Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-02-15
SPEECH OF HON. NV. T,pp.y,
II TIE HOUSE FEB.

iect, that the provisions of the Constitution
are ample for the preservation of the Union
that Il needs to be oheyed rather than amend
ed, and that extrication from the rresen
difficulties should be looked for in the en-
lorcemeEt OF the laws and in efforts to pre
serve ana protect the public property, rathe
than IN new guarantees for particular inter
eSts' OF compromises and concessions to IN
I reasonable demands. He was on
OF the very few members of the House VIII,
voted against raising this Committee. III
dld so, not because he did not fully under
stand and appreciate the perilous condition
OF the country, nor because at the nrope,
time he would be unwilling to make reason
aeIe concessions mot involving the sacrifice
OF principle) when there were real criey
ances, but because, in the first place. any
" Compromise" that could be made now
/ would be degrading and humiliating to the
! North; and secondly, such was the madness
! that ruled the hour at the South, he did not
! De.Ieye That any measures that we should be
able to pass would do any good, but in case
/ OF failure, would only add fuel to the flames.
/ As events had rolled on he was only confirm
! ed IN his convictions. He believed that the
! Juror at the South has taken the form of an
/ epidemic, and like fever in the human sys-
/ TEN, must have its run. If the COnstititu-
uon was not strong enough to carry the
/ country through this crisis, no remedy that
| tins Congress could apply would be likely to
/ elect cure. lie had faith in the Constitu-
ton. 1t was apparently weak now-but it
was strong, and in the end would put forth
Its power and the country would rise from its
prostratlOn stronger than ever before. Z"
That portion Of the American People who
had elected their President in the mode and
form prescribed by the Constitution, had
done nothing that required apology, and be,
Tor one, did not 20 into the election to have
ms principles given mp and abandoned a the
trst howl Of those who We're disappointed at
the result. The Republicans nominated
conservative and honest man, and a conServ-
atyo and patriotic platform Of principles.
which embraced every interest in the country.
and which in no wise conhicted with the
Constitution. It would rot be contended
That there was no necessity for a change in
the Administration. Every avenue of the
Government reeked with fraud and corrup-
tlon until at last it eliminated in one Of the
most stupendJus official robbe1ies that ever
astonlshcd the American people. The change
md not come moment too soon. Other
parties Went into the election and it was their
patriotic duty to abide bv the result But
no sooner was the election Of Lincoln known.
than the fires of revolution broke out at
Charleston and other parts of the Cotton
States, and without allowing time for parley,
and with indecent haste, the dIsunlOnIsts,
who had been, by their own confession, plot
ting The overthrow Of die Government for
thirty years, had seized the public property,
fired upon the American illg, and wish iCers
at the Government that had protected them so
lJuE.bad resolved themselves outUt the mon.
Under these circumstances, he said he was
l1r stponlng all other questions and COM
promises uutll the vital fact was ascertaiued
whether we had a government or not, and he
pat it 90 ,he caud1r Of tie gentlemen on the
other side, whether in case they had been
che victor-. and Massachusetts and New
HamT shire had done as South Carolina and
other States had done, whether they would
have made haste and got on to their knees
with AN apology. If a decent selErespect
would prevent them from doing this, he
must be Vardonod if be also declined to do
the same thing. If this Government was so
utterly weak and worthless that the first
breath of treason was sufficient to destroy its
vitality, 1t was not worth saving. He was
T narrowing the issue to Government or no
Government, and for ascertaining who were
for it and who were against it. And he sol
emnly believed that if this position had been
taken at the outset, instead Of lritterlng
away the time in attempting to compromise
what cannot be compromised, the crisis would
lcl0re now have been passed. We should
have then presented an issue around which
the IaTlotic men in the Border Slave States
could have rallied. and standing with US on
ne common platform Of the Constitution
and the Union the flood Of secession would
have been stayed Firmness and courage
were what were necessary in a crisis like this.
Every time the people sof the Free States
have fallen back one step, the SccessIonlsts,
with fercer yells. have advanced two. And
SO il would be to the end. If we compromise
to-day, We viii be required to yield more to
morrow and when the North was sufficient
" humiiiated, he apprehended no difficulty
in demonstrating" the Government, 50 as
to place it in the hands Of the slave power
forever. lie was for making stand some
where, and he chose to make it before he
commenced to run at all lie detested the
treason Of South Carolina, but could not
help admiring her pluck. She had no scru-
pies at firing upon the glorious flag OF her
country, and she flung defiance at US in every
form lie would to God, that somebody
who had authority to speak for the Govern
ment would exhibit half the zeal for the
Union that South Carolina did against 1t.
He said this country presented most mel
ancholy spectacle before the nations OF the
earth. 1T the first dawn Ct treason in its
borders a great nation retires ingloriously
before il, and to-day is seen crumbllng to
pieces without an effort to maintain its IN
tegrtv OF finger raised to defend the honor
Of its flag In all the tide Of time the
world never witnessed SO cowardly an exhibi-
ton. lie argued that the policy Of enforc-
ing the revenue laws and protecting the
Capitol would not necessarily result 10
general civil war The Government would
be on the defensive, and defending the price
less Inheritance Of Liberty which our fathers
blqucatLcl to US at the loss Of so much blood
and treasure. The sympathies Of every Gov
erument on earth would be with the const-
tuted authorities of the United States, and
the prayers Of every lover Of Constitutional
Liberty, whether in the Old or New World,
would ascend to the throne Of Jehovah, that
this Government, founded in the principles
Of freedom and the rights Of man, might not
be destroyed by the enemies Of both.
lie deprecated war in which brethren
should be arrayed against brethren, or kin
dred against kindred, nevertheless, wisely
but firmly, he would have the Government
make a trial for its own protection that 1t
might not be scof and by-word among
the Nations.
lie showed that tie Crittenden PROPOSE
ton involved the principle of Slavery pro-
lection in future acquisitions of Territory,
and contended that it was a premium offered
to flibustering and invasions of friendlyPow
ers for the pose of extending Slavery, and
that it was the adoption into the Constltu-
ton of the creed of the ultra portion OF the
Democratic party, who broke up the
Charleston Convention. because 1t was not
put in the Democratic platform. lie sald
this proposition would never be accepted by
the Free States, let the consequences be
what they may, and be appealed to the Dem
ocratic party in his own State to say whether
thew would adopt this doctrine OF Constltu-
tional and Congressional protection to ola-
very, because their opponents had risen IN
treason against the Government. lie said
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