that the election of any man to The Prcsiden
cy would be just cause for disruption and
disunion. The will of the people. whenever
fairly and constituti0nally expressed, must
he respec ed and Obeyed.
On the 9TH day of March last. it was sew
enty-cne years since our national existence
commenced under the present Constitution
of the United States. During that period,
We have held seventeen Presidential Elec-
tions. fifteen of which have been determined
directly by the people, in the manner and al
ter the forms prescribed by the constitution.
The canvass preceding these elections has
in respect TO many of them. been warm and
exciting Yet each incumb-nt of the Pres
identical office has gone out and his success
sor has gone in without clamOr, without viO-
lencc, without the Intervention of armed
force, through the quiet operation OF eXis-
ting and respected iaw-and thus we hope
and trust it may continue to be until the end
In time of peace and general tranquility,
the love of Union often becomes relaxed and
weakened-then it is that local feelings, local
interests. and peculiar notions OF State poll
cy, control political action. and overshadow
great national sentiments; but let a time of
real danger exist, and we knit together, COM
pact for defence, against domestic treason or
foreign invasion.
Then we light anew the patriotic fires of
the olden tme--then it awakens airesh the
recolleciions of past glory-then we ieel that
we have a country which we love. OF whose
past history we are proud, and for whose tu-
ture we are justly responsible. Regard The
immortal memories of the past! Hope Tor the
gathering glories of the future! Behold us
nation. which, in the short period OF life
time has grown from three TO thirty millions
"a confederation which from thirteen States
has increased to thirty-tbree States. Under
our present Constitution we have added State
to State aud Territory to Territory.
We have purchased Louisiana from France,
acquired Florida from Spain. annexed Texas.
Conquered California, and filed the Valleys
of the Ohio. The Mississippi and the Missouri
with a thriving population. We are now
spreading everywhere along the coast OF The
Pacific, and soon. very soon. h1tco w'H be
corered srih the broad folds Of The american ttGg
Loud applause.) Our representative form
of government seems capable al unlimited
expansion. and in the progress OF time must
embrace the coniincnt--and all this VIII be
our country. May it ever remain one c0un-
try. loud applause.) In all the past has
not the Constitution greatly and gioriously
fulfilled the objects OF its establishment Has
not the Union under il. secured domestic
Tranquility ard the largest rational liberty!
Has il not covered every sea with our nag,
aud made for us name and power command
ing the respect of all the world; and should
We not. then, resolve in all our hearts tbat
with all our strsugth we will support IL Tor
all our livcs? Shall We not look upon this
whole country ms our country, aud every part
OF il as our part of the country, so that, de-
nying Justice TO none and securing equality
f,r nrf1 M mel lt.Te