New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-02-11


States in an attempt to escape from t,. ;Ir-.o-
our last war wi'a Great Britain the second rIe,
the same State Proposed TO secHde on account NJ
admission OF Texas as new State into the Trnian
Sir, in the language Of OR declaration Of seees
sion from Great Britain IT is stated az an estab
iished truth, that all experience tas shown tha
mankind are more disposed to suffer yhjIst evil
are sufferable, than TO right themselves by aboI
lshing the forms to which they have been accus
toned" And nothing can be more obvious II
the calm and candid observer of passing event
imam inst the disruption Of the Confederacy has
neen due, in great measure, not to the existence
but to the denial of this right. Few candid r1ef
you'd refuse to admit that the Republicans Of the
North would have been checked in their mad ca
feer, had they been convinced of the existence Of
TINS rIght, and the intention to assert it, The very
knoweige, Of its existence. by preventing occur.
would have rendered it most efficient instrune,,f
IN the preservation of the Union. But. sir. if the
tact were otherwise-if all the teachinos of ex
per1ence were reversed-better, far better. q rome
tened in the morning dew, than chains of ron
and shackles of steel; better the widest ANARCHY
with the hope, the chance, of one hours inspira-
ton OF the glorious breath of freedom, than ages
OF the hopeless bondage and oppression TO which
our enemies would reduce us.
We are told that the laws must be enforced that
the revenues must be collected that the South
Is in rebellion without cause and that her citizens
are traitors.
Rebellion! The very word is confession an
avoWal OF tyranny, outrage, and oppression. It is
taken from the despots CODE and has no terror for
other than slavsh souls When, sir did millions Of
people. as single man. rise in organized, deliber-
ate, unimPassioned rebellion against Justice truth
and honor? Well did great Englishman exclaiul
on similar occasion:
might a8 well tell me that they rebeIied against the
do against their efacors they are rot mad
to epf h the 9sIe;s Of pronounce
agans, sncefe rational and benev VIOLENT authority people
iure When the,s s BY free people With tic com
against whom that revolt is aiusd.''
Traitors! Treason! Aye, sir, the people of the
south initiate and glory in jast such treason as
glowed in the soul of Hampden; lust such treason
as eaped in living flame from the imprisoned lips
of Henry Just s1ch treason as encircles with a
sacred halo the undyiDg name of Washington! ,4.
You will enforce the laws. You want to know
if we have q Government; if you have any au
thorly to collect revenue to wiring tribute from
an unwilling people? Sir, humanity desponds and
all the inspiring hopes of her progressive improve
ment vanish into empty air at the reflections which
crowd on the mind at hearing repeated, with az
gravated enormty, the sentiments against which a
Chatham launched his indignant thnnders nearly
century ago. The very words of Lord North and
his royal master are repeated here in debate not
az quotations, but as the spontaneous outpourinrs
OF spirit the counterpart of theirs.
In Lord Norths speech on the destruction of the
tea in Boston harbor, he said:
are no longer to dpue Legislation and
ton re arc noo only consider 1eesr hare an az
Mory there 1t Is Gle have nome if We suffer the
property Gf subjects to be destroyed We punish
And tbereupon he proposed to close the port OF
Boston, just as the Representatives of Massachu-
sets now propose to close the port of Charleston
IN order to determine ariether not you haze ana
authority there 1t is thus that in 1861. Boston Is
to pay her debt at gratitude to Charleston, which
in the days of her struggle, proclaimed the gener.
Gus sentiment that " the cause of Boston was the
cause of Charleston" Who, after this, will saw
that Republics are ungratefrl? Well, sir. the
statesmen of Great Britain answered to Lord
North's appeal, "yield.n The courtiers and the
politicians said punish" control" The result il
known. History gives you the lesson. Profit by
its teachings.
- So, sir, in the address sent under the royal sign
manual to Parliament, it was invoked to take
measures " for better securing the execution of
the laws" and acquiesced in the suggestion. Just
as now, sene Executive, under the sinister n6u.
ence OF insane counsel, is proposing, with your
assent "to secure the better execution Of the
laws" by blockading ports and turning upon the
people OF the States the artillery which they pro-
vided at their own expense for their own defense,
and Entrusted to you and to him for that and for no
other purpose Nay, even in States that are now
exercising the undoubted and most precious rights
OF free people; where there is no secession ;
where the citizens are assembling to hold peaceful
elections for considering what course of action is
demanded in this dreadful crisis by due regard
for their own safety and their own liberty ay
even in Virginia herself, the people are to cast
their suiirages beneath the undsguised menaces OF
trowning fortress. Cannon are brought to bear
on their homes and parricidal hands are preparing
weapons for rending the bosom Of the mother Of
Washington.
Sir, when Great Britain proposed to exact tribute
nom your fathers against their will Lord Chatham
said:
Whatever is mans own is absolutely his own No man has
IT. attempts Injury whoever does it. cnn
rob9e:y fon have no right to tax America. reore that
sovereign authority this country over the colonies be s ,ef
every pot of station whatever hat we may bind ieP
trade Gontne their mHnuactmes and every pow"
consent ")" p'''s'' ''''""" A's''
1t was reserved for the latter half of the nine.
teenth century, and for the Congress of Republic
of reemen, to witness the willing abnegaton of all
power, save that Of exacting tribute. What impe-
rial Britain, with the haughtiest pretensions of I'M
limited power over dependent colonies could not
even attempt, without the vehement protest of her
greatest statesmen, is to be enforced in aggravated
FORM if you can enforce it, against independent
States.
Good Cod sir, since when has the necessity
arisen of recalling to American legislators the les
sons of freedom taughtn lsping childhood by loving
mothers, that pervade the atmosphere we have
breathed from infancy; that so form part of our
very being, that in their absence would lose the
consciousness of our own identity? Heaven he
praised that all have not forgotten them that when
we shall have left these familiar halls and when
force bills blockades, armies, navies and all the
accustomed coercve appliances of despots shall be
proposed and advocated, voices shall be heard
from this side Of the chamber that will make its
very roof resound with the indignant camor of out
ragged freedom. Methinks still hear ringing in my
ears the appeal of the eloquent Representative
(EIon. George H. Pendleton, of Ohio) whose North
ern home looks down on Kentucky's fertile hor-
ders: A'nltes money, blood cannot maintain
ms Cnl0n justice, reason, peace, TldYn
And now to you, Mr. President and to nv
brother Senators, on all sides Of this chamber,
bid a respectful farewell with many Of those
from whom have been radically separated in DO.
kindly, and have inspired me with respect and
esteem that shall not willingly forget; with those
around me from the Southern States part as men
part from brothers on the eve Of temporary alb
sence with IA cordial pressure Of the hand and a
smiling assurance of the speedy renewal of sweet
intercourse around the family hearth.
But to yon, noble and generous Friends who
born beneath other skies, possess hearts that beat
in sympathy with ours; to you, who, solicited and
assalied by motives the most powerful that could
appeal to selfish natures, have nobly spurned them
all; to yOu who, in our behalf, have barred your
breasts to the fierce beatings of the storm, and
made willing sacrifice of LIES most gttering prizes
N your devotion to constitutional liberty; to You, |
who have made our cause your cause, aud from |
many Of whom feel part forever, what shall |. |
IAN say? Nought, know and feel, is needed for |
myself; but this will say for the people in whose
name speak to day: whether prosperous or ad- |
verse fortunes await you, one priceless treasure is
assurance that our entire people honor |
your names, and hold them in grateful and affec- |
donate memory. But with still sweeter and more |
touching return shall your unsefSh devotion be