Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-03-07
VOL. XXVIEE.
STATE OF THE UNION.
SPEECH OF HON. J. S. MORRILL,,
OF VERMONT,
Is THE lousE or REPRESENTATIVES,.
E,blJI0TU rs 1861


Mr. MORRILL, said:
| Mr.. SPEAKER; 1t is useless to disguise and
traitoruus to increase, the gravity OF the occa-
sion. Against the Government established by
Washington, rebellion, formidable in its pro-
portions and portentous in its results, is even
now buckling on its armor, and with vigorous
Diplomacy couring allies. | am painfully aware
how vain for me would be the attempt to stay
this downward revolution; and, cannot arrest
| it. will do nothing to accelerate Its execrable
speed. do not underratc the martial spirit OF
the South; aud those who imagine there is
nothing to be dreaded by the tocsin that as
sembles The North in arms, know little of the
fire that now lies concealed in northern ice.
"Let but single gun be fred in this capitol"
to use the words of one Of my correspondents,
"and there would not be men enough left at
home in the North to milk the cows" 1t is
growing too evident that in each section Of our
country the war-dogs only need to be let loose
to cut the Gordian knot we have so long un-
successfully struggled to unite. Expectant he
roes, the cavaliers and the roundheads, already
stand on tip-toe to Nindicate their respective
claims on one side the cagerncss to commence,
and on the other the reluctance to leure of, a
fratricda war lie that does not pause ere
he scars the pages of history with such con-
test, is madm1n. 1t is not because | doubt
the mette of my own people that pause but
because know their pluck. Therefore, not un-
til all hope of the Union shall pass away, will
whet the edge Of animosties by initiating the
bad example of some gentlemen in sending
forth the war-whoop, instead of sober argu-
mcnts and reasonable conclusions.
Recognizing the fact that there appeared to
be an organized plan to revolutionize and break
up the Government, n conspiracy 10 blot out
the Declaration of Independence and subvert
the Constitution, | voted in favor of raising the
committee of thirty-three, when it was pro-
posed, in order to give those who represented
that portion of our country loudest in their
complaints an opportunity to be heard to the
utmost latitude and not because any real
grievance was visible to me-always excepting
that some men were about to go out of office,
and others were about to come in. | would
consider the complaints of single individual /;
and could not, therefore, reject unheard those
of whole States. The Representatives from
the disafected section were each our equals,
and respectable in numbers, and therefore, if
they proposed it, entitled to the right of being
heard. | do not regret that vote. This OPP
portunity has been granted; and | confess,
while there is a fertility Of apprehensions, no
real grievance has been made manifest. Our
admirable and complex form of Government in
all its operations has exhibited as little friction,
by the wit of man.
1t is undeniably true that if the late election
had resulted in the defeat of Mr. Lincoln, no
revolution would have been preciptated, and
no new guarantees to slavery would have been
required at our hands. But, while we have
been victorious in the campaign, we are invited
> to submit to what would not even have been
| suggested had we been defeated ay, and in
vited to submit to what nearly two thirds of
the popular vote of the Democratic party itself
rejected For one million three hundred and
sixty five thousand nine hundred and seventy
six Democrats, in voting for Mr.. Douglas, voted
against the protection of slavery in the Terri
tori-s and only eight hundred and forty-seyen
, thousand nine hundred and fiity-three for Mr.
Breckinridge, in favor of it. Under these cir
cumstances, the demand made is humiliation
to which no party can submit. In 1870 the
Missouri compromise was established, and It's
repeal was never agitOted by the North. II
1928 John Quincy Adams was defeated on
charges of extravaganza, athoug the eXpendi
, ture was not one sixth of what we now witness
but the North submitted. In 1882 General
Jackson was reelected on the ground Of hostili-
ty to the United States Bank and when the
hank went down, all acquiesced. In 1914 Mr.
Polk was elected because he i'll favor ol
l "the remuneration of Texas" and "extendinl
the area of freedom;" and when Texas came in
with four slave States extended on its banner
even then there was no rebellion. In lS4S thu
Wimot provso was defeated but no secession
followed. In 1854 the Missouri compromis
was repealed and yet the Union stood firm
= Notwithstanding this combined blunder ant
crime. In 1860 Mr.. Lincoln was elected, be
n cause he was opposed to the extension of sla
very into the Territories, and opposed to tn
5, general maladministratlon of the Government
nt for the last eight years. That verdict of tn
people cannot he reversed, except by the pcopl
themselves, four years hence. | trust it may
\ never be reversed. Meantime it must be &C
IL cepted by all order-oving, Constitution -obeyinl
- men. II the South did not mean to abide b.
ID the esult-only on the principle Of "hcads vii
t. tails you lose'-they should not have courte
the issue, nor made the appeal to the ballot
D box. Having participated in the election, it
s. too late to reject the verdict. They will fin
at consolation in the best of books, ''lhe paieu
c abiding of the righteous shall be turned to glad
ness"
Whatever fate may betde our country, tn
- Democratic party has much to do to redeer
itself from the odium of the present crisis, an
or, would urge it to that patriotic end A Den
OK ocratic President has not used his high prerol
on ative to estop the dismemberment Of the RI
We public, but only to license anarchy He h,
~ looked benignly on secession Like a clevt
= old man, with unruy sons, he has deprecate
T their conduct by saying, "Dont; but if | wei
rE you | would, and can't help it il you do"
. is not difficult feat for the officers and crew
to s.utlle and sink the staunchest Of ships, al
~ any government may 60 down when its ow
q, officers betray their trust, or lapse into CORFU
ton and imbecity. The names Of those no
:. or recently in command, will have apage not
be enyied in future history. Nor will it be 10
~, sight of that secession was begoten and hurst
cw by the wolves Of the Democratic party. III
"a true men Of this party must now take care
ro- TO- their own reputation.
nd Mr., Speaker, not having been able to col
eide with the honorable chairman, who preSe
ted the views of the majority of the commit
'c' of thirty-threc, nor yet altogether with Il
= views Of any Of the minority reports, feel
to be my duty To take this method of eXplai
ing what, in my Judgment, should be done, al
the what should not be done, with the various su
eat jccts upon which We shall soon be called up,
to act.
nal At first let me say, that the course Of tha
. occupying extreme positions in the South. b
OK fore and especially since our assembling he
has made it embarrassing for me, or any of
,e o,. who would preserve the Constitution in all
ue yigor. TO listen even to words of concilintio
while anything like compromise has never be
=, possible for a moment. Compromises are U
lie. der the ban of all parties, and to the adyocat
of spcpsgiou who mean rpVOlution moro od diC