The national Republican., 1861-08-23

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THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
IN RHODE ISLAND.
We publish below sketch of II brief
speech Of the Hon. Caleb B. Smith, who was
" called out y for that purpose by ths.pcople,
during a recent visit in Rhode Island. Il will
be read with interest, not only on account Of
the Official position Of the speaker, but frsm
the importance Of the topics treated Of, aud the
vigor, decision, and patriotism with which they
are handled:
At mass meeting held In Providence, Rhode
Island, on Friday evening, the Hon. Caleb B.
Smith, Secretary of the Interior, addressed
several thousand people. The substance Of bis
speech was as follows: ...... ....
II is idle, my friends, to indulge in the hope
that, II We cannot sustain this Union, we can
sustain republican institutions for, let me as
sure you to night that, II we cannot preserve
our present Government in its present form,
we cannot sustain free Government In any
form. There is great truth, there Is great force,
in the sentiment 20 eloquently pronounced by
the immortal statesman Of Massachusetts,, lib
erty and Union, now and forever. one and In
separable." Why Is II, my friends, that this
di cord prevails among us? Why Is II that q
portion Of our citizens are now laundering at
The very door of the Capitol with hostile srti-
lery! know there is one element of discord
IN our system and intend to speak plainly
in all that have to say.
It is the question of domestic servitude that
has rent asunder the temple Of liberty. What
is there in this question Of slavery that should
divide this people? Why, my friends. when
this Government was formed; when we
marched from the battle fields of the Rev.
olution, every State in the Union with single
exception acknowledged the institution Of sla.
very. 1t has been abolished In New Engl and,
New York, and Pennsylvania and our States
Of the West have grown to their present stature
Of population and magnifcence as free States.
But for the last ten years an angry controver-
sy has existed upon this question Of slavery.
The minds of the people Of the South have
been deceived by the srtful representations Of
demsgogues, who have assured them that the
people Of the North were determined to bring
the power of this Government to bear upon
them for the purpose Of crushing out this in.
stitution of slavery. I ask you, is there any
truth In this charge: Has the Government Of
the United States, in any single instance. by
any one solitary act, interfered with the insti.
tutions of the South? No, not one.
The theory of this Government Is that the
States are sovereign within their proper sphere.
The Government Of the United States has no
more right to interfere with the institution Of
slavery In South Carolina than 1t has to inter.
fere with the peculiar institutions of Rhode ls-
land, whose benefits have enjoyed today.
But my friends, during the last summer,
when the great political contest was raging
throughout the land, then 1t was that designing
and dishonest men, for the purpose Of accom-.
plishing their own selfish schemes appealed to
| Iho at,,di of ho manila
ing those who supported Mr.. Lincoln as abo-
litionists as men who would disregard the
constitutional rights of the South, and tran
scend the powers Of the Government. Excited
by means OF these iniquitous appeals, they
were ready to take arms to prevent the inaug
uration OF that President whom majority Of
the people had declared to be the man Of theft
choice.
Ny friends, l have known the President Ion.
and well. 1t has been my fortune to be select
. ed as one of his constitutional advisers. hav,
, had the honor of being connected with this Ad
, mlnistrAtion since Its commencement, and I tel
you tonight, that you cannot find, In Soutl
Carolina, man more apxiously, religiouely
and scrupulously to observe all the features o
the Constitution relating to slavery than Abra
ham Lincoln. Had the people Of the Souu
been willing to wait and see whether he would
regard that oath which, in the presence Of tht
|
have found that no Administration ever organ
!, lied in this country would have more consci
entiously regarded and protected the rights o.
the South than this Administration would hav,
done. / know that speak the sentiments oil
the President and his advisers-of those who
have controlled bis Administration.
But these people, however, were not willing
| to wait until this test could be applied, and NJ
sooner was this President inaugurated than the
the tocsin of war was sounded through ever,
| Southern State, and the armed strength OF th,
people was summoned to drag down the Ad
ministration, to undermine the foundation o
the Government and to crush 10 ruin this fai
fabric of republican institutions.
What / ask you, could the Administration
have done? OIe after another of the forts o
the United States had been taken one afte
another had the possessions of the Governmen
been seized State after State had renouncet
: It's allegiance to the Federal Union in Stat
. after State the glorious flag Of the nation ha,
been trampled in the dust, and in Its place hal
been lifted the emblem Of the pirate aud tn
l. traitor What was the duty Of the Administra
ton 10 this emergency? Should we stand b,
{ and see one after another the pillars of ou
A great fabric disrupted and broken, or shoul,
: we appeal to the patriotism Of the American
people to sustain the institutions Of their faith
ers! IfMr. Lincoln bad not pursued the cours
which he has, would he not have been unwor
' thy Of the confidence that has been so gene
l. rously placed in him? He has adopted thi
r course, and he has appealed to you, the peo
t. pie of the States to rally around the standart
|. Of our country and teach the world that Re
publicanism still lives upon this continent.
Ny friends, we make no war upon Southern
institutions. We recognize the right Of Sout
Carolina and Georgia to hold slaves If they de
sire them. But, my friends, we appeal to 20,
!. to uphold the great banner Of our gloriou
!: !, country, and to leave the people Of tina; coun
u try to settle these domestic matters accordin;
e to their own choice and the exigencies whicI
e the times may present.
g Let New England rally promptly and ear
nestly and tell you rebellion will be crushe,
to the earth, and the stars and stripes will b