, 1861-01-19
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER;
-mcC1ernand on the Union. .
From oar own Correspondent

- AAE1A 1a4 H"a <ul1EEpUNueAt.5
WAs1xaToT, Jan. 4, 1867.
tits well known in this city that the five Dem
ocratic members Of Congress from Illinois ars
much chagrined at the speech recently dclir
cred By Douglas. They make no concealmen
Of their displeasure, aud freely exprcss th.
opinion that he disgraccd himself and misrcp
resented the sentiments Of the Democracy O
Illinois on that occasion Logan is particular
II indignant towards him Yesterday McCler
nand, the member from the Springfield dis
trfct, made speech on the Army Appropri.
ton Bill, which the Southern members opnos,
on the ground that the troops are to he used
to defend the Government against the rebels
McClcrnand supports the bill, and for the VERY
reasons the Disunionists urge against it. For
the cdiacation Of the Egyptian members of the
Legislature who arc threatening TO light for
traitors, l send you the following ekctcl,
Of his speech. An Egyptian member Of youl
Legislature talks about shaving to walk over
his dead body" before will allow the rebels ia
be dealt with according to law. Very well; let
it be walked over. It will not be the first ca:
case Of traitor that has been troa on, or kicked
one side, while patriots were battling for free
dom and putting down tories.
After referring to tue present crisis, Mr. Nc"
CIcrnand proceeded TO show how the Union
was formed and the powers reposcd in the
lands Of the Government.
It was made not by the authority Of the
States, but Of the uhole uaited people as one
nation, aud Us such the United States hare
since been recognized BY the nations Of the
world.
Mr. McC, sustaiued his arguments on this point
BY quotations from Chief Justice Marslall and Jus
Madison and Randolph. The Constitution declar-
editself to BE- the Of the people, and not Of thu
States either collectively or individually. il
intended as means Of securing more perpetual
Union, aud the States seyera1ty had no power to
destroy Tint Union. 10 abdcate ALLEVIATE their
power. The power was held in trust for the benz
tent to change, or make or unmake the Govern
meat. Its power was external, il protecting thu
whole country and representing the people abroad,
Tie abolition Of tic copstitationa charasteF ehow.
ed Its permanent authority. 1t recognizes legisa
tive, Judicial and executive departments and coa-
fines TO each It's separate authority. It declares
mcrce, declare war, rairc and support armies and
navies, and make all laws necessary to the proper
carrying OUT cf its authority; These weFe TIE
Constitution Of the United StatcE.
Then to the extent th:t the Constitution was
sovereign thc State becomes subordinate. There
forc he maintained that State had legal
s1I;utio:11: right to withdraw from the Union
pact That co1oact was 1nndc By the people and not
by the States: The whole people were boun! BY th.
peorle hati the constitutional right to wi:;rasE u
7cscind. The States hciag sovereign. wcr,:
merely sovereign TO preserve themselves, fo rcgu
late internal affairs. and to decide upon thelnstitn
Which
knowledge the right ofa State to seccdc would be
to recognize thu Slate ls tue supcrio: and the Tn
lcrminous independent natlonr arc torn By wars,
mud this fact impressed upon our fathers the neccs
sity Of consolidating the States into one common
tuuH + 1 fo Iii hsds 10 seccds the bons Of
Onion would be destroyed and rhus all would b.
exposed to the hazards Of of internecine war. The
nj, this risht. Tie Atlantie must be iclt open,
and The Mississippi must he tzec 10 al.
Referring to Il rumor that the Government
Of Mississippi had sent troops 10 establish Ill
espionage over steamboats, coming down the
Mississippi, turning some hack md abusing
and insulting thu captains and crews Of other
boats, be said:
The Northwest would never permit such surveil-
lence. She las strength enough to csn=h 1t, aud
Of the navigation Of the Fathc. Of Waters. liz
warncts The states bordering On that river to BE-.
ware how they ohs'ructcd It's free navigation.
HI spoke Of the idea of acknowledging the
right to secedc Of fsuch States as Florida, Lou
isiana and Tcxas-;he former Of which Lad
cost the National treasury three dollars IN
acre to purchase from Spain and purchase
from the Indians.
Why, he asked. had the Union gone to suc. vast
rn%rt HRE3U4t national
national puEposcsto ret rid Ct foreign ucighhcr,
t" esiaeien Natural 1osdcr. t,t::tafa possession
lets Of the Mississippi and lie Gulf Of Icxiro:
and IN osltr 10 open upan artificial Communication
along the peninsula NJ Florida 10 the Atlantic su
as to avoid dangerous navigation.
In the event Of Florida seeding and withdraw
iu. finally from the Cniui, SHE would be Unable to
protect hgrscIf or Keep open the navigation Of her
ss sIa nvahoss et span 81 .se b.
one coming un her irom Tuba, while she il opeA 10
the att3ck Ut the oiher from the iland Of jamaica.
Ths p1s Sf 81 q
the power Of d foreign enemy. This nlast ht
guarded asainst. Even were Florida to be one If
i southern coniet1ssacy + would not protect her
lrtt,n these dangers, fur tht whole Soatll-a non.
maritime Pnwcr-would not be ublc to cope
with any European Power. Louisiana was
in .he ~ same 1. condition rt and con!d not hs
Mfesis-ip7i cun1d never Ike allowed to brcom' to:-
snwatcrs. OF BE- held by foreign rowe.- Thu
Northwest forbid it, aud could make vctn eIlc
tuslK resisted. }ls wuuld rot csasge.ae TIC cor-
sequences uf dissolution. II wA+ not only the
breaking mp of socteiy, bnt II Was the breaking up
Of the Federal system, the basis upon which oil
substantial liberty was nxca ItWns not only this.
but it was revolution. L might not be such rev.
oatioa oncs deluged France with blood, but .hst
would IN great ncasuse dclrn1 upon the result
scccssion easy Tue forts Of tic United st taes Ind
been seized, the public property takcn the llas or
the Union stricken down, our hws lcnicd, our ja-
,t.,x1 In, Nn.N xJ,.,
volt, n ship sen1 with supplies to soldiers doing
duty iu Federal fort il refused entrance into
Of ous i,arbors: Even worse than that, fur they
were informed b. special 1ncs1ase thar some u
thn sta,e- yet seeded have dared to scize upan
tic fort. and atsen,ls OF tho culatry.
They were cautioned agaius: ereTt:ion. Why, tu
ment In the face Of these things was gross per-
yeEsiou Of language. II wss mccc Hike coercion OF
the par; Ut those states to require to 1oos calm
Iy un the seizure mud s2oIiation # fort-.
nails, custOmhouses. post Offices and public build
tngs Of the Government, with all the munitions ot
war. Submission to this wotld be regarded
graceful litter imbcc:lity only could to:cra1e il:
and II that be tho condition of tue Government
let it be abolished and let prociu, to the world
the sad fact that the last experiment Of popular
come the doctrine of the day. and they would +ee
the towns sccede from the cities, IT. villages from
the towns. and The cities from the States. till al
undistiu:uiehab!ec chaos. Whist didtaey see: The
forts and aEsc1'nlk and other pnhls buildings VI
,r,ors and ehtn a,n nea s Esiu -, ~
stars and stripes Of the Crian fired upon by the
sr ion,,,n -. n,d ,be ;;t1a. @ d ;
b. stopped at oncc. The laws mnet be enforced,
thu Constitution supported and the Union prt.-
served. The right OF secession could never he
~ III m, h,,4or, ,h, o,,c,;, ~ 1,.o.,5o,+
,r-s ;u.4 .,,.n a. r,rnirttor " 1,-..i 49, -
Of fhc Constitution. and canpct be Questioned by
an nprcai 10 arms. South Carolina he.sclf voted