The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-02-06
SPEECH
HON. JAMES HARLAN

1lOIN' UhlIIO AhAbuhlNJ
liz THE SENATE, January IL, 1861.
The Senate having under considera tior
the resolution offered by Mr.. HUNTER, on
the I'd of January, for the retrocession Of the
forts, arsenals, magazines, and dock-yards
Of the United States, to the States in which
they lie, when those States, by a regular con
vention of the people, express desire foi
them
Mr.. Harlan said =
Mr. President I would most willingly
do anything in my power, which an honora.
ble man could do, to allay the commotion
which surrounds US. The first pertinent
inquiry presented is, what is its cause p
The Senator from Alabama Mr.. Clayl fur.
nishes laconic reply. In a recent letter,
dated at New Orleans, and addressed to
friends in South Carolina, the Senator re.
marks of the people of the free States of the
Union
"They are the most bitter, relentless, and
vindictive enemies we have on earth
"Of course, we cannot live un.
der the same Government with these people
unless we could control it.'
We must control We must govern the
North-the North must obey The minor
ity must govern the majority Is not this
the key to the solution of all the difficulties
And We have had this doctrine amply illus
trated in the speech of the Senator who has
jus. taken his seat, [Mr. Hunter After
informing US that the Republican party had
marched into power over the fragments of a
broken Constitution, which, according to his
own statement, would convert this Govern
ment into new confederation of States, Sc.
curing to the minority the power to controlit it.
Whatever may be pretended to the con.
trary, the real grievance inflicted on "the
South by the North" is the invitation exter-
ded to the southern Democracy, on the 9th
day of last November, to resign the reins Of
Government into the hands of their political
opponents. This will become manifest on
an examination Of the alleged causes ot
complaint. These are all stated in general
and ambiguous terms, without specification
, The most usual allegation, which has been
reiterated to-day, is that the provisions OF
the Constitution have been violated The
secession argument which follows, is, that
when contract has been violated by one
party it may be declared void by the other
to its provisions; that the Constitution Of
the United States is such contract between
the several States that the Federal Gov.
ment is merely their agent, appointed to car
~ out its provisions that this contract hav.
ing been broken by some Of the States, the
other States may voluntarily secede, and
demand division ofliabilities and assets.
shall not now enter into an examination
ofthis constitutional question but, believ-
ing it to be totally untenable, shall for the
the present suppose it to be the true theory
of our Federal Union because whether true
or false is not material to the present inquiry
For when you demand that all the provis-
ions of the Constitution shall be carried out
including the provision on the subject oi
fugitives from service-there is but one re-
sponse. On this proposition there is no di-
vision of opinion between the great politica,
parties. The party that has recently ri
umphed at the polls admits freely and une-
quivocally, in the clearest and broadest
terms, that every part Of the Constitution
must be obeyed according to its true intent
and meaning. There is but one alternative
with law abiding people the fundamental
law must be obeyed, or lawfully changed
and no one, anywhere, has proposed SO to
change the Constitution as to erase this pro.
vision. It's terms are not ambiguous; Il
provides that
"No person held to service or labor in one
State, under the laws thereof escaping into
another, shall, in consequence of any law or
regulation therein, be discharged from such
service or labor, but shall be delivered up on
claim Of the party to whom such service OF
labor may be DUE"
The Republican national convention did
not propose any amendment to this part ol
the Constitution no Republican member o.
either branch of Congress has ever proposed
its abrogation I; no Republican Governor, OF
State Legislature, or State convention, has
ever demanded it. The asservation that the
Republicans are opposed to this provision o.
the Constitution is sheer fabrication, asser
ted in the first instance for political purposes
and now adhered to for the sake of consist
ency.
1t being admitted that the Constitution
must be sustained, the corrolary follows
that all laws made in pursuance Of its pro
visions should be obeyed. In 1893, Congress
enacted a law to carry into effect this pro
vision # the Constitution, which required
the cooperation ofthe several States. Thi,
remained the law Of the land until the latter
provisions were declared void by the Su
premc Court of the United States in the Gel
ebrated Prigg case. This adjudication re
suited in the repeal of!State laws by tn,
Legislatures Of several States, originally de
signed to aid the Federal Government il
securing the rendition Of fugitives from ser
vice. The Supreme Court of the Unitet
States having declared them void, they wer