The Van Buren press., 1861-10-02
Hon. c. L. vallindsham

Il is refreshing. indeed. amidst the satur-
naiian orgies Of the late Lincoln Congress.
to iisten to the manly and patriotic utter
ances OF this noble champion Of Cohstitu-
tionai freedom. Sincs its delivery, We have
not had space for its publication, and regret
that we can now only produce the brilliant
peroration
Sir. have spoken freely and fearlessly
to-day, az became an American Represen-
tatlve and American citizen and firmly
resolved. come what may, not to lose his
own constitutional rights in the vain effort
to impose these rights and liberties upon ten
millions of unwilling people. have spo-
ken esrnestlF bnE = yet not % sane sl,ps
kmi1dfH e The Anzar6nfxy fuf she sdekbe
Mptcn surround us on Dvefy xSnus ycSasSS,
Sir. when the Congress or the US1Ssd
States Sasqmbled here on tho Sd Of Dscs6n.
Der, 1850. Just seven months ago, the Sen.
ate was composed of sixty-six Senators,
representing thirty-threc States Of the
Union, and this House of two hundred and
thirty seven members-every State being
present. II was grand and solemn spccta-
cie-the ambassadors of three-and- thirty
sovereignties. and of thirty one millions Of
people. the mightiest republic On earth, in
general Congress assembled In the SEN
| ate, too, and this House. where some of the
ablest and most distinguished statesmen of
OF the country men whose names were
familiar to the whole country-some of
them destined to pass into history. The
new wings of the Capitol had but Just re-
| Gently been finished, in all their gorgeous
magnIticence. and except a hundred ma
rines at the navy yard, not a soldier was
within forty miles Of Washington.
Sir. the Congress of the United States
| meets here again to-day but how changed
the scene. Instead of thirty -four States,
twenty-three, one less than the numbe forty
years ago. are here or in the other wing OF
the Capitol. Forty-six Senators and one
hundred and seventy-three Representatives
constitute the Congress Of the now United
States. And of these, eight Senators and
twenty-four Representatives, from four
States only, linger here, yet as deputies
from that great South which, from the be-
ginning of the Government, contributed SO
much to mould its policy, to build up its
greatness. and to control its destinies. All
the other States of that South are gone.
Twenty-Five Senators ana sixty five Repre-
sentatIves no longer answer to their names
The vacant seats are still here; and the es-
SoeSh@oho VI thoir respective OtateS look
down now solemniy and sadly from these
| vaulted ceilings. But the Virginia, of
Washington and Henry, and Madison, of
Marshall and Jefferson, of Randolph and
Monroe. the birthplace of Clay. the mother
OF States and of Presidents the Caroli-
mas OF Pinckney anu Sumter and Marion.
of Calhoun and Macon and Tennessee, the
home and burial place OF Jackson ]; and
other States, too, once most loyal and true,
are no longer here. The voices and the
footsteps Of the great dead of the past
two ages Of the republic, inger still. it may
be. IN echo. along the stately corridors OF
this Capitol. but their descendants from
nearly nalf Of the States of the Re.
public will meet with us no more within
these marble halls. But in the parks and
lawns, and upon the broad avenues of this
spacious city, 10000 soldiers have supplied
their places; and the morning drum beat
from a score of encampmeDts within sight
OF this beleaguered capital, give melanchol-
ly warning to the Representatives of the
States and of the people tha. amid arms,
the laws are silent.
Sir, some years hence-I would fain
hope some month hence, if dare-the
present generation will demand to know
the cause of all this and some ages here
after, the grand and impartial tribunal OF
history will make solemn and diligent in
quests of the authors OF this terrible revo.
luton.