Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-15

bnls Union, which he processes to love so dearly
produces upon his mind
stitrtcn, and there is no man who now lives who /
has done more than he has 20 produce his very |
state Of things hePoliey which he has for vears /
been advocating of . homestead BILL alone if il /
had ever been adopted, and carried out to the ful
extent, would have caused disruption of the /
Union; and jet he processes to be o Union man
The Senator mey. not be Statesman: but he uu- /
derstands. as veil SO any liviHg how to take
advantage # the prejudoes of the populace. and
with what safety man may, II he wears the livery
of heaven perform acts which those who are not an
titled TO that uniform are lot in the habit of per
forming. Ireoollect, sir, some twenty years ago |
reading book which was called Paul Clifford |
Peggy Lobb-ef-the-Mud, who was q very saracions
woman. had the education OF little Paul inrusted
to her care. She called Paul one day. and said to
him, s'Pau, my child, read your Bible. and talk
Ike spicus IN, for people goes more by what you
says thar what you does; # you waat what is not
your own, Paul, try TO do without it. my child but
if you can't take it by insinivaion and not by bus
ter, for them as swndles gains more and risks less
/ than them as robs." Laughter There was q
world Of worldly wisdom in that advice. Read
the Bible Paul. and talk like pious mn, for people
goes more by what you says than what you does !"
Say that you for the Union denouncs every body
who is opposed il; trampls the Constitution under
foot eeuy the existence Of the States betray your
OWL section; sacrifice the liberty of yonr country
nen-do all this, but say, Paul, that you are tor
the Usion, that is ali that is necessary, because
"people goes more by what you say than what you
Who il in favor ofiihs Unions WHAT'S the Union
Years and years ago. thirteen separate aud sover-
| eign States having achieved their independence,
aud each feeling that il not strong enough to
protect itself against foreign aggression, entered
into compact with each other, aud organized
Government to which they delegated certain specific
powers-the right for them, and in their name to
snfn oxwsfh
q common Army and common Navy; to conduct a
common diplomacy, and to have COMMON Treasury
When the soveigny of these States is denied or de-
slroyed; when this Federal Government has become
converted into q consolidated despotsm; when upon
the ruins of this Federal fabric consolidated de-
mOcracy has been erected, then say the Union is
destroyed. This is not my opinion, 1t is the opin-
ion of the fsther of the Democratic party. Thomas
jefferson said that this Union could be DESTROYED in
| two wsys: frst by consultations next, by disrup-
tion and that of the two, he preferred disruption,
though be would regard that as very great cslam-
ity. He in favor Of the Union as it was estab-
lished by the Constitution. He was in favor of the
Union, union being an agreement between seps-
rate and distinct persons not fusion and amalga-
nation. That was the doctine of the man from
whose brain, Minervs-like, sprang tie great Demo-
| cratic constitutional party As Minerva sprsng,
armed and equipped, from the brain of Jove, did
this great party spring from the brain of Jefferson
TO rescue the Constitution and to save the Union.
The Senator has wonderful love for lie people;
he has great regard for the right of self-goyern-
ment; he thinks that politicians ought not to be
permitted to trsmple upon the peaple And what
are the doctrines that he has been advocating here
| He was guilty-I do net wish to use offensive
terms yet, to convey my ideas, may be betrayed
into terms that may not be exactly Ssuatorial-he
was guilty of using the phrase thst the people of
Louisiana had been bought by the United States
chattes. man protesting to be in favor Of the
people, talking thus indecentiy Of the people, the
white men, of one of the sovereign States Of this
Union, being purchased az ehattels, In order to
sustain himself he attempted to make, suppose,
what he would call an argument, by reading from
the treaty Of 1903 what had been read by the Sens
, tor from Louisiana the day before, and who had
l quoted everything that was material choose not
, to waste my time, nor that of the Senate, by re-
reading what was read and has been published
The first article of that treaty explains the of
the cession. 1t conveys the sovereignty of the
Territory. Territory, in common parlance, means
land. The second article of the tresty goes aud
specifies what is cOnveyed-the ferts, the nary
yards, the PUBLIC buildings, the public ofiaes-
everything. The Territory and its sppurts q noes
are specified in the second article of the treaty. in
order that there may be misunderstanding as to
she meaning of the term IS Territory"
Then, the third article Of the treaty. which his
tory tells US was written by Napoleon himself-ihe
third article written By the Fret Consul himself
does what? Does it convey the people If Louisiana
as chsttels? 1t specifies that the people of LOuis-
ana shall be vested with the right of self-goyern-
meut; that they SHALL at the earliest moment prac-
ticsble be admitted into the Union State, with
sl the rights and privileges OF the original States
Of the American Union 1t declares explicitly that
until they are admitted into the Union as States
they shall bs entitled to perfect and full protection
in their lives, their liberties their property, and
their religion; and when the First Consul had sign
ed the treaty, he expressed history tells US, the
hope that the Frenchmen who3e allegiance had been
9 transferred from France, remembered that he had
secured to them the right Of self government wsud
always in their bosoms nourish kindly feeling for
) that Government which has secured to them their
Q liberties. That was the idea.
What we're the other consid erstions thst induced
the First Consul of France to make this cession is
matter that lie wholly impsrtinent. l suppose that
it was no love Of liberty. He had to part with Lsu
. isisns- The United States demanded only New Or
leans. The right ofngress and egress, and place
Of deposit. was sill demanded; but as he had to
part with New Orleans and probably could not hold
The rest ofthe territory he determined to strike ia
tai blow at England and, strange to say that great
looking far into futuriy, predicted not only that
be gas striking most fatal blow at his bitterest
enemy, but predicted that if this Confederation
should ever in after times be administered to
involve the rights and the liberties of that people,
they in position to assert those rights, and
that disruption Of the Union would be the result.
Strangely ssgacious was that great man. Yet,
with these facts plainly staring-no / suppose he
sells than those which he did, the Senator probably
would hRYa bsen advised Of TIE FACTS, end would
net have fallen into the egregous errors which be
did. Rumor is jade, aud is said not to be very
veraciOus. beg the attention of the Senator from
| Tennessee fer moment. wish not to make any
charge that is INST sustained by the facts; but it is
said upon the streets that the Senator was in close
conclave with Senator, whom do not now in
his seat, from New York, Mr. Seward, and the
Senator from Massachusetts, [Mr. Wilson, before
making that speech.
Mr.. Johnson Of Tennessee. Does the Senator
| wish me to make q reply now?
Mr. Wigfal. l merely wanted to know if the
remark which have heard, and which s gen orally
believed that the Senator from Tennessee vas in
consultation with the two Senators have designat
ed, is true?
Mr.. johnson, of Tennessee Does the Senator
wish me to make reply noW2
Mr.. Wigfall,. Undoubtedly, OF would not have
asked hequession.
Mr. johnson, Of Tennessee All can say is if
the gentleman predicates his information on rumor,
that the ruuor has foundation, and do not
think it very proper to bring into the Senate what
the Senator Nay pick up outside en- the mere basis
| Of rumor
Mr. Wigfan. De gustibus est disputqndum.
think it is very proper place; and rumOrs which
might be true, and without denial are believed to
| be true are alluded to in order that tie Senator
may deny them. The Senator, then, having denied
that he took into his counsels the distinguish
Senators TO whom | have alluded, let it pass for
Ehat it is Verth. Persons gho ore reliable state
the fact of the consultations the purpose of it was
not advised off, Ru, be that it may, the charge |
| which he made, which the Republican press has |
made and which Republican Senators have made, |
that the people of Louisiana purchased is not
sustained by history; and it Is, will say, a most
extraordinary thing that those who have such SEN
sitiveness npon the subject of human rights, who |
are shocked st the idea Of trafcking in human flesh
and buying Ito use the phrase) 'the souls Of men
and women," when these men and women happea /
to be black, should have sympathies for their
own pelor, and upon this AoOr deny the right of |
self gOyeEnRsHt; aeclsfe thgt fhe yhife people Os
one Of the States Of the Union have been purchased
that they have not and do not possess, and never
can possess the right and the only right, for which
our ancestors contended in that bloody war of 1T76
| the right Of splf-goVerRmeAt, What they deny