The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-02-08
THE CRISIS OF THE UNION.
SPEECH OF
WM. III. SEW ARD.
Delivered IN the u. s. Senate. Saturday
January 18th, Is6O.

summer, amid auspices of rational abund.
anco, contcntmont, tranquility and bappi.
ness. IL was ro.assembIcd this winter. in
tho presence of arrangement OF business
and disturbance of public as we'll as private
credit. and in tho faco of scditous combina.
tions to overthrow the Union. Tho alarm
is appalling; Cor Uuon is not moro tho
body than Liberty is the soul of the nation
The American citizen has been accustomed
to believe tho Republic immortal. Ho
sbsiuks from tho sight of convulsions in.
dicatve Of its sudden death. Tho report of
our condition has gone over Tho seas. and we,
who have SO long and with so much CON.
pluccncy studied the endless aeitations of
society in the Old World. believing ourselves
exempt from such disturbances, pow, in our
turn. seem to be falling into momentous
and disastrous revolution.
| know how difficult it is to decide, amid
so many and so various counsels, what
ought to DO and even what can DO done.
Certainly, however, it is timo for every Son.
ator to declare himself. /. therefore. fol.
lowing the example os tho noble Senator
from Tennessee. (Mr. johnson, avow my ad.
hcrence to tho Union. in its integrity and
with alt its parts. with my friends, with my
party, with my State, with my country, or
without either, rs they may determine, in
every event, whether of peace or of war,
with every consequence of honor or dshonor
OF lite or death. Although | lament tho
occasion, hail with chcerfulness tho duty
OF lifting mp my voice among distracted do.
bates TOR my whole country and its ines
Unable Union.
Hitherto tho exhibitions of spirit and
resolution here. as elsewhere, havo bccn
al fv nd bf, a. 80 =
uot regret this. Disunion is so unexpected
and unnatural that it must plainly reveal
itself before its presence can DO realized.
like best. also, tho courage that risos slowly
under tho pressure of severe provocation.
Ii it be a Christian dutv to forgive to the
stranger even seventy times seven offonses,
it is the highest patriotism to endure with.
out complaint the passionate waywartness
Of political brethren so long as there is hopu
that they may como to botter mind
think it is easy to pronounce what
measures or conduct will not save the Union.
| agree with the honorable Seuator from
North Carolina. (Mr CIingman., that nero
eulogiums will not save it. Yet think
that as prayer brings us nearer to God,
though IL cannot move Him toward US, 30
thero is healing and saving virtue in overy
word of devotion TO tho Union that is spoken.
and in every sigh that its danger draws
forth. j know. at least, that, like virtue, it
derives strength from every irrevercnt act
that is committed and every biasphomous
phrase that is uttered against it.
Tho Union cannot be saved by mutual
examinations concerning our respective share
OF responsibility for tho present OWLS. llu
whose conscience ac1uits him will naturally
be slow TO accuse others whose corporation
no needs. History only can adjust the
great account.
Continuance of tho debate on tho con-
stitutional power of Congress over tho sub.
ject of slavery in the Territories, will not
savo tho Union. Tho opinions of parties
aud scctions on that question have become
dogmatical, and it is this circumstance that
has produced tho existing alienation. A
truce, ut least during tho debate on tho
Union. is essential to reconciliation.
Tho Union cannot be saved by proving
that secession is Illegal or unconstitutional
Persons bent on that fearful step will not
stand long enough on forms of law to be
dislodgcd; and loyal men do not need such
narrow ground 10 stand upon.
fear that little moro will he gained from
discussing the right of tho Federal Govern
mcnt to coerce seccding States into obed-
enco. If disunion is to GO on, this question
will give place to the more practical one,
whether many seeding States have right
| to cocrce the remaining members to aquiesce
In u dissolution.
droad, ns in my innormost soul ! nbhor,
civil war. do not know what tho Union
would be worth it saved by tho use of tho
sword. Yet, for all this, do not agree
with those who, With desire to avort that
great calamity. advise a conventional or
unopposed separation with Wow to what
they call a reconstruction. 1t is enough
| for me. srst, that in this plan destruction
goes beforo reconstruction; and secondly.
that tho strength of tho vase in which tho
hopes of the nation are held consists chiefly
in its remaining unbrokcn.
Congressional compromises arc not likely
| to savo tho Union. | know, indeed, that
tradition favors this form of remedy. But
it is essential to its success, in any case that
there be found prepondorating mass of
citizens, so far neutral on tho issue which
separates parties, that they can intervene.
strike down clashing weapons, and compel
en- accommodation. Moderate concessions
arc not customarily asked by force With
its guns in battery, nor are liberal concos.
sious apt to be given by an opposing forco
not less confident of its own right and it's
own strength. think, also, that there is a
prevailing conviction that legislative com.
promises which sacrifice honestly cherished
principles, while thoy do not assume extra
constitutional powers, arc less sure to avert
imminent evils than they are certain to pro.
duce ultimately even greater dangers.
Indeed, Mr.. President, think it will be
wiso TO discard two prevalent ideas or pref,
udices, namely, first, that the Union is to DO
saved by somebody in particular and, Sec
ondly, that it is to be saved by some cunning
and iusincere compact Of pacIfcation. If l
remember rightly, said something like this
hero SO long ago as 1850, and afterwards in
1854.
Tho present danger discloses itsolf in this
form. Discontented citizons have obtained
political power In certain States, and tboy
arc using this authority to overthrow the
Federal Government. They deiudo thom.
solves with the belief that the State power
they havo acquired enables them TO dis,
charge themselves of allegiance to the
whole Republic. Tho honorable Senator
from Illinois (Mr. Douglas) says We have a
right to coerce State, but we cannot. The
President says that no State has right to
secedc. but We have no constitutional power
to make war against State. The dilemma
results from an assumption that those who
in such case. act against the Federal Gov