The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-06-18

armies are marching under new aud Odiou
banners against the government of our coun
try, the shortest way to peace is the mos
stupendous and unanimous preparation io
war; Tremendous applause.) Tho greate
the unanimity the less blood will be shed -
(Much applaHso.) The more prompt and en-
ergetc the movement and the moro imposing
in numbers, the shorter will be The struggle
Every friend of frcedom--eyery champion and
advocate of constitutional liberty thrc uGhout
the land must feel that this cause is bis own
There is and should be nothing disaGrccablC
or humilating to men who have differed, ia
times Of peace, on every question that could
divide felow-men, to rally in concert in de.
fence Of tho country and against all assailants.
While all the States OF this Union, and every
citizen OF every State has n priceless legacy
dependant upon the success Of our efforts 10
maintain this government, we in the great
Valley Of the Mississippi have peculiar inter
ests and inducements to the struggle What
is the attempt now being made? Seven
States of this Union chose to declare that
they will no longer obey the constitution OF
the United States, that they will withdraw
from he government established by our faith
ers; that they will dissolve, without our con.
sent, the bonds that have united us together.
But not content with that, they proceed to
invade and obstruct our dearest and most in
alienablo rights secured bv the constitution.
One Of their first acts is TO establish Il battery
Of cannon upon the benk, Of the Mississippi,
on the dividing line between the States of
Mississippi and Tennessee, and cquirc every
steamer that passes down the river to come too
under their guns to receive a custom house Of.
iiccr on board, to prescribe where the boat
may land, AID upon what terms it may pat
out a barrel Of flour or a cask Of bacon.
We are called upon TO sanction this policy.
Before consenting TO their right 20 commit
suc! acts, impore you 70 consider that the
same principle which will allow the cotton
States to exclude US from the ports Of the
Gulf would authorize the New England States
and New York and Pennsy.yania to excluio
Us from the Atlantic, and the Pacific States
to cXcgGc Us from the ports Of that ocean -
Whenever you sanction this doctrine Of scces-
sion, you authorize the States bordering upon
the Atlantic and pacifc Oceans to withdraw
from ia, form alliances among themselves,
and exclude us from the markets Of the world
and from communication with all the rest of
ChriStculom. Not only this, but there fol-
lows a tariff on imports, levying taxes upon
every pound Of tea and coffee and sugar and
every yard of cloth that we may import for
our consump'ion; the cvyug, too, of an ex-
port duty upon every bushcl Of fccrn and every
pound of meat we may choose TO send to the
markets Of the world to pay FIR our imports.
Bear in mind that those very cotton States,
who in former times have Jeeu so boisterous
in their demands for free trade, have, among
their first acts, established an export duty on
cotton for tn, first time in American history.
1t is a historical fact, well known to every
man who has read the debates Of the Conycn-
ton wEiclI framed the constitution, that the
Southern States refused to become parties to
the constitution unless there was an cypress
provision in the constitution prohibiting Con-
gress to l"vy an export duty on any product
OF the country. No sooner had these cotton
States seeded than an cxpor. duty is levied;
and if they will levy it on their own cotton do
You not think they will levy it on our pork,
and our beef, aud our corn, and our wheat /,
and our manufactured articles and all We
have to sell Then what is the proposition
|, il 10 cuable the tier OF STATES bordering on
th- Atlantic and the Pacific, and on the Gulf, .
surrounding us on al sides, tc withdraw from
our Uuion-iorm alliances among themselves
and then levy taxes on us without giving US
any just prop rtion or any portion Of the
amount collected Can we submit to taxa |
ton wi,hou, representation (Seyeral voices
"no.") Can we permit nations foreign to US
to collect revenues OF onr products-the fruits
;,.l 81. u
i ask every citizen in the great bss I. bs
tween the Rocky Mountains and the AlIcgha /
ues, in The valleys OF the Ohio, Mississippi
aud Missouri to tell me whether he is wilin.
to sanction \ line Of policy that may isolate
Us from the markets of the world, and make
u dopcu.ent provinces upon powers tha, thus
choose TO surround aud hem u. inl MANY |,
voices "no,' and "never.)
| warn you, my countrymcn, whenever You
permit this to be done in the Southern States,
New York Will very soon follow their exam
pie. New loik-that great port, where two
tAi'ls Of our prJducts are eNported-will lot
long be able to resist the temptation of taxing
fifteen millions Of people in the great Wost
when she can monopoze the resources AID
rclcasc Ter own people thereby from any tax
alton Whatsoever. Hence | say 20 you, my
countrymen, fr IN the best consii ration |
have teen able TO give to this subject, after
the most mature reflection and through in
yes,isation, have arrived at Tie conclusion
that come what may, war, if it must b., al
though deploro it as great cal nifty, Yet,
come what may, the people Of Mississippi Val
ley can never consent to be excluded from
free access to the ports Of the Atlantic, the
Pacific and the Gulf Of Mexico. Great ap
llause.
Hence, repeat that while am not pre-.
pared to take up arm, or to sanction war upon
the rights of the Southern States, upon their
domestic institutions, upon their rights of
perso or property, but, on the contrary,
would rush TO their defense aud protect them
from assault, will never cease to urge my
couutrymen to take up arms and to fight to
the death in defense of our ind-leasible rights.
(Long continued applause.) Hence, if war
does come, it will be q war of self defense on
our part. 1t will be q war in defense Of our
own just rights; in defense cf the government
which We have Inherited as pric less legacy |
from our patriotic fathers; in defense Of these
great rights OF the freedom OF trade, commerce
transit aud intercourse from the center to the ,
circumference Of our great continent These !
= -. 80 ~ III.