The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1861-01-09

oSoothoioeT
Obviously, then, Senators, it cannot be that a
mere violation Of the Federal Constitution, and
far less Of federal laws. would leave to Congress
no discretion whether actual war should or
should not be levied.
This having been shown, as conceive, why
should we not avoid war. u possible, with the
authorities and the people Of South Carolina2
"oh" some objector willsay, "wc must collect
i the revenue" Yes, sir. men who care nothing
whether justice be administered in the Federal
Courts or not; whether the people OF South
Carolina have any representatives in Congress
or any other advantage from the Government,
cred constitutional vindication,) that we shall
make as much money from these people, levy
as much tribute on them as possible Well,
suppose that we conquer them, oil of them;
disperse the convention and the legislature by
arms; execute as traitors all the officers Of the
State: is that maintaining the Union? The
Senator from Tennessee appeared to think so
yesterday, If rightly heard his speech.
; think not think the Union would at once
and necessarily be destroyed. We should have
SO much territory from the Atlantic ocean to
the Savannah river as our conquered prov ince; /;
we should have SO many prisoners, and, If we
spare their lives, so many helpless subjects; but
we should certainly have overthrown THE Gov.
ERNMENr of the State, and South Carolina
would be no more. We might erect some false
image, instead Of the State so demolished; but
our confederate--our sister--is dead. ID. .,.
"Labitur exsangnis, lablntar frigida leto.
Lumina, purplrens quondam color era reiqut =
Mr.. President, am for peace. and not for
war: least Of all, for war so unnatural as this
would be. | am for conciation; and there fore,
in good faith will stand at the side of my hon.
orabe friend from Kcntucky, Mr.. Crit,enden, !
and earnestly endeavor 10 keep the door of
compromise open as long as possible. Others
may debate the abstract right, as they call it, of
a State to secede; but my voice shall not en-.
gage in clamor SO dreadful. esteem the
path have chosen 10 be the path of safety for
all the States, and therefore the path Of wis
dom; not, indeed, that wisdom by which the
people are sometimes betrayed, under specions
phrases and soft pretexts, to their own ruin,
kindling their hearts with hatred and staining
their hands with blood; not that wisdom found
ed upon humane Thoughts, by which nations
continue to flourish and idrig maintain u. sir i5-
critics. / am opposed ~ the scheme under
what name soever disguised of plunging our
country into the abyss Of violence anarchy, and
fatal dismemberment
If the Prince OF Wales when lately adm
ring the magnifcence OF our domain, our luxu-
rious cities, our noble rivers and lakes, our vast
tkles, our sombre mountains, our smiling
fields and plains our stupendous works of pub
lie improvements, remembered--as being doubt
less familiar with all the slories OF English liz
erature, he may have remembered--the speech
delivered by Edmund Burke in the House of
Commons on the 22d Of March, 1775, in favor
Of conclIation with the American colonies, he
probably said to himself or possibly to others.
"Alas! Alas! had my great grandfather, George
III, listened to such counsels in time, and fol-
lowed them, instead Of attempting to collect
the revenue and enforce the laws by mere vic.
lence, while complaining people stood before
him with angry countenances and hearts almost
turned to despair, this ma'ohless jewel might
have glittered this day as the proudest in my
mothers diadem" +f-s r r-.-
Mr., President, from that very speech allow
me to give you the substance ofthe objections
which / have urged at length; aa aa
First. sir, permit me to observe that the use
of force alone is but temporary. 1t may subdue
for moment, but it does not remove the ne
: cessity ofsubduing again; and nation Is not
governed, which is perpetually to be conquer
ed.
"My next objection is uncertainty Terror
is not always the effect of force, and an arlna
ment is not victory. If you do not succeed
you are without resource, for, conciliation fail.
ing, force remains, but, force failing no further
hope OF reconciliation is left. Power and su
tbority are sometimes ,ught by kindness; but
+: they can never be begged, as aims by an impo
, verished and defeated violence 3
"a further objection to force is. that you i'm
pair the object by your very endeavors TO pre-
vent it. The thing you fought for is not the
! thing which you recover; but deprecated, sunk
wasted, and consumed in the contest. Moth
I ing less will content Inc than WHOLE America.
do not choose to consume its strength along
with our own; because in all parts, it is the
: British strength that I consume. I do MOI
: choose to be caught, by foreign enemy at thu
1 end of this exhausting conflict; and, still less
in the midst oft. ! may escape; but car
make no assurance against such an event."
Senators, did hope, fondly hope, that in
stead ofrefusing to accept terms Of cancellation
: and honorable compromise; instead Of madly
provoking whole States and millions Of people
to what some o. you call treason and rebellion
instead of giving them and ourselves to destruc
ton upon the fatal concet that our oaths to sup
y port the Constitution Of the United States d.
not even allow us to pause in the presence o
!, an unexamped crisis, we should all have agreed
ere this, in the adoption Of measures calculated
: to stay the alarm which now pervades tn
: country, and threatens our Union with perpet
ual overthrow. There is yet time; but time 4
very precious. Let us determine, first of all
! are able in any manner to avoid it. War rs NJ
remed. in such case; it is always horrible
vis,tation--horrible when waged Tor the bes
and holest causes but horrible, indeed, and in
= expressibly wicked, when waged without an.
y cause. and by one porti"n of our people agains
r another. Let US not hesitate to suspend th,
s execution OF whatever laws cannot be execu ed
# at present, without violence; a d thus, or fur
ther. il necessary through acts Of generous con
: flencs, avoid all dangers Of collision between
:, Federal and State authorities soothe appre