The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-04-05

OF MOntefey, Ncfh CruS. lotto tOruO,
Chapultepec, Churubusco, and the city Of
Mexico, and the children of the brave
men who fell on those bloody fields, that
| had consented to deprive them of the
right TO enter and reside within the Terri
tories won by their valor when the fact
is, have no doubt. represent upon this
floor more widows and orphans--mnde
widows and orphans by the Mexican war
than some of the Northern States had
soldiers in that war But, Mr.. Speaker.
is the remedy for all the evils which now
affiict our country secession? think
not. do not believe secession q remedy
for any ofthe evils ofwhich the esouth com.
plains nor do believe the doctrine finds
any sanction in the Constitution.
Upon mere question of policy, have
never been able to see how we could Sc
cure our Constitutional rights in the Ter
ritories by destroying the Constitution,
and by our own act abandoning the Terri
tories how we can better secure the re-
turn of the fugitive from labor by aban-
doning the fugitive slave law, and all our
rights under ii; how we can be more Sc
cure from the wicked and fanatical sem
timents of Northern fanatics, by rcmov-
ing every constitutionaland legal restraint
iiOiii thbSt hho EiNc ulttItuNt W butIl
sentiments, is past my comprehension. !
adopt the sentiments of the hero Of the
Hermitage, whose bones lie moldering
beneath the sod of Tennessee, when he
says:
at is the right of mankind generally
to secure, by all means in their power, the
blessings of liberty and happiness but
when, for these purposes, any body of men
hnva vnlnntnrilv nsgnrintn1 that,,.alva-
under particular form of government,
no portion of them can dissolve the asso.
citation without acknowledging the CORE
lative right in the remainder, to decide
whether that dissolution can be permit
ted consistently with their rights and the
general welfare"
Mr.. Speaker, there can be no perma-
rent security in any new Government
founded upon the principle that any one
of the St2tes may ut will, break up and
destroy That Governmt. Is there not ev-
idence OF South Carolina's disposition to
secede from the new wConiederacy? Hon.
j. w. Spratt, of South Carolina, has al
ready sounded the alarm, and leralds
new crusade for the emancipation Of the
South. If the constitutional provision of
the new Government prohibiting the for
cign slave trade should become perma-
nent, Mr.. Spratt says:
Our whole movement is defeated. 1t
will abolitonize the border States. 1t
will brand our institution. Slavery can
not share Government with democracy:
it cannot bear a brand upon it, thence an
other revolution. 1t may be painful, but
we must make it. The constitution cam
not be changed without it. 1t is doubt
iul If amt nor ,povpmppt will ba so ,oonn-
ful but no matter"
Mr.. Spratt is not the only one in South
Carolina who is now agitating the oues-
ton of seeding from the Southern Con-
iederacy, unless the African slave trade
is constitutionally recognized. How long
will the Southern Coniederacy last, organ
lied upon such principles? When peo-
pie are oppressed ~ their Cove y&.arAnt,
they have the undoubted right of revolu-
ton to free themselves from that opprcs.
sion; but no people, for slight causes,
will resort to that remedy. VIII the peo-
pie consent to trust their lives, their for
tunes, their peace and security, in Gov
ernment recognizing the principle that
any one member, aili'onted, may destroy
the Government? | think not.
But, sir, | will not discuss the right of
secession. Seven States have already dis
solved their connection with the United
States Government, and Others may soon
follow. They have not only dissolved
their connection with this Government,
but have ordained and established a sep
arate and Independent provisional gov
ernmcnt, elected President and Vice
President, and have appointed officers to
the various offers in their new govern
ment. They have armed, and are armiug,
their citizen soldiers. They have taken
possession of the forts, arsenals, and dock
yards, within their respective limits; and
Louisiana has taken possession of the
mint at New Orleans. The secession Of
the seven States is regarded by the peo-
pie Of the border States as rash, ill-advis-
ed, and precipitate; and we have right
to complain OF their action.
The seven grain-prowing and tobacco
States are more interested in the perma-
nent settlement of the slavery question
than their sister States further South, be-
cause they are more exposed to the dep.
relations of Northern fanatics; yet, they
have not been consulted by the seeding
States, but left to defend themselves rs
best they can. We have the more right
to complain, because they have left us
here in the minority. when the opposition
to Mr.. Lincoln's policy was in the majori-
ty, and when, in the next Congress, the
majority against the Republicans would
be, believe, twenty or twenty-one, il the
Southern States were all represented here.
1t would have been impossible for the
incoming Administration, for the next
two years, to ingrait upon the legislation
of the country the policy OF the Repub-
lican party, The President could not
make an appointment of any Importance
without the consent Of his opponents in
the Senate of the United States. The
majority in the Senate, if al, the South
ern States We're represented in that body,
could in effect, select the Presidents
Cabinet. The President can pass no law,
cannot draw a dollar from the Treasury,
without an appropriation by Congress-
He has now power to make war; and, il
we are to Judge the future by the past, he
can have but little influence in forming
and controlling public opinion.
With both branches of Congress oppos-
ed to the incoming Administration, the
principles of whose party We're voted
down by popular majority of over one
million votes, the decision Of the SUI
preme Court maintaining the rights OF
the South in the Territories; with all these
facts before u.s. we are asked to say, that
the seeding States have acted with pru-
dence, wisdom, and due regard for the
rights and interests of the border States.
They have not only abandoned the Dor,
der States, but have Incorporated into
the constitution of their new govern
mentn provision, giving the Congress of
the "Coniederated States of North Amer
lea" the power to carry out the recon-
mendation of Governor Gist, of South
Carolina, and the Governor of Mississippi,
IN nrohihit the citizens of all the States