The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-02-01
SAINT PAUL. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1861

affection, land they are close and enduring,)
which have bound her to the Union and
thus divesting herself of every benefit, taking
upon herself every burden, she claims to be
exempt from any power to execute the laws
OF the United States within her limits.
we'll remember an occasion when Massa-
chusetts was arraigned before the bar of the
Senate, and when then the doctrine of
coercion was rife and to be applied against
her because of the rescue of fugitive slave
in Boston. My opinion then was the same
that it is now. Not in spirit of egotism,
but to show that am not Influenced in my
opinion because the case is my own, refer
to that time and that occasion as containing
the opinion which l then entertained. and
on which my present conduct is based. I
then said, if Massachusetts, following her
through stated line of conduct, chooses to
take the last step which separates her from
the Union, it is her right to 60, and l will
neither vote one dollar nor one man to coerce
her back; but will say to her, God speed, in
memory of the kind associations which once
existed between her and the other states.
1t has been a conviction of pressing ne
cessity, it has been belief that we are to
be deprived in the Union of the rights which
our fathers bequathed to US, which has
brought Mississippi into her present de-
cision. She has heard proclaimed the
theory that all men are created free and
equal, and this made the basis of an attack
upon her social institutions; and the sacred
Declaration of Independence has been in
voked to maintain the position of the
equality of the races. That Declaration of
Independence is to be construed by the cir
cumstances and purposes for which it was
made. The communities were declaring
their independence; the people of those com.
munities were asserting that no man was born
TO use the language Of Mr.. Jefferson
booted and spurred to ride over the rest of
mankind; that men we're created equal
meaning the men of the political commu-
nifty; that there was no divine right to rule;
that no man inherited the right to govern;
that there was no classes by which power
and place descended to families, but that all
stations were equally within the grasp
of each member of the body-politic.
These were the great principles they an
nounced; these were the purposes for
which they made their declaration these
were the ends to which their enunciation
was directed. They have no reference to
the slave else, how happened it that
among the items of arraignment made
against George III. was that be endeavored
to do just what the North had been endea.
Of loft f0 Hn fo cf;r
among our slaves :? Had the Declaration
announced that the negroes were free and
equal, how was the Prince to be arraigned
for stirring up insurrection among them ?
And how was this to be enumerated among
the high crimes which caused the colonies
to sever their connection with the mother
country When our constitution was
formed, the same idea was rendered more
palpable, for there we find provision made
for that very class of persons as property !;
they were not put upon the footing of equal
ity with white men-not even upon that of
paupers and convicts F.; but; so far as repre-
sentation was concerned, were Disseminated
against as lower caste, only to be repre-
sented in the numerical proportion of three
fifths.
Then, Senators, we refer to the compact
which binds US together we recur to the
principles upon which our government was
founded; and when yon deny them, and
when you deny to US the right to withdraw
from a government which thus perverted,
threatens to be destructive to our rights,
we but tread in the path of our fathers when
we proclaim our independence, and take the
hazard. This is done, not in hostility to
others, not to injure any section OF the coun.
try, not even for our own pecuninry benefit;
but from the high and solemn motive of de-
Tending and protecting rights we inherited,
and which it is our sacred duty to transmit
uushorn to our children.
1 find in myself, perhaps, type of the
general feeling of my constituents towards
yours. am sure feel no hostility to you,
Senators from the North. l am sure there
is not one of you, whatever sharp discussion
there may have been between US, to whom
| cannot now say, in the presence Of my God,
/ wish you well; and such, l am sure, is the
feeling of the people whom I represent
towards those whom you represent. there.
fore feel that l but express their desire when
l say hope, and they hope, for peaceful
relations with you, though we must part.
They may be mutually beneficial to us in
the future, as they have been in the past. if
you 60 will it. The reverse may bring dis
aster on every portion of the country; and
if you will have it thus, we will invoke the
God of our fathers, who delivered them
from the power of the lion, to protect us
from the ravages of the bear; and thus,
putting our trust in God, and in our own
firm hearts and strong arms, we will vindi.
cate the right as best we may.
Mr.. President, and Senators, having
made the announcement which the occasion
seemed to me to require, it only remains for
me to bid you final adieu.
The son of Hon. Wm.,L. Yancey has re-
signed bis cadetship at the Naval School at
Annapolis.
sg' t.E e.