Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1861-03-07

ocratc President has not used his high prerog-
atiye to estop the dlsmemberment Of the Repub
lie, but only to license anarchy He has look
ed benignly on secession. Like a clever old
man, with unruly sons. he has deprecated their
conduct by saying, " Dent but if were
you would, and can't help it if you do. -
1t is not difficult feat for the officers and crew
to scuttle and sink the stauncbest of ships and
any Government may 20 down when its own
officers bctray their trust, or lapse into corrup
ton and imbccility. The names Of those now
or recently in command will have page not
be cnved in future history. Nor will it be
lost sight of that secession was bcgotten and
nursed by the wolves of the Democratic party
The true men of this party must now take
care Of their reputation.
Mr., Speaker, not having been able to coin
eide with the honorable chairman, who present.
ed the views Of the majority OF the committee
of thirty three, nor yet altogether with the
views OF any OF the minority reports, feel it 10
be my duty to take this method Of explaining
what in my judgment, should be done, and
what should not be- done, with the various sub
joets upon which we shall soon he called upon
to act.
And first let me say, that the course Of those
OCCUPYING extreme positions in the South, before
and specially since our assembling here, has
made { embarrassing for me- on any Of as who
would preserve the Constitution in all its ygor
10 listen even to words Of cancellation while
anything like compromise has never been pos
sbc for n moment Compromises are under
TIE ban I all parties and To- The advocates Of
secession, who mean revolutions more odious
than to any other # any State Dr states may
withdraw their Senator'S and Representatives,
seize forts ships, arsenals uints, hospitals,
dock-yards whenever an election terminates
adversely to their political opinions, ard then
demand erms--fuudamental changes Of organ
T. hwS-bclore they will return to their ale
glance what is our Constitution, with lis his
toric splcudJr? Should such a course obtain
sanction Of serious concessions, the national
Government would BE- forever destroyed, and
each member Of the family, as they acquired
strength and mctlle for disnbedicncc, might in
turn defy jhe law and order Of the paternal
r0ol unless some r0rtiOn Of authority was alb.
dicied and some portion of the estate was set
apart for exclusive enjoyment. ! will do moth
ing to commit our Republic to this crumhling
process of mutiny and decay | will DO moth
M 10 admit The doctrine Of secession as the ex-
ucme medicine Of the Constitution. No ono
who desires tile continuance Of the Union should
consent TO put itin position Of mere suiprrce
tenant NJ will-of one STATE, uor even a
dozen States. SelErresCryatien forbids that
our system should De- Inocuafod with any such
virus. II the seeding States desire to qut
tho Onion, and to quit it forever. let them
prose constitutional amendment for that pur
pose, and calmly submit them to the people
Thus il The only mode By which TIE end aimed
at can be reached without civil war and the
utter decentralization # all the parties who chose
t. maintain the present Constitution.
know that the existence Of q party. as COM
pared with the existence Of the tnon, is a
matter Of utter iuslgnfcauce But, at thi.
time, there is but one party which can be- re
lied upon an entirety, and in all it's intcgri
~. in favor of the Union an the Constitution
as 1t is. If this party fails in its duty or lack,
the courage equal 20 It's mission either tho
Union will be destroyed, or tic Constitution
will be 50 changed that it might cost less L
abandon our Inheritance thus incumhered thar
10 support it. Union men in whatever party
now to be found should acknowledge the neccs
sty and unite with us in rcscung the Govern
ment from its present dangers and when ",
reach calmer seas, we shall have ample time {,
fight about political diff rences as practical is
sues arise. Whether Representatives here show
that patriotism or not, feel sure the people
will rally under no other banner than TIM
"stars and stripes.
Fer one, cannot make what appears TO M
90 be concessions, nor consent 10 any measure
that shall lower the moral and political stand
ard Of the great majority in the North Tn
South shall have all It's rights; but am com
missoned to surrender none. When the princi
pies upon which | was elected member Of thi
House become dangerous TO the country,
shall deem it my duty to resign and 20 home
Int Will believe them vital to its rrcserva
tion. they will continue to he asserted Meas
ures intended for humiliation, forcing the ma
lority TO capitulate to the minority will hav
no countenanee from me But, outside Of this
being victors, We can afford to be frank an,
magnanimous, and do and say what we mean
Rather. we cannot afford anything less |
some future republican traveller from Naples o
ST, Petersburg shall ever come here to sketc
the ruins of this temple of liberty, let hin
have no data to note that it was shattered b,
moro peryersity of temper Let the rock upoi
which we split-Sayery cxtension-and N
other, be marked on the map The assaant
of the Union are now in the wrong. and "
must keep them so. will not shut my eye
to the fact that several States, with apparcn
and sudden sanction of their people, have start
ed to leave us, with the intent never to return
Other fixed stars of the Republic, with fear q
change, are perplexing the world What ca
properly do to restore harmony. although
may prove fruitless, shall try. | will deal i
truth frankncss, and Cancellation and sha
favor such measures as will not compromise, i
my judgment, the great principles of huma
liberty upon which our Government was cstal
liahedif such shall be accepted as an adjust
mont of present difficulties. Whatever Nigh
DO under ordinary circumstances. neither MOI
nor less, shall feel it incumbent upon me I
do now. To the people Of the South our part
has been most pertinociously misrepresentcd
and am willing to tell them that we inten
them no harm that, il Jefferson and Jackso
we're not dangerous. their apprehensons Al