Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-01-14

If that policy, has been allowed, prsctit ally no
no utterance by speech, through
The press, In the slave states; while us policy,
have been so misrepresented as to excite apprehen-
,ions that Il denies i'm portant constitutional obli
cations, and aims even at interference with slave
~ and It's overthrow by the States authorities or |
Intervention ofthe federal government.
While the result of the election brings the re
publican party necessarily into the foreground In
resisting disunion, the prejudices against them
which 1 have described have deprived them Of
the cooperation Of many good and patriotic citi-
zens On q complex issue between the republican
party aud the disunionists, although II involves
the direct national calamities the result mig htbe
for the republican party is weak In |
large part Of the Union. But on direct issue, |
with all who cherish the Union on one side, and |
all who desire Its dissolution by force on the |
other, the verdict would be prompt and almost |
unanimous.
I consider the idea Of the withdrawal Of the |
with or without others In a distinct confederacy
as a means Of advantage to themselves, uuwise |
and impossible Of execution, when the purpose Is
understood, that dismiss It with the discussion
have already bestowed upon It.
The case ID different however, In regard to the
other subjects which have brought in this con-
nection before this Senate.
Beyond a doubt, Union is vitality i'm portant to
the republican citizens Of the United States but It
IL Just as important to the whole people. Repub-
licanism and Union are therefore, not convertible
terms. Republicanism Is subordinate to Union,
ism, democracy, every other political name and
thing; all are snbordinate-and they ought to dis
appear In the presence Of the great question Of
Union. so far as | am concerned, IL shall be so
II should be IL the question sure to be tried
as It ought only to be determined, by the peaceful
ordeal Of the ballot.
Ii shall be so all the more since there 10 on one
side preparedness to refer 1t to the arbirament Of
civil war. have such faith In this republican
system Of ours, that there is no political good
which I desire that am not content to seek
NJ til.
out invoking revolutionary action. IL others shall
in yoke that form Of action to oppose and over
throw government, they shall not so far as 1t de-
ponds on me, have the excuse that ! obstinately
left myself to be Misunderstood. In such a case
can afford to meet prejudice with Cancellation,
exaction with concession which surrenders
principle, and violence with the right hand Of
peace.
Therefore, sir so far as the abstract question
whether. by the Constitution Of the nited States,
the bondsman, who 10 made such by the laws Of
a State, is still man or only property, answer
that within that State, its laws on that subject
are supre me; that when he has escaped from that
State into another, the Constitution regards him
as a bondsman who may not, by any law or regu-
laton of that be discharged from his service, but
| shall be delivered up, on claim, to Ire party to
whom his service Is due.
When prudence and justice would combine in
persuading you to modify the acts Of Congress on
that subject not to oblige private persons to
assist in their execution. and to protect freemen
from being, by abuse of the laws carried into sa
very, agree that all laws of the States, whether
| free States slave States which relate to this
| class Of persons, or any others recently coming
! from or resident in other States and which laws
contravene the Constitution of The United States,
| or any law Of Congress passed in conformity
| thereto, ought to be repealed
| Domestic slavery, existing In any State, Is
| wisely left by the Constitution Of the United
| States exclusively TO the care. management, and
disposition of that State; and If il We're in nv
power, would not alter the Constitution in that
i respect. IL misapprehension Of my position needs
| SO strong remedy, / am willing to vote for an
| amendment of the Constitution declaring that il
/ shall not by any future amendment, be altered
as to confer on Congress power to abolish or in
| terfere with slavery in any State
While think that Congress has exclusive and
| sovereign authority to legislate on all subjects
whatever, in the common territories of the United
States; and while certainly shall never directly
or indirectly, give my vote to establish or sanction
slavery In such territories, anywhere else in the
world, yet the question what constitutional laws
tories, is like every other question, to be deter
| mined on practical grounds voted for ena ing
acts in the cases Of Oregon, Minnesota, and Kan
sas, without being able to secure In. them such
provisions as / could have preferred; and yet
| voted wisely
So now, am well satisfied that under existing
crc ,n happy and satisfactory solution
| would be obtained by similar laws, providing FOL
| the organizations, II such organization were other
wise practicable. IL, therefore, Kansas was ad
mitted a State, under the Wyandot constitu
ton, al think she ought to be, and IL the or
ganic laws Of all the other territories could b,
repealed, could vote to authorize the organiza
ton Of two new States which should includ.
them, reserving the right to effect subdivision
| Of them, whenever necessary, into several conve
nient States; but do not fnd that such reserva
tons could 0e constitutonally made
Without them, the Interior embarrassment
which would result from the hasty corporation
of States Of such vast extent and various interest
:. and character would outweigh all the immed lat
Il 81 49, DNtH a.,
were practicable, 1 should prefer a differen
| course, namely: when the eccentric movement
OF secession and disunion shall have ended II
| whatever form that end may come and the ansr
: excitements Of the hour shall have subsidized ant
calmness once more shall have resumed its accus
J toned sway over the public mind, then, and no
until then-one, two, or three years hence
should cheerfully advise a convention of tn
| people, to be assembled In pursuance of the Con
stitution, to consider and decide whether any AM
what amendments Of the organic national Law
| ought to be made.
republican now-as have heretofore been
4 member Of other parties existing in my day
G nevertheless hold and cherish, az have alway
done the principle that this government exists |
T It's present form only by the consent Of the 90,
erned, and that 1t is as necessary II 10 wise
resort to the people for revisions Of the organi
: | law when the troubles and dangers Of the Sta,
the pnbc sutSerites ought tss sDq Ss II
: to excite surprise. Government In any form is
r machine; this is the mos: complex one that ii
nina OF man mas ever invented or the hand
: man has ever framed. Perfect as II is II ought
be expected that II will, at least as often as ono
4 in a century, require some modification to ada
1t to the changes Of society and alterations Of en-
! pire.
e l hold myself ready now as heretofore, to vo
for any properly guarded laws which shall /
:! deemed necessary to prevent mutual invasions
States by citizens Of other States, and punish tho
d who shall aid and abet them
q Notwithstanding the arguments Of the gallal
Il Senator from Oregon, General Lane | renal
D Of the opinion that physical bonds, such az hig
a ways, railroads, rivers, and canals, are vast
n more powerful for holding civil community
together than any mere covenants, though write
Is on parchment or engraved upon iron. | renal
e therefore, constant TO my purpose TO secure
e possible, the construction Of two Pacific railway
|. one Of which shall connect the ports around Il
e mouths Of the Mississippi and the other the tow
" on the Missouri and the lakes, with the harbo
| on our Western coast.
q II, In the expression Of these views, have n
% proposed what 10 desired or expected by maj
Others, they will do the justice to believe tn
d | ! am as far from having suggested what In mar
1t respects would have been in harmony with che
p ished convictions Of my own. learned ear
from Jefferson that In political affairs we cam
always do what seems to us absolutely be-
Those with whom we must necessarily act, e
IL tanning different views, have the power and RIG