The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1861-04-12
THE GREAT ISSUE
SPEECH OF
SPEECH OF
JUDGE LAWRENCE
At tho Court-Uouse, in BclIefontaine,
Saturday Evening, MarchO.

Another object Of calling this meet I
ing, was to discuss the present condition |
Of the. country and the remedies for the
in which VIC find ourselves in.
volved. Since have had the honor Of
seat on the bench, have taken no active
part In politics. and upon ordinary qucs-
tons, no consideration could induce me TO
DO So But upon the, question whether
the Union Of these States shall be pre-
serycd-whethcr we shall tolerate or
sanction the destruction Of the best gsv-
ernment tho world has ever seen, san-
not remain silent in any position may
be called TO occupy.
These are not party questions. They
arc questions in which tho partisan
should be merged in the patriot, and on
which we should speak for the country,
for mankind, for humanity, for posterity.
Seven States Of this Union claim TO
have seeded, and have organized rcyo-
lutionafy provisional government
There is no party here in the Nsrth to
argue in any form, either that there was
any iustifiablo cause for secession, or that
a State may oorstitutionNlly withdroW
from the Unisn. A bare statement Of the
alleged cause viii show that il is ground
less. We own immense territories,
which are yet TO be organized into
States. In the last Presidential election
the people were divided into FIVE political
parties upon the subject Of slavery in the
teritorics.
The "Brccllinridgo Democracy" insis-
ted that the Constitution carried slavery
into all the territories, and il was the du-
y OF the government TO protect il there.
The douglas Democracy" maintained
that the people of the Territories should
for themselves determine whether they
would or would not have slavery during
it, territorial condition. .r .....
The Republicans" declared that slO-
very could exist only by positive local
law, and that the territories while they
continued as such were free. aud could
not constitutionally have slavery by any
authority.
The "Bell-Everett party had for their
platform "The Cohstitution-tho Union
and tho enforcement of tho laws;"
but they left us without commentary as
to slavery in the territories.
AL these parties agreed that when the
people Of territory organized a Stale,
il was their right hsR to determine
whether itshould or should not sanction
slavery. -'H.IH gr tl
The "Aboltion party" maintaining
that Congress could and should prohibit
slavery everywhere, only had moagse
existence in two or three States.
The Republican party prevailed in the
election. The people did not sanction
the doctrine that it was the duty of Con-
gross to protect slavery in all the terrific
Iries-and thus the failure of q party to
defeat all othcrs--to have it's dopmQs
sanctioned by the people is the sole
cause for secession. Mr.. Iverson, of
! Georgia, so declared in his speech in tho
Senate on tIaas-4 4ILb of December; and
Mr.. Rhett, in the South Carolina Sea- SEN
lventiOn, on the 2lst OF December last,
uihrlned the same thing. Nor need ur-
que that State has DO right to secedc.
| The Constitution was nude 70 be per-
petual 1t contains no provision for Sc
cession. Under it we can make no trea-
ty or compact peaceably to agree to a di-
vision OF the Union. I~..|
The active secession movements COM
menced in December last They might
have been defeated in sixty days BY
! prompt, faithful and energetic adminis-
trOtiOn. Butwith Cobb, and Floyd and
| Ihompson-avowcd secessionists-ni
the Cabinet-w tn President who in
his annual message declared it was his
duty to execute the laws if nobody oBjee.
ted, and that State could not secede
unless fAey ,caRied 10 DO so--it is no won
der that on the 4th Of March, President
Lincoln comes MO power, finding Il rev.
olutionary Government of seven seeded
States, organized, with it, capitol at Mont.
gomery, with an army oi 10000 men,
having taken Possession of most of the
forts, custom houses and government
property in those States, but fortunately
leaving our rightful government in s.
session of Forts Sumter and Pickens.
And now we are to consider in view Of
the present condition of ahairs, Dot
whether we might righIu1iy retake our
forts, custom houses and property, not
whether we might rigAgNity appoint
Federal Judges with an army 70 execute
their process, punish treason, and hang
traitors-lor Of this there can be no
dcubt-but what is it expedient TO do Z!
All this migbtbs done in 90 DAYS II all
the people in the remaining States were
united IN opinion, but they are not. In
the "Border Slave States" there is a
powerful minority who callthis coercion,
and such coercion might precipitate the
secession OF other States. For one,
then, an opposed to this policy as inn
practicable aud inexpedisnt, ana as yet.
unnecessary, r-r
But what shall be dene We must
either consent to a GiulSioa of the Union,
or we must adopt wise, peaceful, Judi
cious policy to prevent its dissolution.-I
And here upon a single point, the distin-
guished gentleman Who has SO faithfully
aud ably represented this District in Con-
gresa Tor the last eight years, essentially
differs from me in opinion. Fortunately
his opinion, as | conceive, is an abStTac-
tioR--an imPrpctic6bilIty-animpOssibil-
ity-or it will require an amendment tOI
the Constitution TO effect it and that can
never DO obtained.
Ia his speech IN Congress, on the 26th
Of February, on thut wise, patriotic and
Just measurs--his "Forco Bill" Mr..
stanton said:
"Sevsn or eight States now deny their
allegiance = this Government, have or,
gunized a separate Coniederucy, and have
declared their independence OF this Gov
ernment. Whether that independence is
to be maintained or not, is with the fu-
ture, Ii they shall maintain their posi-
hon, SRd if public opinion in those sece-
ding States shall sustain the authorities
there for a year or two TO come, so as TO
show that nothing but a war OF subjuga-
ton and conquest can bring them back,
I, for one, am disposed to recognize their
= a &c. ~ / "a -, ~ 80. IL -t~ r