Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-02-15
EECH
OF
HON. EDW ARD M'PHRRSON,
OF Pennsylvania, Delivered In the
$ E ca
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, JAN.
23. 1851,

70, 1861,
The House having under consideration the re-
port from the select committee OF tnirty-tmee-
Mr MCPHERSON said:
Mr. SPEAKER IT has been said, are In the
midst of revolution. 1t is more accurate TO say,
that we are in the presence of a vast conspiracy,
which has at length assumed the proportions of
revolution. propose to examine and try to I'M
derstand it.
Whence comes it By what means2 Whittier
does it tend Three pregnant questions.
THE CONSPIRACY.
The blow comes from censpirat0rs, who admit
that long ago they laid the pan that carefully they
have prepared the MEANS and that sach has beer
their if4-labor. Turning to the proceedings of the
Legislature of the State Of South Carolina ia 1850,
in a debate upon proposition for southern Con-
greSs, we find that one member (Mr. w. s. Lyles)
said that the remedy for their wrongs was the
Of tbs South and the formation of southern confed
erGcy. Several members declared theiI purpose so
to vote the pending bill to hasten the dissolW
toa Of The Union. In the "soYereign convention"
of South Carolina, recently in session, one member
MR. Parker) said, IN the debate upon the secession
ordinance, ''this is no spasmOdic effort hat has
come suddenly upon us but it has been gradually
eliminating for long series Of years, until at last,
il has come to that point when we may say the
matter is entirely right" Another member (Mr.
lDglis) said; EsMost Of have had this matter un
der consideration for The lGsttVenty geGrs" Anoth
tr member, Mr.. keitt, } recently member OF this
House. said nc ohad been engaged in this move
ment since he entered political life" lie re-
ioicngly pronounced the Union buried, and drop
ped its flag on the grave. Another member, (Mr
Rhett,) once member of this House, and after
wards Senator Of the United States, said that
s.the secession of South Carolina is not an event
of day, is not produced by Mr.. Lincoln's election,
or by the non-execution of the fugitive slave law,
but IS q matter whtch has been gathering head for
thirty gears" Thus the conspiracy is confessed
Ex-Representatives, ex-S Senator's, in the face OF
the world declare that the overthrow of the Gov
crnmcnt was their great object of desire and effort,
while they were sworn officers Of that Government,
receiving compensation from it, and intrused with
the care Of its vast interests
Had it not been contested, II could easily been
proved. As far back 1874, Mr.. Clay wrote to
citizen of Alabama:
From Developments now feng made n South
Carolina, it is perfectly manifest that party exists
10 thai State, seeking dissolution OF the Union,
and Tor that purpose employ the pretext of the
rejection of Mr.. Tyler's abominable treaty.
IN Asy, ls33, General Jackson. in his letter to
Rev Andrew J. Crawford, after congratulating
himself the death of nullihcatIon and the defeat
and dshonor Of its advocates remarked as follows
The tariff, it is now known, was a mere pretext."
GTherefore the tariff was
only the prttext, and disunion and southern con-
federacy the real object"
lie then adds the prophetic words:
SsThe next pretext will be the negro or slavery
question"
How accurately the sagacious patriot measured the
conspirators how thoroughly he comprehended
them; how clearly he foresaw their network of
devices
How firmly they seized the pretext, how perse-
yerngly they have handled it t,ettheir ever ncreas-
ing agitatiou their ever-risng exactons their de-
Structon of men and parties for ndety TO it, and
their more and more unreasonable demands, give
answer. Do you need further evidence Recall
the secession excitement of 1850, the Nashville
convention Of 1851, the frequent (so-caed) south
afad{
tcrng expeditions, the secession demonstrations of
lS57-58. and the organization of 'sUnited South
oTners,'' desert bed and recommended by Mr.. Yam
cey, in his Slaughter letter Of June l5 1858, whose
purpose was to ssestablish committees of safety"
all over the cotton States, to sfire the southern
keart. instruct the southern mind give courage to
each other, and, at the proper moment, by one or
ganized, concerted action, to precpiate the cotton
States into revolution This league included
men Of oil parties who, (such is the description)
''keeping up their old party relations all other
questions, viii hold the southern issue paramount,
and Bi influence parties, Legislatures, and states
men, What fearful if not fatal, measure of sue
cess has crowned their ceaseess endeavors to rouse,
excite, and infame the southern mind to the de-
sired points of revolution, the sedtious condition
of the Gulf States demonstrates.
ITS CHARACTERISTICS.
The conspiracy was widespread, combined many
powerful influences, and appropriated the apt agen
cy of secret, and probably oath bound, organiza-
ton 1t apparently invaded the Cabinet, making
executive officers eonniYers at, if not participants
10, its atrocous policy. 1t penetrated the Depart
ments, and used their machinery for its nefariouS
purposes. And it has been suggested, not i'm
probably, that the House and Senate Chambers
nave not escaped dehlement. AT its touch, privacy
was penetrated, secret doors opened, all informa-
sion ganed and all desirable dispositions effected.
So Intelligent were the guiding spirits, and SO per-
feet their arrangements, that when at given sig
na treason lifted its bead in thousand quarters.
few supposed that the sudden and simultaneous
movement was the result of foresight and prep-
Grafton. A conspiracy so wide, complete, and ex-
tcnSive, never before threatened the overthrow Of
the national Constitution, and the destruction of
human hopes and rights.
If Judged by its causes, real or pretended, 1t must
be pronounced unjustied if by its Characters
tics, wicked snd diabocal. In every element, it
is hateful and despicable. 1t was conceived in
disappointed personal ambition, and born of cum
hing and calculating raalignity, 1t has fed and
thrived rpon the worst of passions, and its very
grossness betravs the hdeousness of its life. Its
footprints are plainly traceable upor the nations
pathway for quarter Of century; and now into
TINS magnificent but uncompleted Capitol has come
It's ghastly and horrd form, its seowling face and
~Fathful words and hating heart. To many, un-
suspicious OF such Gepravity, it has come unawares.
Others have long observed its stealtny creep. It
mas eeen here before. year ago it moved an
suly through these marble Halls. IL has returned,
tenioid more violent and vicious. As it is, We
must meet it--either succumb TO it, parry it, or
MAINTAIN the contest necessary to destroy it.
IT'S HISTORY.
This suggests the second point What means
lave broughtit? These conspirators live in south
efh States, but have, have had, allies in north
efn. Their first attempt upon the Government was
made IN 1892, when they met the iron win and
s1efilng patriotism of Andrew Jackson, whose Ro-
nah 'litue no bribes could sway threats subdue.
lhey retired vaiiqnished fleeing to the sand hills
'Ney kept il warm. While the hero lived, he