Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-01-18
VIZ. SCENARIOS SPEECH.

S.nate on Saturday was a great one. Il
will excite extraordinary attention, no
less from the position he has long
occupied in public affairs, than from the fact
as We understand it TO be conceded-t6a'
he is to be Secretary of State under MI In
elias Administration. We cannot hna i''-'
FIR the speech entire; but give ~ '''~
tai points Of it-as reported
AZ, Sswar3's spscch ). marked by tna'
o.,,.nesz Of manner. s1d ILi'os'I'ieAi i'F-n
~ro1rr,ssi,D tina; breadth OF view and over
I,,lin, Of MINOR points that disregard OF
,,-.,,sI illusions, and that absolute eouf-
dencs N the perpetuity Of the mon and the
s,-s subiection Of all faetous attempts
NV made Or which shall hereafter be made
:, overthrow it, which have characterized
his former speeches Its effect Oh the throng-
81 assembly who heard it is said 70 have been
unusually great OF course there viii be
diverse opinions about it, and it Is Id that
some of his political friends considered 1t to
show q falling away, in some degree, IRON
this high and strong stand which he ought
to take Allowing for the pecu'iaFities 90
Mr. Stewards manner. we think N care
fpl perusal they will find little ground iOr
fault-Gndins certainly much less than "a the
frst impression they thought they had All
rs p0sltics doctrines are such a. have been
held by the R .pubicAns generally all over
the Union, anI as to what measures lac says
he would consent, 10 not one n : single point
is in conflict with them.
On the re t theme Of the disastrous con
sequences Of q. disunion, Il it we're possible,
Mr.. Seward words will find hearty L.
Spouse in the hearts Of all who are not to-
ignorant and thoughtless to judge, or too
malignant and selfish to appreciate anything
which comes from political antagonist.
1t will be seen that Mr.. Seward does not
in reality propose any specific thing, as d
Government measure, t. quiet the rebellion
which has 50 unreasOnAbly broken out. The
Government, in his view, must proceed calm
~, and with iOrbgarance as far a. possible, to
preserve the public peace, and maintain ana
preserve the Union Yet if its cf5rts are to
be prudent, 50 are they to be en0getc, and
lie promises to give it lis best support ia
that line of action.
As to any com promise Of principle, onthe pant
OF himself aud friends, Le hiuts al nothing
Of the sort. An amendment, in one respect, Of
the Constitution, he says, lie would be willing
t. vote for, if any body thinks it of import
ance enough on his account; and a. thinks,
after the s,ccssi IN fever is all oyer, aid the
patients head restored TO a cool and healthy
condition, j; viii be well to have a Cony,n-
tion Of the People, under constitutional forms, ,
to see !! the Constitution needs mending.
NOBODY i ike to care for either Of these
IN assures: 50 the NY. Herald says il is PLAIN
that there is to be nothing IN the shape OF a
compromise" Good reason why. The
insurrectionists and their abettors want just
t.co things. viz that tie Republicans shall
abandon all their distinctive principles, and
that LINCOLN and HANIIY shall les % and
let the pro-slavery democracy continue IA
charge of the government and IN neither
can they be gratifed. The Hr0H thinks there
will be. of course,a disuuion, and that Mr.. Lin
coin viii be inaugur4ted as President. with
seven, ten, or perhaps fifteen. States out Of
the Union MIR. Seward assumes that
no.e Of them viii be cur Of the Unign,-
notw Outstanding their rebellious ordinances
and acis Aud we feel sure he is right.
Adyerting to the novel circumstances OF
the time-that the Senate which separated
last summer with the country prosperous
and harry, now found it alarmed at the dis
turbance # private and public credit ana
the aspect Of seditioas combinations 70 over
throw the Union, he proceeds
81 know how difficult it is 10 decide. amid So
many and 20 various cOunseis, what ought 20 be
and even what can be done. Certainly, however,
it is time for every Senator to declare hims If
therefore, following the example OF the noble sen
ator from Tennessee, (Mr. Johnson,) aYow LIS
adherence to the Union in its integrity AMI with
AL its parts, with my friends, with nay party |
with my state, with my country or without either,
as they may determine, in every event, whether |
of peace or Of war, with every cons quence Of |
honor or dishonor Of life or death. Although / |
lament the occasion, | hail with cheertuluess Tie /
duty Of lifting up my voice among distracted de- |
bates, for my whole country and its incstimaOle
Union.
Hitherto the exhibitions Of spirit and resolu-
ton here as elsewhere, have been chiefly made on
the side of lisuuion. l DO not regret this. D,s
union is 50 unexpected ana unnatural that il m1st
plainly reveal itself before its presence can he
realized. like bes also, the courage that rises
slowly under the pressure Of severe proyocaiion.
If II be a christian duty to forgive the stranger
even seventy times ofenses, it is the highest
patriotism to endure without complaint the pas
sionate waywardaess Of political brethren so
long there is hope that they may come 10 b-t-
ter mind.
Mr.. Seward proceeds to say the Union en-
not be saved by merely praiSing it-nor ly
er of Congress over the Territories nor
by proving secession to be illegal or unc)n-
stitutional,-nor by discussing the right Of
the Federal Government to coerce States
INTO obedience. for
"If disunion is to go on, this gu, sion will yive
place 10 the more practical one, whe her many .e-
eeding States have right 10 coeIce the remain
Ing members 10 aequiesee in dissolution.
/ dread in my innermost soul ! abhor, civil
war / do not know what the | nion would be
worth il saved by the Of the sw I'd. Yet, :or
all this, do not gree with those who, with de-
sire TO avert that great calamity, advise corven-
tional or unopposed separation, with view to
what they call . reconstruction. 1t is enough for
me- first that in this plan, destruction goes before
re-codstruction; and secondly, that the strength
Of the vase in which the hopes of the nation are
held consists chiefly in its remaining unbroEen
Congressional compromises not likely To
save tn Union. know, indeed that tradition
favors this form Of remedy. But it Is essential to
its success, in any case, that there he found a
preponderAting Of citizens So far neutral on
the issue which separates parties, that hey can
intervene, strike down clashing weapons, and CON-
pei an accommodation Moderate concessions are
not custonariIy asked by force with its saus in
battery; liberal conc ssions apt 10 Civ
en- by opposing force not less confident Of its
own right and its own strength. thiuk, also
that there is prevailing cony elton that legisa-
tive compromises which sacrifice honestly cher
lshed principle, while they anticipate iuture ext
gencies, even if they do not assume extra-cc n.ti-