The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1861-01-24
srEECM OF MR. sEWAED.
Delivered in the Senate. saturday, Jan.
nary ll, 1884.

adjouruei last summer amid auspices of national
abundance. coa,entment tranquility. and bsppi
1t was rea.semb.ed this winter in the
presence Of arrangement of business aud dstur-
bance OF public as well private credit aud -
the face Of seditious combinations to overthrow
the Union. The alarm is appalling for Uuion il
not more the body than liberty is the soul OF tie
nation. The America citizen has been accus
toned to believe the RepuolIc immortal lie
shrinks from the sight of coavulsions indicative
Of its sudden death. Tae report of oar condi-
ton has gone over the seas. and we who haze
SO long aud With so much compiacency studied
the endless citations Of soceiy in the Old
World, believing ourselves exempt from such
disturbances nov, IN our turn. seem 10 be falling
into a momeatous and disastrous revolution.
know how diff cult 1t is TO decide, amid 81
many and Sd various coansels. what ought to be
and even what be done. Certainly, howev-
it is time for every Senator 10 declare ins-it
l therefore, following the example Of the noble
Senator from Tennessee. Mr.. Johnson a7ow
my adherence to the Union in its integrity and
with all its parts with my friends, with my State,
with my country or without, either as they may
determine, in every event, whether Of peace or OF
war; with every consequence Of honor or dishon-
or, of life or death. Although lament the oc-
cason, hail with cheerfulness the daty Of lift
ing up my voice among distracted debates. for
my whole country and its nestimable Uaion.
Hitherto the exhibitions OF spirit ard resolu-
tion here, as elsewhere, have been on the side Of
disunion. 1 do not regret this Disunion is
unexpected and unnatural. that it must plainly
reveal itself before its presence can be realized
like best. also. the courage which rises slo Wy.
under severe provocation. If it be q Christian
duty to forgive to the stranger seventy
times seven offences, it is the highest patriotism
to endure without complaint the passionate way
warduess Of political brcthrep so long as there
is hope that they may come to a better mind
think it is easy to pronounce what measures
conduct will not the Union | agree
with the honorable Senator from North Caroli-
ma Mr.. Clingmanl that mere eulogiums will not
save II. Yet think that rs prayer brings US
nearer to God. though it cannot move him to-
wards u.s. so there is healing and saving Writ, e 10
every word OF devotion to the Union that is spo
ken, and every sigh that its danger draws forth
/ know, at least that like virtue, it derives
strength from every irreverent act that is COM !
mitted. and every blasphemous phrase that is ut
tered against it.
The Unon cannot be saved by mutual c-im-
nations concerning cur respective share Of re-
sponsioility for the present evils. He whose !
conscience acqnits him will naturally be slow to !
Others whose corporation he needs. History
only can adjust the great account.
A continuance of the debate on the constitu
tional power of Congress over the subject OF
slavery 10 the territories will not save the Union
The opinions of parties and sections on that
subject have become dogmatical and it is this
alienation. A truce, at least during the debate
on the Uniou. is essential to reconciliation.
The Union cannot be saved by proving that
secession il illegal or unconstitutional. Persons
bent on that fearful step will not stand long
enough on forms Of law to be dislodged, and 10y /
al men do not need such narrow ground to stand
upon.
I fear that little more will be gained from
discussing the rights Of the Federal Government
to coerce seceding States into obedience Ii
dsunion is to go on, this question will give place
to the more practical one. whether many seced- |
ing States have right to coerce the remaining
members to acquiesce in a dissolution
dread, as iu my Utmost soul sbhor civil war.
! do not know what the Union would be worth
If saved by the of the sword. Yet, for all
that, l do not agree with those who. with a de-
sire to avert the great calamity, advise a conven-
tional uuopposed separation, with a view to
what they call q reconstruction; and secondly. |
that the strength Of the in which the hopes of
the nation a:e held consists chiefly in its remain
ing unbrokeD.
Congressional compromises are not likely to
save the Union. | know, indeed. that tradition
favors this form of remedy. But il is essential
to its success in any case, that there be found a
preponderating mass of citizens, 50 far neutral
on the issues that separate parties that they can
intervene, strike down clashing weapons, and
compel accommodation. Moderate concess-
ions are not Gust omarily asked by force with
its guns in battery nor are liberal concessions !
opt to be given by opposing force not less
confident in its own right and its own strength. |
I thiuk also, that legislative compromises which !
sacrifice honestly cherished principles, while
they anticipate future exigences, if
they do not assum extra-constitutional powers. !
are less to avert eminent evils than they are
certain to produce ultimately even greater dan
gers.
Indeed, Mr.. President, think it will be wise
to discard two prevalent ideas or prejudices.
namely: first that il is TO be saved by anybody |
in particular; and secondly that it Is to be saved
by some cunning and insincere compact of pa
ciicatiun. Ii remember rightly, said ne
thing like this here so long ago 1850. and af-
terwards in 1854.
The present danger dscoses itself n this form.
Discontinued citizens have obtained political
power in certain States, and they are using this
power TO overthrow the Federal Government
They deiude themselves with the belief that the
State power they have acquired enables them to
discharge themselves of allegiance to the whole
Republic. The honorable Senator from Illinois
(Mr. Douglasj says we havo q right to coerce u
State. but we cannot. The President says that
no State has right to secede, but we have no
CO; stitutiona! power to make war against y
State. The dilemma results from an assumption
that those who, in such . case, act against the
Federal Government, act lawfully as q State;-l
although, mauifrstly, they have perverted the
power OF State TO unconstitutional purpose.
n class OF poHticlans Ia New rsfgiLnu set up
:nis theory aud attempted 10 practice upon it
diring war with Great Britain. Mr. Jeff-r-
did not hesitate to say that States be
kept within their constitutional sphere by com
puision, If they could not be held there by at
traction. Secession was then held to be inad-
missabe in the face Of pubic enemy. Blu, if
it is uutenaele il one case, it is necessarily so in
oil others. l fully admit the originality, the
sovereignty and the Independence Of the several
States within their sphere. Blu, hold the Fed
eral Government to be equally original. sover
eigu aud independent within its sphere Aud
the government of the State can more absolve
the people residing within its limits from allie
glance to the Union, than the Government Of the
UIion can sbsove them from allegiance to
the State. The Constitution of the United
States, aud the laws made ir pursuance thereof
are the Supreme law of the land. paramount
TO all legislation of the States, whether made
under the Constitution. or even BY their organic
conventions The Union can be dissolved. not
by secession. with or without armed force but