Daily national Democrat., 1861-03-09
Senator Edgerton's Speech--The Power
of Coercion.


force the law, as against this resistance. Mr..
Thornton, in his South Cnrolina, Secession
speech had said that, in TIE debates in the
Convention which framed our Constitution.
force against States, and that the power de-
claring war against State was voted down.
All true enough. But every word that Mad
ison said was used with especial reference TO
the proposition of using force by the General
Government for the purpose of coercing an
independent State Government into suRJec-
ton. 1t was thought more expedient to
make the new government operate directly on
individuals and not States, and to hold indi-
yduals and not States responsible for resist
ance TO the laws. And on this principle
the coercive power of the Government was
founded. 1t follows, therefore, that individ-
uals cannot shelter behind State authority if
they resist a Federal law. The Government
can take no coguiz nee Of a State, in its re
sistance but it holds every individual Of
fender within that State responsible. Coer-
cion, therefore, is power of the Govern
meut, which is the more potent because it
operates against each individual man. instead
of men in their collective capacity. The
Constitution provides that the President shall
see that the laws are faithfully executed. 1t
furthermore clothes Congress with the power
to provide for calling forth the militia to eX-
ccute the laws of the General Government,
and to suppress insurrection Whenever
the laws of the United States are resisted
whenever combinations are made for the
purpose of insurrecton, and for tramplng
the laws under foot, it is the duty of Con
gress, and the duty of the President of the
United States, to see that the laws are exc
cuted; If necessary, at the price of shedding
every drop of blood and sacrificing every
soldier in the American army" Washington
used force to execute the laws. Mr. Buchanan
used force to do the same thing, both in
Kansas and in Massachusetts, Mr. Fillmore
al-o sent, during his Administration. an army
into Boston, TO execute the Federal laws
there. Gen. Jackson, in a memorable in
stance, queled rebellion.
| Mr.. Thornton, interrupting said that, in
the case of South Carolina, in 1882 and $685.
he signed "sneaking compromise, 10y which
the Federal Government backed down" The
Government backing down, when jackson
was at the head To this, Senator Edgerton
replied as follows, and he stated the truth OF
history
'iIhe word "sncahing" seems to bea favor
ite word with the onorable Senntor, when
he desires to give point to his defamation
and characterize any act Of Government !
do not admit that compromise was ever
made by the Government with South Caro- p
lua or with any other State. The General
Government did modify the Tariff; but il
was the act of the General Government aud
not compromise between that Government
aud South Carolina. The General Govern
ment never makes compromises with any
State. The honorable Senator's allusion to
General jackson, called to II mind a few
incidents of history, that will enIighten lis
as to the views entertained 10y that illustrious
Democrat in regard to his Constitutional
power to use force for the preservation of the
Union, and the enforcement OF the laws
Has the honorable Senator forgotten that
the Hero of the Hermitage, in the calm
evening of his life, az he looked bnck over
hi3 public career, regretted that he had not
executed Calhoun as traitor to the Consti
tuition and to the Union? Docs he not
know that General jackson had determined
to declare martial law in the District of Co.
lumbia that he had the Court Martial APP
pointed, that was TO try Mr. Calhoun for
treason, and the officers selected, who we're
to execute the death penalty upon him
And, sir does not the honorable Senator
know that Mr. Calhoun saved his neck by
sustaining and voting for the measure which
he now stigmatizes as SnedkiHg compro-
mise 2"
Calhoun waS greatly averse to voting for
what was denominatcd the Compromise. but
he did it to save his neck, and he did save it
in that way only, for old jackson would have
hung him as certainly as the sun had arisen
on the day in which Calhoun had refused to
come down from his position.
AS to the present depreciation Of war, by
the sympathzers with secession, they cry
"peace to the General Government, when
those with whom they are sympathizng are
sounding the trump of war; roUbing the
Government of its property. firing upon its
vessels selling upon its forts and numbering
its citizens The seeding States seem de-
termned to precipitate bloody crisis, for
they refuse to suspend hostilities, pending a
a compromise, and deal out persistent insult
and defiance to the Federal Government.
Said Mr.. Edgerton
al believe in my heart, if the solution Of
our difficulties is referred to the spirit of fair
compromises, they will all he peacefully ad-
justed But, sir, if the seeding States per-
sist in their headlong lawless course of con-
duct. | trust in God that the incoming
Administration will put forth every nerve OF
the Government. to preserve the Constitution
and the Union, though the land be deluged
with blood and the heavens fall.
The excuse that the North has passed
Personal Liberty Bills is a a liimsy one. The
Northern States are ready to repeal these
bills, and will repeal them, because the people
know that these enactments are wrong. But
the seeding States do not wish to secede on
this account There is deeper cause with
them than the Personal Liberty Bills "Rhett
the head and front of this revolutionary
movement in South Carolina, says expressly
that the Personal Liberty Bills are not the
cause of her action He says that, in his
judgment, the Fugitive Slave Law is not
constitutional; and ought not to be observed