The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-02-08
GREAT SPEECH
STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS
ON THE ..sa- trl ... .s.r
HARPER'S FERRY INVASION, b:
Delivered January 9sd, in the United States
Senate. y...s.. .-

HARPEh y rEhh1 lNNnoAO"
Delivered January 9sd, in the United States
Senate. g-...... .-
Al half past one o'clock, the hour fixed
for the consideration of the following reso.
luton, offered on Monday last by Senator
Douglas
Resolved, That the Committee on the Ju.
dietary be instructed to report bill for the
protection of each State and Territory of the
Union against invasion by the authorities or
inhabitants of any other State or Territory,
and for the suppression and punishment Of
conspiracies or combinations in any State or
Territorv, with intent to invade, assail or
molest the Government, nhabitants, proper.
tv, or institutions Of ony State or Territory
Of the Union
Mr.. Douglas rose and said:
On the 2lst of November last, the Gov
ernor of Virginia addressed an official COM
uunicution to the President of the United
States, in which he said, ~ have information
from various quarters, upon which l rely.
that conspiracy, Of formidable extent in
means and numbers, is formed in Ohio,
lvania, New. York, and other States,
to rescue John Brown and his associates,
prisoners at Charlestown, Virginia. The
information is specific enough to be relia-
.ble;" and gain, "Ploces in Maryland, Ohio,
and Pennsylvania have been occupied as de-.
pots and rendezvous for these desperadoes,
unobstructed by guards, or otherwise, to in
yade this State, and we are kept in continual
apprehension OF outrage from fire and rapine.
upprise you Of these facts, in order that
you may take steps to preserve peace be-
tween the States"
To this communication the President Of
the United States returned reply, from
which read the following sentence:
81 am at loss to discover any provision
in the Constitution or laws Of the United
States which would authorize me to take
steps for this purpose" To preserve the
peace between the States. 80.
This announcement produced profound
impression upon the public mind, and espe
cially in the slavehoIding States. 1t wai
generally received and regarded as an au
tboritative declaration that the Constitution
1.-THE United States confers no power upor
the Federal Government to protect the sew
eral States of this Union against Invasion
from the other States.
shall not stop to inquire whether it wal
the meaning Of the President to declare thu
the existing laws conferred no authority up
on him, or that the Constitution authorized
Congress to enact no lows which would su
thorize the Federal interpostion to protec
the States from invasion. My object is t.
raise the inquiry and ask the judgment OF tn
Senate and the House upon the question
whether it is not within the power Of Con
press, and the duty OF Congress-, under th
Constitution, to enact oil laws which ar
necessary and proper for the protection
each and every State against invasion, eithe
from foreign Powers or from sny portion
the United States. Tho denial Of the exis
ence OF such power in the Federal Geverr
ment has induced an inquiry among conser'
alive men-men loyal to the Constitute
and devoted to the Unior-asto what NEAR
OF protection they have II the Federal Go
ernment is not authorized 10 protect theI
AGAINST external violence. It must be col
ceded that no community is safe, and no Sta
can enjoy peace or prosperity, or domest
tranquility, without security against extern
violence. Every State and Nation Of u
world, outside OF this Republic. is suppose
to maintain armies and navies for this pr
cise purpose. 1t 10 the only legitimate pu
nose for which armies and navies are mai
tuined in time OF peace. They may be Ike
up for ambitious purposes, for the purpose
aggression and foreign war. but the iegi
mate purpose Of military force in time
peace, is to insure domestic tranquil
iagainst violence or aggression from witho
their respective limits.
The States Of this Union would posse
that power were it not for the restraints il
posed upon them by the Federal Constitute
When that Constitution was made, the Stat
surrendered to the Federal Government I
power TO raise and support armies ]; to pl
vide and maintain naves /; and not only 81
rendered the means Of protection from inv
sion, but consented to prohibition up
themselves, which declared that emo Stt
shall keep troops or vessels Of war in time
peace" Were their hands thus tied by
Constitution and were they thus strip
Of all means Of repelling assaults, or ma
taining their own existence, without q gu
antee from the Federal Government OF
Union, to protect them against violence
II the people Of this country shall set el
,&sa down into the conviction that there IS
lf}$$hhSo~er in the Federal Government, under
Constitution, to protect each and every St
from violence, from aggression, and from
! t4 preston, they will demand that the cords
II; severed which thus bina'them, and that
,iW vespons be restored to their hands "
which they may defend themselves. T
INQUIRY involves the qdesston' Of the perpe
ityFof the Union The means Of defen
the means Of repeIling ASSAULTS the ne'
Of providing against invasion, Is necess
condition for the safety and existence Of
States.%.' as.g s,..,g,.. h.
Now, sir, hope to be able to denionstf
4 ~ s.T - cosu ua,h