The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1861-02-07
Farewell Speech Of JET. Davis

!. We present to our readers the remarks made by
Senator Davis, of Miss, in retiring from the US.
Senate.
Mr.. DAVIS. 1 rise, Mr. President, for the
purpose of announcing to the Senate that
81 have satisfactory evidence that the
Estate Of Mississippi by solemn ordinance
4 of her peoplein in Convention assembled, has
Z s9declared her separation from the United
States. Under these circumstances OF
course my functions are terminated here.
It has seemed to me proper, however, that
I Ishonld appear in the esenate to announce
that fact to my associates, and will say
but very little more The occasion docs
not invite me to go into argument; and
my physical condition would not permit
me to do SO if it were otherwise; and yet
& it seems to become me to say something
on the part of the State, 1 here repre-
sent, on all occasion so solemn as this.
1t is known to Senators who have serv-
ed with me here, that have for many
years advocated as an essential attribute
of State Sovereignty, the right of State
to secede from the Union. Therefore, if [
had not believed there was justifable
cause +; if 1 had thought that Mississippi
was acting without sufiicientprovocation,
or without an existing necessity, l should
still, under my theory Of the Government,
because of my allegiance to the State of
which am citizen, have been bound by
her action. i, I,however, may be permitted
to say that l do think she has justifablc
cause, and 1 approve of her act. | con
ferred with her people before that act was
taken, counselled them then that if the
state of things which they apprehendcd
should exist when the convention met,
they should take the action which they
have now adopted.
Ihope none who hear me will confound
this expressing of mine with the advocacy
of the right of a State to remain in the
Union, and to disregard its constitutional
obligations by the nullfcaton of the law.
Such is not my theory. Nullification and
secession, so often confounded, are indeed
antagonistic, principles. Notification is a
remedy which it is sought to apply within
the Union, and against the agent Of the
States. It lis only to be justified when the
agent has violated his constitutional obli-
cation, and State, assuming to judge for
itself, denies the right of the agent thus to
act, and appeals to the otlfer States of the
Union for decision; but when the people
Of the States, have so acted rs to convince
us that they will not regard our constitu-
tional rights, then, and then for the first
time, arises the doctrine of secession in its
practical application.
"A great man who now reposes with his
fathers, and who has been often arraigned
for want of fealty to the Union, advoca-
ted the doctrine of notification, becauseit
preserved the Union. 1t was because of
his deep-seatcd attachment to the Union,
his determination to find some remedy for
existing ills short of q severance OF the
ties. which bound South Carolina to the
other States, that Mr.. Calhoun advocated
the doctrine of notification, which he pro
claimed to be peaceful, to be within the
limits Of State power, not to disturb the
Union, but only to be means of bringing
the agent before the tribunal of the States
for their judgment.
Secession belongs to different class OF
remedies. 1t is to be justified upon the
basis. that the States are sovereign. There
was time when none denied it. hope
the time may come again, when better
comprehension of the theory Of our Gov
ernment, and the inalienable rights of the
people of the States, will prevent any one
from denying that each State is a sove-
reign, and thus may reclaim the grants
which it has made to any agent whomso-
ever.
l. therefore say concur in the action
of the people of Mississippi, believing it to
be necessary and proper, and should have
beeo bound by their action if my belief
had been otherwise; and this brings me
to the important point which | wish on
this last occasion to present to the Sen
ate. 1t is by this confounding of nullifca
tion and secession that the name ola great
man, whose ashes now mingle with his mo
ther earth, has been invoked to justify co
ercion against a seeded State. The phrase
ito execute the laws" was an expression