, 1861-01-15
SPEECH OF HON. ", II. SEWARD
N THE q. s. SENATE;
ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 1860.
His Views on the Existing CEdsts.

t0.1A N2AA<AAt 49,. ~ | =
Ills Views on the Existing Crisis.
Nh, President: Congress adjourned iast
summer amidst The auspices Of national aoun-
dance couteutnent, trzueuility and happiness.
r. has reassembled this winter ii tEc presence
Of derar.cment Of business, ana olstufuanct
Of Dubl;c. as we'll Us pirate credit, aud IN tue
face Of seditious combinations 10 osesa01o"
the Union.
GRAVE cArsE FOR APPREHENSION.
The alarm is appalling, for the Union is not
more the body than liberty Is the soul OF the
nation. The American citizen has been accuS-
toned to believe this Republic Immortal re
shrinks from the sight Of COMMISSIONS au1ca'
tive Of its sudden death The report Of our
condition has gone over the s'.as. and VIC "no
studied the endless agitations ofEociety IN tue
Old World; believing ourselves exempt from
such disturbances, .d,1 In onr turn em 10
h.. ~sl:ing into nomeutous and disastrous feso-
lntlon.
TIE PRESENT / TIE FOR pEL1nEfA1s 4cT1oS.
Iknow how difficult 1t Is to decide mid 60 |
many and so various counsels, as to Wnat
ought to be done, and even what can DC gone
Certainly, however, 1t Is time for erery Scna"
tor to declare himself I, therefore, folloW wing
The exa,tplc Of the noble Senator from Ten
peasee Mr.. Jolfuson), avoT my adherence 10
the Union in its integrity sud h all lis parts,
With my friends, With my pSr.,, WlEh my
State. with my country, Or without cithes, rs
they may determine; In every event, whether
Of pence OF Of war; with every consequence
| of honor or dishonor; Of life or death ~
! thoGEh 4 lament, tho occasion, hail WIN
cheerfulnes;- n. tuts Of lifting up ny voice
| among distracted IcE-t 7; f6T my whole coun"
| try and its incstimab1e Unto!I:
n1suS1os RAMPANT
Hitherto the exhibitions Of spirit and Feso-
luton. here as elsewhere, have been chiefly on
thc sid Of disunton. do not regrct this
Dlsuuiou Is SO unexpected md unnatural, Tint
il u1tst rlaiuly reveal isseIfbcfoge its presence
/ ike best also the courage tint rises slowly
under the pressure ofsevtre proyocat10n. u II
he a Christian duty to forgive strangcr even
seventy times seven oGenses, 1t Is the highest
| natrioiisul to endure, without complaint, the
! passionate waywardnczs of political brethren,
So loug is there IS hope that they may come
to tc{tef end,
WHAT ,7IIL Not SAVE TIE UNION.
Think it is easy to prcnounee what meas:
nrcs or conduct will not savc :he Union. l
aeree with the honorable Senator from Nosf
un,s will not save It, yet I think as prayer
hrinos Ms nearer to God, though it cannot
move Him towards US, SO there is healing and
:, | gayinp virtue In every word Of devotion TO the
| Union thst ,Is spoken, and IN every tlsh tha!
: ike virtue it derives atrength from c+ery #
revrrcnt net that is committed, Entl every hlaa
= nhemous phrase that is uttered a.ninst it. lEe
! {Inion cannot be saved by mutual crim'natson:
!. correrniug onr respective share ofthe Fespnn
sbily sr oanas the p5e@sn @ syl VII pataray s Mh'e
sto7v "a ,scust others whose co+operutsol
:. ho needs. History only can adjust the 5te1
4 account
e rsE1EssSEss OF DISCUSSING THEoEfEs.
u Il continuance OF the debate on the const
l. tutiopci power Of Congress over The subject
= Slnver! jn tho Territories will not save III
c. Union. The opinions Ct parties and se:t1on
le on that q-estion have become ucsns:;;' ~ u Y
a existing alienation. ! truce, at least turln
te the debate on tho Union, is essential to recol
As citation. A.,
ID lsEn e sS nh mo eiana jc5
r. snouyh On forms Of law ID Be dislodgcd, 1T
be 1ova5 men do not need such narrow ground
u stand upon.
al discussing the right OF the Federal doFe1
81 ment to cocrec scceoin 's r;1 ~;
bt uyacc 10 the more practical one, Faett
~ ! ,rnoiev trtedine States have q right to coer
int | he remaining members to ac4uicEcefna dis
IL luton.
ed 1upRouABEIrY or PEACEFUL SECESSION
1fc SUBSEQUENT REcoSsTRucr1oS.
-. dread, as in my inncrmost soul aoh
lc civil war; do not Know Mnat eue Cno nv er' "o'
Yet for ali this, I do not agree with those VI
,rc | with u desire to ANT that great calanlfts,
~ riec \ conventional or nno2pased sepaFsn1
;n;r with -iew to what they ca'l Iccnnstrnetl
IVY 7, il enough for 1ac, first. that in this plan,
~" | hnfnrc rrCauGtrUCffGUs anu
,ho onlly. that the strength Of the vase IN WI
~. the Homes Of the nation are held, consists ch
,rts " In it's remaining unhrokcn.
win COMPROMISES oE 80 AVAIL Sow-coSdREssl
c:al ~ COMPROMISES NOT LIKELY TO sASE
ern- UNION. -
lbe, know, indeed, that tradition iavors
ana form OF remedy, but 1t IS essential 10 l.asae
Fay atm mass Of citizens 90 far neutral on
ent- is.ne which separates parties, that they ca
ould tcrycne, strike down cl tshing weapons,
u o. rompcl an accommodation. Moderato cht
pre- sions ere not customarl!y askeu ny :9fes "
dis I runs in t1lcig battery. nor are lloefal col
: to slons apt to be given by ~ opposing 1ofcs
| the less confident Of its own right aud lis
sand strength. think, also, that there Is Pre-
son, Ing conviction that Legislative comrron,
Nnat which sacrifice honesty eaes!:nca pslue, =,
Dina while they anticipate future ezt.ehcies, e'
spire thrv t1o not assume extra constitut: :oDa!
this aTs or, lcss sure to avert imminent evils
cnce, thcy arc certain to produce ultimately
xion, greater I!auccrs.
bo s'T,t Tnaned Mr. President. think 1t will be
/, re- In discard two preynl.nt ideas or FreJu'
rcto- namely; First, tLut the Cnion Is to se
crisis nv somebody in particular; and second,y
Il ia to be saved By some cunning and
ed in cere compact Of paciicatiou. II ! reme
It, in rightly, raid something like tnl3 ncFe 81
both aso as 1850 aud afterwards in loo3.
Dung r,,.,,c1rp M THE r8rsrsr CRISIS
oAA 1 lie ifGnff i
en5st;. f,rm Discouteutcd citizens have obi
,,rr. nnli,ical mower in certain States, and t1,
a;S:1o- ,s;,,~ fhi; authority to overthrow the
y vfn ill., Goyerumc1,t. They dclude 1hcnse!yc:
3f The Tue belief that the State power they ha
rough CURED trabcs them TO dlseh1rEe tne"l
at Vas from allegiance to the Whole scpupns'
know CONFLICTING VIEWS.
joy ofs r,. b,,or,n,c Senator from Illinoi
arace nourlas1 says We have right to coeTce
ATTY Int Tc capnot. The President says Il
apions State has q right to secede, but 70 b
stlit constitutional power 10 make war ~
equal state, The dilemma results trom On i
honos lion that thuse who, IN suen . case act
nI Inc thr Feder1l Government, act iaE1nll
sc that State. although maniicstly they have ps
Or ira thc mower Of the State o an nuconstlt
Union ,,urnose, L class of politicians in c
nc wA land set up this Theory and attempted
~ of tcc upon 1t in our T1s .atnt "a t1tt r. ~
North" States must be kept within their const
II, and, ri snncre. by irnrtulfion If they could
ut Gulf, l'a5i +1,erc tiy attraction Secession =
and by to be inaduissah!e in the tuce Of pub
~, ~ ~. my. ......
,ith the SECESSION eos9 :, ,
rds and But II it Is untenao1c IN o1S esES - -
sarily SO in MI others. fully ADMIT
,rer oe ginality, the sovereignty aud lnoeEen
eral As the several Stateo, me-a-nr,ant n hc
oh tho hold tne reoe.A, ~ ,rdanenhent u
rou will oEi@hal, eo' ; Eararnr.rrt ~ The 81
" 49,, 49,, nr more absolEc tbs people resldlp!
~ ,ss..J u limits from allegiance to the Union,
4 Eorcrn1nert Of the Union can aoso1
w.. " . that from allegiance to the State;
~ .n,s The Constitution Of the United 81
lt!;.t tna the laws made pursuant thereof, ar
that the prcme IaM W e.n.n s.s +.hethcr r,ado r
c1eao ~ i.onst;tution or bY even their organic
t;ons. The Union can be dissolved
A.hs hy the voluntary consent Of the peol
limited States, collected In the nm
ap1taI. ecEbca by the Constitution OF TIL
the Gin States- <,x.orss
lth inst, ~. a~,..rt c,sc oun
hc imS,ssiye. It ought, lift can, rel
. manner real rrieyance Of the offended states.
,ust that Il Du;,hr 10 supply the President = !!
seize the means necessary to maintain the Un
he 4tA Of fuil exhibition and discreet exercise
previous thority-
In such rr. rrepo1srHuITr OF TIE Fl
Congress ~, -r;.h +be nroper nctis
1ger fairly beyona ~ ln'S: :ncnt;ve. The rcspol
'es rs may pare " .oI Irn;on belongs to the y
sher sre abundantly competent to d
Inc GOulA | IeJ +harcft,re with great dit