Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-03-01
STATE OF THE UNION.
SPEECH OF HON. Il. p. WALTON,

and perhaps rs doubtful now as II was when Wahugon
declared, In his first inaugural address that "he preser
walton 81 the sacred Gre Of herty and The destiny of the
republican model " government, justly considered as
deeply porhapa rs finally stakcl on the experiment In
trussed % che hands OF the American people II has
successfully resisted an assaults from without and sm-
ulstcd within g-,rh OF civilization, material wealth.
and moral power nparaccd In any nation apc of the
and IL. proo1e mower y more ,bsn ten tines tcn
has extended it' domain from to ocean, and
brought che sccp1r Of commercial supremacy within It's
grasp and for ihe freedom Of its people, the novelty Of
rs political machinery and the branoy OF its results,
it has commanded universal admiration and respect
And now while at peace with all abroad and but for the
maladministtation Of the Government prosp.rous at
home, we are threatened with instant and utter failure
~ the experiment which Washington inaugutatcd. and
with the instant and utter wreck of ue empire which he
founded IL Is national deaths 20 is death o. power,
security ana Hftneehrt 10 Is DEAN 20 our national name
add fame and million deaths, 10 may De, through
anarchy aud civil war.
has deliberately 1ni persstenfly aimed ihr drstruc.
ton n thc Union and this design was not more mon
strous 30 uiquiy than b has been mastery execution
The great statesman whl first conceived &c Tie end
from the beginning. shaped the the end and
80 sagaconsy shaded them that The very virtues Of the
made Instruments flr his work By the assertion ofnew
cserybody but ultira,e, carried o1t in larre derroc
by the annexation of Texas the McSco war ihc fugitive
slave law of 1859. she kansas aud Nebraska act OF 1851
the reputation 10 the Missouri compromise aud thc raid
upln nsas by pro slavery agt tti1n and pro slvcry
Notes.-The Sonh was sedncod thc ono hand, mud the
North repealed on the other untl ai the old national
politically divided by sectional line. The Whg patty
in the South vas bnftoi ulSj2; the Democratic
party % the North was Divided ild the Wing party Of
the ,-orih ootie t in 1870 IN pemoctauc pariy OF
the North deliberately situated by its southern
sllies IN 'he spring Of 1860 AVID thus was secured the
i'renrnaned triumph of the Republican party u Now
ombcr lost Ayi frcordtIued prayed Tor, anorcd fr.
waited nr an1 o.iced 40 hv me plouer, OF d.uuion,
"ut N none moro heartily and succrrly The election
u Abraham lincoln not he tcason Out ts sion,
Tor dsnnion aud the occasion. was instantly add im-
patiently improved by ordi'goes u secession
The NntcIumeut here hal ample warnings ni the de-
signs OF the eonspator and oui for the neglect VI the
Executive, che seccs1us of this day mi ht have been
hlrmese ihe notification Of South Carolina In
1882 aud her secession 10 1852 The President
warned avuwas uf the secesioniss and as esrv as
Octnher last be specially warned by The highest
oiccr Of the Government 10 military rank and the peer
Of the highest IN NE world 100 military reputation u the
dangers % which The country exposed and VI the
remedy Within hs roach. Warnings neglected,
treason urkcd in the bnct under the very eye Of the
President and rovcled through the Executive Depart
neits ihe Army was dispersed in distant Territories,
and the Navy m distant the loyt North dis
armed 10 arm the disloya South; and the Treasury
depleted g. rob The Government itself the eans Of de-
Tense The preparations Tor secession, rebellion and
Ney tw "a the executive Departments At this capital
ate after state hls seeded forts arsrnals mag
aims, h1spitlls, post off es houses mints, and
money nave onen seized; me Constitution and l1ws "
The United States have been violated and the power of
the nton dt.i The President has notihc MS Of these
events 900 message after nessage think lle tells us)
al th very in he southern people and the north
crn people very much be blamed for L regret
hi cannot hci' lti l am impptcnb
The Greeks are strong. and skift 10 their strength;
iercc 20 f1eir fal, and 20 their fercencss valiant
But om wclkcr than womun's tear;
Tanner than sleep; fondog than ignoranoci
less valiant than che virgin IN the nights
And tduess as Impractical infancy
The President has failed to use the means tha, we're in
lis power 20 defend the Government Perhaps il ought
% be said that he has been deceived and paayzcd by the
nidelip Of his advisers but in any event he has cast
himself upon Congress. Hitherward the eve Of thirty
million people turned and here the hope. ~ all the
loyal aud he patriotic conferred True IS that here
until very recent date they looked aud hoped In s. IN
Congress u3Woripss the Executive.
was disiayay o. the Federal Government here men.
aud ser II men able tn control the action Of the
senate and House An that is changed IN this House,
at least, the Representatives Of the Republican party
command m gouD in numbers and they must and will
all that slil be- len undone
What shall we do What shall we refuse to do The
answer must depend upon the necessities Of the and
the extent II our powers must do only what have
the right do, and what is expedient he done. Six
States have declared that they longer under the
jurisdiction Of lhis Government, seventh has with
drawn from the Union oonditionaly, and others remain
cnnditionaly. Six States assembled in conven
tion to from confederation and the address Of its
presiding officer declared the position they contemplate
We meet representatives. Of sovereign and indie
pendent states, which, by their solemn judgments, have
dissolved all the political associations which connected
them with The Government Of the United States. II is
fixed ard irreyOcabe fact that the separation Is
perfect complete and perpetual and great duty Is now
imposed o us to provide government for our future
security and protection. We can and should extend to
sister States aud our late sister states who den
tilted with ms IN interest. feelings, and institutions, a
cordial invitation unite in e common destiny aud be
DESTROYS. at the time, Of maintaining with our late
confedera'e friendly relations political and commercial
IL becomes MS first TO inquire whether these States
really out Of the Union in It. II they out our
duties are plain We are at once TO put them ON The
footing Of foreign nations, and will say of the most
favored foreign nations for neither passion preiu
dice shall exnguish the generous sympathes and
charities due tn children of common ancestry II they
arc out OF the Onion' by separation That Is perfect
complete and perpetual" then absOlyed from all
obligations due 20 them members Of the Uninn-to
protect them against foreign invasion and domestic in
surrec0n and rehpon and respect and defend their
rights as states and the rights and Interests OF their in
hAoants a. e'uaens OF the United states Our political,
commercial, postal. and other laws, have validity
there's courts, and custom houses and post aud land
offices to be closed the mails suspended, and aud
their commerce put upon entirely different footing
We assume new powers as 20 them-ihe treaty making
power and powers Of peace and 10 be sure il has
been argued again and again that we have power 70
make upon aseccdng State; but nobody will deny
power To make war upon flreiyn state: and t hehonves
all concerned 20 remember that there lis not king dom
Ia the world against which had can have
stronger or more greyous causes ~ war than with hs
erteBpore kingdom Of cotton. The seizures Of lrts
acsenals, magazues, and other property OF the United
states by armed men, under the authority II the seccd
ing states acts VI The surveillance by
over the navigation Of the Mississippi, and the
robbery Of the national Treasury by Louisiana out
RACES upon our national rights for which instant
mcn' would be nded from any other nation backed
II need be, by thousand and million bayonets
But, sir, will contemplate the picture the pto
Of standing armies and threatening nrts ia coufrde
races stretching Thousand three thousand NILES
tfom the Atlantic TO tue Mississippi, or from the Atlantic
to the Pacific will only add that THE seeding States
really out Of the Union, have aud urgent
duties upon our hands, IN the settlement Of new, diff
cult ana alimpQrtant questions. The public debt, the
public lands the public buildings, the national ships the
national obligations growing Of public treacs-such
for instance, ihnse touching the slave trade-he
claims OF States aud citizens Of the United States upon
the Governmental these topics present questions Of
the graYest import The navigation Of the Mississippi
and the control Of the Gulf Of MeXs0 is another matter
that will permit delay And then how will ynu settle
with the seeding States including On item Of S]j0,000
O0) spent Tor the perchase and defotse Of territory
occupied by them Sir il these States are the u
Mon, let as turn attention TO these questions There
none graver none urgent II these States
not out Of the Union then the old obligations and pow
remain upon usa Of them in fun force, all Of them
unimpaired. Those obligations discharge, and
those powers to be exercise, far the cir
oumstances Of the will admit ask, then, are the
seeding States out Of the Union
lido not intend 10 discuss the right If secession
volution, which has been largely argued IN this de-
batc for, in my Judgment the matter is completely
settled by the Constitution itself There is power
express implied, conferred by the Constitution upon
any department OF this Government % perform the last
the al-essentia and the GROWING Of successful
eesson evolution that is the recognition OF the in
dependence Of seeding revoluonized State States
may secode in fact they may form independent govern
ments, and receive the recognition Of the world they
may resist aud successfully resist this Government and
yet ms Government has not the constitutional power to
recognize their Independence, constitutional right