The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-01-24

SPEECH OF HON. W. H. SEWARI
In the U. 8. Senate, ON Saturday, January
IL, lS61.--His Views ON the Existing
Crisis.
Mr.. PRESIDENT: Congress adjourned
last summer amidst the auspices O
national abundance, contentment, tran
guilty and happiness. 1t has reassem
bled this winter in the presence of de
rangement of business, and disturbance
of public, as well as private credit, ani
in the face of seditious combinations tt
overthrow the Union.
The alarm is appalling, for the Un
ion is not more the body than liberty
is the soul Of the nation. The Ameri
can citizen has been accustomed to be
lieve this republic immortal. HI,
shrinks from the sight of convulsion,
indicative of its sudden death. Th,
report of our condition has gone owe
the seas, and we who have so long, ant
with so much complacency, studied th'
endless agitations of society in the OLE
World, believing ourselves exempt from
such disturbances, now in our turr
seem to be falling into momentous ant
disastrous revolution.
/ know how difficult it is to decid,
amid so many and so various counsel
as to what ought to be done, aad ever
what can be done. Certainly, however
it is time for every Senator to declar,
himself. I, therefore, following tht
example Of the noble Senator from
Tennessee (Mr. Johnson,) avow my
adherence to the Union in its integrity
and in all its parts.
With my friends, with my party, will
my State, with my country, or without
either, as they may determine in eve
ry event, whether of peace or of war
with every consequence of honor OF
dishonor of life or death; although
lament the occasion, / hail with cheer
fulness the duty of lifting up my voice
among distracted debates, for my whole
country and its inestimable Union.
Hitherto the exhibitions of spirit ant
resolution, here as elsewhere, have beer
chiefly on the side of disunion. d,
not regret this. Disunion is so unex
pected and unnatural, that.it mus
plainly reveal itself before its presenc,
can be realized.
like best also the courage that rise
slowly under the pressure of sever
provOcation. If it be Christian dut,
to forgive stranger even seventy time
seven offenses, it is the highest patriot
ism to endure, without complaint, tn
passionate waywardness Of politica
brethren, so long as. there is hope tha
they may come to better end.
think it is easy to pronounce wha
measures or conduct will not save tn
Union. / agree with the honorabl
Senator from North Carolina, (Mr
ClingmaD,) that mere eulogiums viii
not save it, yet | think as prayer bring
us nearer to God, though it canno
move Him towards so there is aheal
ing and saving virtue in every word O
devotion to the Union that is spoken
and in every sigh that its danger draw
forth. ] know at least that like virtu,
it derives strength from every blasphe
nous phrase that is uttered against it
The Union cannot be saved by mutua
combinations concerning our respectiv,
share of the responsibility for the pres
ent evils. He whose conscience acquit
him will naturally be slow to accus
others whose cooperation he needs
History only can adjust the great ae
count.
A continuance of the debate on tn
constitutional power of Congress owe
the subject of Slavery i'm the Terrific
ries will not save the Union. Th
opinions of parties and sections on tha
question have become dogmatical, an.
it is this circumstance that has pro
duced the existing alienation. A truce
at least during the debate on the Union
is essential to reconciliation.
The Union cannot be saved by prov
ing that secession is illegal or unconsti
tutional. Persons bent on a fearful
step will not stand long enough OF
forms of law to be dislodged, and 1oya
men do not need such narrow groun,
to stand upon.
/ fear that little more will be game,
from discussing the right of the Fede
raj Government to coerce secedin,
State into obedience. If disunion is t
go on, this question will give place t
the more practical one, whether man
seeding States have right to coerc
the remaining members to acquiesce i
dissolution.
/ dread, as in my innermost soul
abhor, civil war. / do not know wha
the Union would be worth, if saved b
the use of the sword. Yet for all this
I do not agree with those who, with
desire to avert that great calamity, ad
wise conventional or unopposed sepal
alton, with a view to what they call
reconstruction. 1t is enough for me
first, that in this plan, destruction goe
before reconstruction and secondly
that the strength of the vase in whic
the hopes of the nation are held, cor
sists chiefly in its remaining unbroker
| know, indeed, that tradition favor
this form of remedy, but it is essenti:
to its success in any case that there b
found apreponderating mass of citizen
So neutral on the issue which separate
parties, that they can intervene, strik
down clashing weapons, and comp.
an accommodation. Moderate conce.
sions are not customarily asked by
force with guns in their battery. no