Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-04-10

the LOUISIANA treaty. what nave We uoue ia .Ae
present emergencyTan emergency presenting ne
same questionsH Proposed that We should again
adopt this line Of division and apply it to the terri
story which we had since acquired in our war with
Mexico-that again We should renew the compact
that in the territory north Of Sc deg. so mn there
should be no slavery and that In the territory south
| of it slavery should be recognized. It seemed TO
me that this was just equitable and right But it
did not appear so to the Congress ct the United
States. - a2'4
! believe if these measures, thus offered, had been
at suitable time promptly adopted by the Congress
of the United States it would have checked the pro-
gress Of the rebellion and revolution and saved the
Union. But say it did not seem SO to the Con-
gress of the United States, and they declined to
adopt these resolutions, with the exception of one
! That was an amendment to the Constitution, which
it adopted far it could to be referred to the
several States for their adoption-an amendment
declaring tina. the General Government should have
| no power whatever over slavery in the States, ana
| that no amendment should be made to the Consti-
tuition of the United States which should give Con-
gress any such power. It said nothing in respect
to the territories either it regarded the territories
themselves or as it regarded slavery in the terrific
ries. They declined to permit slaves to be carried
into the territory south of 36 deg. 80 min In the
meantime the revolution proceeded. This revolu-
| ton has undertaken to form itself into govern
ment distinct and independent. The revolving
States have broken the Union which united US here
tofore, and they are putting this Government INTO
operation; and we stand here to-day astonished at
the great events that are occurring around us-as-
tonshed at the revolution that is garng US in the
face-and enquiring what is to be done.
| There was one solitary circumstance attending
| these resolutions however, that is well worthy OF
notice Although the discussion of them did not suf
ficiently recommend them to the Congress OF the
United States it struck upon the hearts Of the peo
| A. lolk
opportunity for displaying their fraternal feelings
towards us and all the South, and the generous tenn
per and disposition which prompted them to seek
reconciliation and adjustment amicable settle
ment of all our differences upon any terms that We
might believe to be fair and equitable-just upon the
terms offered by the resolutions which submitted,
or upon any other terms equivalent to them. That
would have been reconciliation enough to have saved
the Union whatever else might have been lost. As
q testimony of the manner in which this adjustment
was hoped for hundreds and thousands of persons in
the Northern States signed petitions praying for the
passage of the Forty thousand voters from
the single State of Massachusetts,, thousands from
Pennsylvania, thousands from all the Northwestern
States, breathing spirit of love and kindness to
their fellow citizens and devotion to the Union
which was willing to sacrifice anything and-every-
thing for its preservation. This was to me and it
will be to you and to every Union-loving man the
most impressive and acceptable evidence Of the tenn
per and disposition of fellowcitizens elsewhere
1t showed me that the argument which has been so
often used to dsunite that the North hates the
South and that the South hates the North is not
true. The Almighty has not made us with hearts
of such malignity as to hate whole classes of our
countrymen for the SINS OF a few men. The North
does not hate the South. The South does not hate
the North. In this matter, gentlemen, speak so
far as my own observation and my own experience
enable me to testify. We have our moments of irri-
tation At times We have great provocations, and
often these provocations have excited unkind feel
ings-reproaches without number, on the one side
and on the other elimination and recrimination
has existed between us. But this only serves to
form part of that great volume of abuse which po-
litca strife and the struggle for party predominant
cy must necessarily produce. They pass by, how
ever. The stream is no longer made turbid by this
cause, and in purity it runs throughout the land
encircling us in the arms o! a common fellowship
a common country. So may God forever preserve u.s.
We have not been made to hate one another. We
do not hate one another. The politicians who tell
us that We hate each other are either honestly mis-
taken or they are seeking ephemeral popularity by
protesting to be our friends, and showing by the
hatred which they profess for other sections that
their protecting love for US is over all But the peo-
pie will not always be led by politicians. They have
risen upon this OCCASION and believe in my heart
that there is at this moment majority of Northern
men that would cheerfully vote for any of the reso-
lutions of compromise that proposed by men of
the South in the last Congress. have assurance of
the most respectable men, some of the most influ-
entail men OF Pennsylvania. have assurances Civ
en- to me by hundreds of letters from the most in
telligent of that State to get resolutions SUBJ
mitted to the people. They came to me from every
Northern State, believe, without solitary excep-
ton to get my resolutions submitted to the people
1--WE want" said they, "to preserve the Union
W., -,
this matter. They were elected partisans, on par
ty Platforms and subject to the control of their
party. They do not feel as we do They feel and
act as partisans, and want to maintain every sya-
BILE and every letter of their platform. We wish to
preserve our sacred Union. We love our brethren
Put your resolutions before us. They will pass by
| hundreds and thousands of majorites" Gentlemen,
believe that, in Pennsylvania, they would have
passed by ore hundred thousand majority II these
resolutions have done nothing else they have at least
elected evidences Of affection for us from our North
ern brethren. They ought to be considered ~ haSs
ing attained something In this !ighs something ims
portant too, considering the value of the Union
The people were ready to sanction the compromise.
! The generosity and patriotism Of their hearts hsd
not stopped to calculate the conseQuepees-t nsrfv
of the downfall af THEN 1pssslorm they have in
dGigs5 lsss feelings IS fellowcitzens and fellow
Z counrymen, and they are willing to give you all
| you ask and all you want They would rather give
you more than you entitled to than part with you
We are not to be outdone in generosity, l trust,
by the people Of the North. If they are thus anx-
GUS to preserve the Union, shall we he more luke
warm in that sacred cause? What we should do is
this: insist upon our rights but insist upon them
in the Union, and depend upon it that the people
will grant them to YOU This that Senate or this
or that body or convention, may refuse-but mark
me, your country has a great warm heart The
citizens of this republic will work out the redemp.
ton of their country, if we will but combine and
cooperate with them to preserve this Union. Let
US struggle in the Union-contend in the Union
| make the Union the instrument with which we con-
tend, and shall get all that We ask-all that we
can desire-all that reason can warrant us in ex-
pectiEg.
This, my feow-citizens, is the great fact of the
sentiment and opinion of our brethren everywhere.
Now, the great question which we are called upon
to decide is, what in this unparalleled stupendous
I criss-what will we do? Seven States of our cnm.