Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1861-01-24

l.
tories OF the United States and while certainly
shall never, directly or indirectly, give nv vote
to establish or sanction slavery in such Terrific
ries, or anywhere else in the world, vet the
question what constitutional laws shall at any
lime be passed in regard to the Territories, is.
like every other question, to be determined on
practical grounds | voted for enabling acts
In the cases of Oregon, Minnesota and Kansas,
without being able to secure in them such pro-
visions as @oui have preferred and yet yo-
ted wisely.
30 now, am well satisfied that under exs-
ting circumstances, happy and satisfactory
solution OF the diillcu ties in the remaining Ter
torres would be obtained by similar laws. pro-
vldlng tor their organization, II such organi2a-
ton were otherwise practicable. IT, therefore,
Kansas were admitted az a State, under the
Wyandotte constitution as think she ought
to be, and II The organic laws Of all the other
territories could be repea led i could vote to au-
thorZe the organization and admission Ct two
States which should include them, reserying
the right to effect subdivision Of them when.
ever necessary into several convenient States:
| but do not find that such reservations could
be constitutionally made
Without them, the Interior embarrassment
which would result from the hasty ncorpora-
ton OF States Of such vast extent and various
/ interests and character would outweigh all the
immediate advantages Of such measure. But
II tho measure were practicable, | should pre-
| Ter different course, namely when the eccep
trlc movements of secession and disunion sha
have ended, in whatever form that end NAV
come and the angry excitemenls OF the hour
shall have subsided, and canness once more
shall have resumed its accustomed sway over
! the public mind, then, and not until tben-one
two or three years hence-l should cheerlully
advise convention Of the people, to be assem-
bed in pursuance Of tho Constitution. TO con-
sIdcr and decide whether any and What amend
menls OF the Organic national law ought to
! be made
Republican now--as have heretofore boon
q member OF other parties existing in my day
i nevertheless hold and cherish as | have
always done, tho principle that this government
exists IN It's present form only by the consent Of
the governed and that It is as necessary as il
is wise, 10 resort to the people for reyisions of
the organic law when the troubles and dangers
OF the State certainly transcend the rowers
delegated by It to the public authorities
Nor ought the suggestion to excite surprise.
Government in any form is a machine; tn is the
most complex one that the mind Of man has ever
invented or the hand of man has ever framed
Perfect as II Is, 1t ought 10 be expected that it
will, at least as often as only in century, re-
qnlre some modification to adapt it to the
changes Of society and alterations OF empire.
FOurthly. hold myself ready now ,as always
heretofore, to vote for any properly guarded
laws which shall be deemed necessary to pre-.
vent mutual inyasions of States by citizens of
other States and punish those VINO shall aid
and abet them
Filthy. notwithstanding the arguments of
the gallant Senator from Oregon (Gen. Lane |
remain OF the opinion that physical bonds. such
as highways railroads, rivers and canals, are
vastly more powerful for holding civil communi.
ties together than any mere covenants, though
written on parchment or engraved upon iron.
| remain, therefore, constant Co my purpose
to secure, if possible the construction OF two
! Pacific railways, one OF which shall connect
the ports around the mouths of the Mississippi
/ and the other the towns on the NJ ssOur and tho
Lakes, with the harbors on our western coast
If. in the expression Of these views, have
not proposed what is desired or expected by
many Others, they will do me the justice to be-
lieye that am as far from having suggested
what in many respects would have been in har-
mony with cherished convictions of my own.
| learned early from Jefferson that in political
affairs we cannot always do what seems to us
absolutely best. Those with whom we must
necessarily act entertaining different views,
have the power and right Of carrying them in.
TO practice We must be content to lead when
we can and to follow when we cannot lead
and il We cannot at any time do for otfr country
all the good that We would wish. we must be
satisfied with doing all the good we can
Having submitted my own opinions on this
great crisis, II remains only to say that | shall
cheeriully lend to the government my best sup
port in whatever prudent yet energetic efforts
1t shall make " preserve the Union advising,
only, that it practice, as far as possible, the ut.
most moderation, iorbearauce and conciliaton
And now, MIR. President, what are the auspi
ces of tie country? know that we are in the
midst OF alarms. and somewhat exposed to ac-
cidents unavoidable in seasons OF tcmpestuous
passions. We already have disorder and vio-
leuce has begun. ! know not to what extent it
may 90. Sti my faith in the Constitution and
in the Union abides, becaus, my faith in the
wisdom and virtue of the American people re-
mains mistaken Goodness, calmness. and res
olution, are elements of their character,
They have been temporarily displaced; but
they are reappearlng. Soon enough, trust
for safety, it will be seen that scdltion and vio-
lence are only local and temporary, and that
| loyalty and afl elton to the Union are the natu
raj sentiments of the whole country. What
ever dangers there shall be, there will be the
determination to meet them, whateyerAcrifces,
private rpublic, shall be needful for the Union,
they, will be made. feel sure that the hour
has not come for the great nation to fall.
The people, which have been studying to be-
come wiser and better as it has grown older are
not peryerse or wicked enough to deserve so
dreadful and severe punishment as dissolution.
This Union has not yet accomplished what good
for mankind vas maniestly designed by Him
who appoints the seasons and prcscribcs the du-
ties OF States and Empires. No, sir, iflt We're
cast down by faction to day, itwoud rise again
and reappear in all its majestic proportions to.