The Constitutional. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1860-1861, 1860-12-15
SECESSION.

anu Us SOllit VI licHl IlNC ucSldIcu luci'
of dissolving their connection
with the Federal government previous to
the 4th of March next, we think it to be
our duty to present to the readers of the
" Constitutional the opinions of one of
the greatest of American statesmen, who,
though dead, a." still lives" in the hearts of
his countrymcn, upon that all important
subject, the dissolution of the American
Union.
The extracts below are taken from the
great speech of DaNIELWEBsTER, in the
Senate of the United States, on the 18th
March, 1850 in favor of the Constitution
and the Union, and will, we know, be
read with peculiar interest by all of our
readers who are still influenced by patriot
ic motives, and are willing to look back
to the perils which have heretofore beset
us and to those gallant spirits who occu-
pied so prominent a position in relieving
our country from the threatening danger.
1t were well for our country if the words
of WEBSTER could be read and reflected
upon by every American citizen; if so,
there would now be 10 danger to the
peace and prosperity of this once happy
land -
Mr.. President, shonld much prefer to have
heard from every member on this floor declarations
of opinion that this Union could never be dis
solved, than the declaration of opinion by any
body, that in any ease, under the pressure of any
circumstances, such dissolution was possible.
hear with distress and anguish the word Csc
cession," especially when it falls from the lips
Of those who are patriots, and known to the coun-
try, and known all over the world, for their polit-
zeal services. Secession Peaceable secession
Sir, your eyes and mine are never destined TO see
that miracle. The dismemberm5nt of this vast
country without CONFUSION The breaking up
Of the fountains of the great deep without ruting
the surface. Who is so foolish, | beg every
bodys pardon, as TO expect to SEE any such thing!
Sir, he who sees these States, now revolving in
harmony around a common centre, and expects
to sea them quit their places and fly off without
convulsion, may look the next bour to see the
heavenly bodies rush from their spheres, and jos
tie against each other in th realms Of space, with
out causing the wreck of the universe. There
can be 40 such thing as peaccable secession.
Pcaccb,c secession is an utter impossibility. Is
| the great Constitution under which we live, COW
cring this whole country, is it to be thawed and
melted away by secession, as the SHOWS on the
mountain melt under the influenced vcm2I
,lIIn, disappear almost Unobserycd, and run eff
| No, Sir! No, Sir vii! not state what might
produce the disruption Of the Union; but, Sir,
see as plainly as see the sun in the heaven what
that disruption itself must produce; see that ii
must produce war; and such war as l will not
describe, IN as t,cct0d character.
Pcarcab!e secession Pcaceable secession
The concurrent agreement of AL the members Of
this great republic 10 separate! A voluntary sep
araton, with aIimony on one side and onthe other
Why, what would be the result Where is In,
In, 70 De- drawn What States are to scccde
What is TO remain American What am | 70 be
An American 10 longer Am l to become sec
tional man, a local man a scparatist, with NJ
country III common with the gentlemen who sit
around me here, or who fill the other house Of
Congress! Heaven forbi! Where is the fac
of the republic to remain Where is the eagle
still to tower or is he to COVER, and shrink, and
fall to the ground Why, Sir, our ancestors, oul
fathers and our grandfathers those of them tina
are yet living amongst us with prolonged lives
woud rcbukc AMI rcproach us; and our children
and our grandchildren would cry out shame upon
us, if we of this generation should diShonOr these
cnSigns of the power Of tn government and the
harmony of that Union which is every day frl
among us with 50 much JOY and gratitude. VIVA
is to become of the army What is to becom,
Of the navy What is to become of the public
lands How is each of the thirty States odefen,
itself! | know, although the idea has not beer
stated distinctly, there is to b. it is suppose,
possible that there will be- a southern Copfcdera
cy | Go not mean when alludc to this state
mcnt that any ono seriously contcmplatrs such ;
state of things. l do not mean to say that it i
true, but | have heard it suggested elsewhere
tlat the idea has been entertained, that after tn,
dissolution of this Union, Southern Confcdcracy
might BE- formed. am sorry, Sir, that it ha
ever been thought of, talked of or dreamed Of il
the widest flights of human imagination. But
the idea, far as it exists, must be of a separa
ton, assigning the slave States to one side an,
the free states 10 the other Sir | may express
myself too strongly, perhaps, but there are impos
Utilities in the natural as well as in the physica
world, and hold the idea of a separation of thcs
States, those that are free to form one governmen
and those that are slavc-holdjng to form another
as such an impossibity. W. could not separat,
the States by any such line, if were to draw it
We could not sit down here to-day and draw
line of separation that would satisfy any five mel
in the country. There are natural causes tina
would keep and tie us together. and there are so
cal and domestic relations which We could no
break if we would, and which We should not if ",