Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-01-18
Speech by Senator Seward.

~ 1uc iVssoWiHS y STIel teiegTapnlc eyDop-
sis of a speech delivered by Senator SEWARD
in the U. 8. Senate, on the 18th. ~
Il Mr.. Seward took the floor. He said Con.
gress reassembled this winter in the presence
of arrangement of business and the disturb.
ance of public as well as private credit, and
in the face of scditious combinations to over.
throw the Union. The alarm is appalling,
for the Union is not more the body than Lib
erty is the soul of the nation. He avowed
his adherence to the Union in its integrity, in
all its parts, with my friends, with my par
ty, with nay State, with my country, or with
out either, as they may determine, in every
event, whether peace or war, with every con-
sequence of honor or Gishonor, or life or
DEATH"
After stating that the Union cannot be
saved by mutual recriminations or continu-
ance of debate on the Constitutional power of
Congress over the subject of slavery in the
Territories, or discussing the right of the
Federal Government to coerce seeding States
into obedience, he says, if this Union is to go
the latter question will give way to more
practicable one, whether many seeding States
have a right to coerce the remaining men,
bcrs to acquiesce in dissolution. He abhorr-
cd civil war, did not know what the Union
would be worth if saved by the sword, yet
he said he did not agree with those who de.
sire to avert the calamity or advise conven-
tional or unopposed separation with view
to what they call reconstruction Of the
Union"
The Union can be dissolved, not by scccs-
sion, but by the voluntary consent of the peo-
pie Of the United States. Congress ought
not to remain impassive. 1t ought, if it can,
redress real grievances to the offended States.
and then ought to supply the President with
all means necessary to MAINTAIN the Union in
the full and dscrctc exercise of it's authority.
Beyond this, with proper activity on the part
of the Executive, the responsibility of saving
the Union belongs to the people, and they
are abundantly competent to discharge it,
Mr.. Seward argued at length on the advan-
tages of the Union and effect of disunion from
all points of view. What is the ground of
discomfort? 1t is that the disunionists did
not accept as conclusive the arguments urged
in behalf of the successful candidate in the
late canvass. He said the Constitution did
not require the arguments Of one party to be
satisfactory to another, and said the constitu-
tional remedy for this inevitable dissatisfac-
ton is to renewed debates and ultimate re-
hearing in subsequent election. He denied
that the Republicans perverted power for the
purpose Of oppression, for they never yet
held power.
After further remarks, he said he agreed
that as concerns the bondsmen, the laws of
the State within which man is property, are
and on his escape to another State,
the Constitution regards him bondsman
who shall be delivered on claim to the party
to whom his services are due. While he
thought the acts of Congress on the subject
should be modified to prevent freemen being
carried into slavery, he agrees that all the
laws of States, free or slave, relating to this
class Of persons, contravening the Constitu-
ton of the United States, ought to be repeal
ed, and was willing to vote for an amend
ment Of the Constitution, that Congress
should never have the power to abolish or
with slavery within the States.
If Kansas was admitted under the Wyan.
dotte Constitution and the organic laws of
other Territories could be repealed, he would
vote to authorize the admission of the new
States which should include them, rcserving
the right to offer the subdivision, whenever
into several convenient States 81
but he did not find that such regulations
could be Constitutionally made.
Without them, the Interior endorsements
would outweigh all the immediate advantage
of such measure. -
prefer, when the angry excitements Of
the House should have subsidized, one, two or
three years hence, a Convention of the pco-
pie to decide whether any or what amend
ments of organic National Laws ought to be
made. .e E.
He wasready to vote for any properly guar
anteed laws to prevent mutual invasions of
the States by citizens of other States, and to
punish those who shall aid or abet them.
Lastly, he was in favor of the Pacific Rail-
road. ........... ....
Mr., Seward concluded by saying: shall
support the Government in what
ever prudent yet energetic efforts it shall
make to preserve public peace and MAINTAIN
the Union, advising only moderation, forbear-
ance, and Cancellation, and by expressing the
conviction that the hour has not yet come
for this great nation to fall. Woe, woe
to the man that madly lifts his hand against
it. 1t shall continue and endure, and men
in after times shall declare that this genera
ton, which saved the Union from sudden
and unlocked for danger, surpassed in mag
nificence even that one which laid its found
alton the eternal principles of Liberty,
Justice, and Humanity.
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