The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-01-14

4
| laws, providing for their or rganization. II such
| organization were otherwise practicable If.
.he,FIote, Kansas was admitted as State,
| unoer 'ne W Wyandotte ConstItut ton. as thi q X
| kne onght TO be, and If the organic laws Of all
| me oiher territories could be repealed, l could
| No'e TO authorize the organiza tion and admis-
| ZION oI Two new States which should include
| 'nem feserving the right to effect subdiv isions
| OF tnem whenever necessary in to several con-
| Senient States but do not find that such
| reservations could be constitu tionaliy made.
without them, the ulterior em barrass ssmeE s
| which would result from the hasty incorpora-
| ton OF States OF such vast extent and various
| interests and chars ter would on weigh all the
| Immediate advant tages of such measure. But
| n the 10 easure were practicable, should pre-
| Ter different course, namely when the &C.
| centric movements of secession aud disunion
| shall have ended, in whatever form that end
may come, and the angry excitement of the
| hour shall have subsided, and calmGess once
| more shall have resumed It's accustomed sway
| over the public mind, then, and hot until
| then-one, two, or three years hence-I should
| cheerfuliy advise Convention of the people,
| to be assem- tled in pursuance of the Constitu-
| lion, to consider and decide whether any and
| what amendments of the organic national law
ought to be made.
| Republican, now-as have heretofore been
| a member Of other parties existing in my day
- ertheless bold and cherish, as have
| always done, the principle that this Gov
| ernment exists in its present form only
by the consent of the governed, and that
| 1t is as necessary as IL IS WISE TO resort to
the people for revisions of the organic law
when the troubles and dangers OF the State
| Ger rtainy transcend the powers delega; led
BY II 10 the public authorities. Nor ought
the suggestion TO excite surprise. Gov
erpmept in any form is machine; this is the
most complex oEe that the mind of man has
ever invented, or the hand OF man has ever
| framed. Perfect as 1t is, it ought To be
pecIed that il WILL al least as often as once in
d century, require some modification 10 adapt
II 10 the changes OF society and alterations OF
| empire.
fourthly. hold myself ready now, as al
| ways heretofore, TO vote for any properly
| guarded laws which shall be deemed neces-
sary TO prevent mutual inva-ions of States by
! citizens of other States, and punish those who
| shall aid and abet them.
| Ffthiy. Notwithstanding the arguments of
| the gallant Senator from Oregon, (Gen Lane
l remain OF the opinion that physical bonds,
such AS high ways, railroads, rivers and canals,
are vastly more powerful for holding civil
| communities together than any mere cove
nants, though written on parchment OF
graved upon iron. / remain, therefore, con-
stant TO my purpose to secure, if possible, the
construction OF two Pacific railways, one of
which shall connect the ports around the
mouth OF the Mississippi, and the other the
towns Oh the Missouri and the lakes, with the
haroors on ou- Western coast.
II, on the expression OF these views, / have
not proposed what is desired or expected by
many others, they Will do the jus ice to be-
lleye that am as tar from having suggested
what III many re poets would have been in
own. l learned early from jefferson, that iii
political affairs we caun0t always DO what
seems TO us absolutely b9st. Those with " hon
we must nece.s .sarIiy act, en- ntertaining differ
ent views, have the power and right OF carry
ing them IN 10 practice. We must bt content
10 lead when we can, and 10 follow when we
cannot lead and If we cannot at any tine do
for our Country all the good that we would
wish must be satisfied with doing for her
all The good that We can.
Having submitted my own opinions on this
great crisis, 1t remlins only TO say that shall
cheerIully lend To the government my test
support ia whatever prudent Yet energetic
efforts it shall MAKE to preserve he Union,
ad yising, only, thlt IL prartice as far p0ssi
bic, the utmost moderation, forDearance and
concilatol.
Aud, now, Mr President, what are the au-
spices of the country ! i know that We are
The midst Of alarms, and somewhat exposed 10
accidents unavoidable III seasons of tempestu-
Gus passions We already have disorder, and
violence has begun. l know not 10 what ex
tent it n.ay 20. sun my faith in the CoastI-
tuition aud III the Union abldes, because my
faith il the " isdom and virtue OF the Amari-
can people remains mistaken. Co0Iness.
| calulness, and resOlu ioG, are elements #
their character. Ghey have been temporarily
| displaced but they ARE Teappearing.
| Soon enough, l trust, for safety, II will be
| seen that sedi,Ion and violence are only local
| and temporary, and that 10y atty aud aztec ton
| 10 the Union are the natural sentiments ofthe
| whole country. Whatever daRgers there shall
| be- there viii be the determination 10 meet
| them whatever sacrifices, private or pubic,
| shall be peedlUl tor the Union, they Will be
| made. feel sure thar the hour has not come
| Tor this great nation TO iali This people,
| which has been stud ying TO become wiser and
| better as it has grown older, is not perverse or
| wicked enough 10 deserve SO dreadful and Sc
| we're punishment as dissolution.
| This Union has not yet accomplished what
| good or mankind was maniiestly designed by
| Him who appoints the seasons and prescribes
| the duties OF States and empires. No, sir If
Il
rise again and reappear in all It's majestic pro-
| portions to morrow. 1t is the only govern
| ment that can stand here. Woe! Woe! to
the man that madly lifts his hand against It.
| 1t shall continue and endure; and men, in at
ter times, shall declare that this generation,
| which saved the Union from such sudden and
| unlocked for dangers, surpassed IL magma
nimity even that one which laid its founda-
tions IN the eternal principles OF liberty, JUS
| tice and humanity.
| THE PERSONAL INTERVIEWS OF TIE SOUTH
| CAROLINA COMMISSIONERS WITH THE PRBsI-
| DENT.
The South Carolina Commissioners to
| Washington have laid before The Convention
an interesting statement of their interviews
with the President. We make the following
extract:
On Saturday, the eth of December several
of the South Carolina delegation, including
ourselves, waited upon the President. At this
time, there was growing belief that rein
forcements were on the eve Of being sent to
the forts in Charleston harbor. 1t was known
that the subject was frequently and earnestly
discussed IN the Cabinet. 1t was rumored
| that Heneral Cass and Mr.. Holt were urgent
that renforcements should be sent. Upon
our being announced, the President, who was
then in Cabinet Council, came out TO us In the
ante-room. We at once entered into a CONVEX
sation upon the topic, which was SO closely
occupying his thoughts we'll as ours
The President seemed much disturbed and
uat nS a ma a
interview with the wife OF Major Anderson,
who had come on from New York to see him.
She had manifest ted great anxiety and distress
at the situation OF her husband, whom she
seemed to consider in momentary danger of an
attack from an excited and Iawless moo. The
President professed deep responsibility rest
ing upon him to protect The lives OF MAJ. An
derson and his command. Wetoid nlm that the
news that rein forcements were on their way to
Charleston would be the surest means OF pro-
voking what Mrs. Anderson apprehended, ana
what he so ~ uch deprecated. We said, further.
that we did not believe that MAYOR ANDERSON
was in danger of such an attack; that the gen.
eral sentiment of the State was against any
such proceeding. That, prior TO the action OF
the State Convention, then only ten days
on, We felt satisfied that there would be 40
attempt TO molest the forts in any way
That after the Convention met-wEile we
could not possibly undertake TO say what that
body would see nt TO dove yet hoped and
believed that nothing would be done until w.
mad first eadeavored, by duly accredi ted Com
missioners, TO negotiate for peaceful settle
men, OF all matters, including the delivery OF
the forts, between South Carolina and the
Federal Government. At the same time, we
again reiterated our solemn belief that any
change in the then existing coalition of things
in Charleston harbor would, in the excited
state OF feeling at home, inevitably precipi-
tate a collision. The impression made upon
us was. that the President was wayering and
had ~ OF decided what course he wo Id pursue.
He said he was glad to have had this conyer.
sation with us, but would prefer that we