Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1863-02-13

| loyal Mfryland, kentucky, Missouri and
Delaware, there, SO proclaimed and prais-
ed for their devotion, are to be the VIC
Tins; faithful and defenceless, the sword
of the Presidential wrath pierces their
vitals through the sides of the bleeding
Constitution which they have SO faithfully
supported.
repeat, it was the settled conviction
of the Southern slaveholding States that
an " irrepressible conflict" did actually
exist between them and the people and
States Of the North, and which was pro-
NOTED by the latter that call must be
free or all slave;" "that house divided
| against itself cannot stand" Sir, it was
the conviction forced upon the people of
the South that these emphatic enuncia.
tons of opinion were but the slogans of
an inevitable oppression that was fast APP
preaching, was then in effect inaugurated
with authority and power, which could
not be averted, and would, unless at once
resisted, attack and destroy their sacred
rights of personal liberty, Of personal
safety, and private property, the fanda-
mental rights of man, and for which, if
he will rot give battle, he deserves to
lose.
They believed that the North was abo-
litionized, and had consequently abiured
the obligations Of any covenant with
slavery, however solemnly made This
it was that made them rcnounce their al
legiance and withdraw from the Union
Before the Supreme Judge Of the world
they opened their hearts and resolved to
offer up to Him the responsibilities Of
their cause upon the field of battle, Sir
have not enough bleeding souls testified
to these convictions in Heaven already
Have we not, their countrymcn, their
fellow-men, received enough assurance of
their sincerity, their devotion, their
power? Must this desolating war yet 90
on?
This solemn and momentous ipquiry
now tortures the thoughts aud anxieties
Of the just ard the good. am persuaded
that the voice of all civilized and disin-
terested men is now on the side of peace
peace on any terms consistent with our
liberties and honor.
Let me, sir, briefly explore, with hope
full view, this pleasing inquiry
The cause Of truth and human veal,
o God above,
! Transfer it from the swords appeal
To peace and love-"
Before / venture upon this, wish to
declare in all candor, as / ought to do,
my settled conviction that the people Of
the Confederate States will never again
consent to restore our political Union |
believe that their universal determination
upon this point is final They will not
again put their trust in the guarantees of
a written Constitution with the people Of
the North. They have tried it fairly and
it has failed. Sir, they believe, and ]
believe, that there is established fixed
and unalterable autagonism between the
sections where slavery is and is not al
lowed, and that no future political union,
as long as slavery exists, can ever be
maintained between them upon any basis
whatever.
1t is folly now to expect it, The part
i. Of wisdom and Of duty requires us to ac-
cept this reversible conclusion; and
however it may disappoint our hopes or
I interests, or mortify our pride, we ought
at oace, in the precept Of our own great
Declaration Of Independence, ''to ac-
quicsce in the necessity that denounccs
our separation :" to cast the plans Of our
future by tie light it yet affords or mid
night darkness and utter ruin may ere
long chain our republican desinio5
Mr.. Speaker, that eminent and far
seeing statesman, the late Judge Douglas,
avowed to me in April preceding his
death, his solemn conviction that our po-
ltical union was at an end. ! violate no
confidence in repeating his opinions, since
he assured me it was his purpose to pub
lish his views tan early day; and if the
sequel Of his life may seem in conflict
with these views, there are those among
his personal friends here on this floor,
who can reconcile his conduct, and show
the conformity of bis plans with peace
full though it might be revolutionary So
luton of our national troubles. Judge
Douglas, on that occasion, read to me an
elaborate essay that he told me had cost
him moro thought and labor than any
work Of bis life that he feared it was too
long, and he wished both to abridpe and
simplify it, so that it might be read and
understood by all that be would revise
il at Chicago and then give il to his coun-
trymen. Death, alas denied this most
patriotic design
That essay ascribed our present situa-
ton to the aggressive spirit Of Northern
abolitionism II declared his conviction
that the union Of our States as originally
formed and maintained was finally de-
stroyed, and no political union could ex-
list again between the free and slayehold-
ing States; that such an idea must be
abandoned, and commercial union
founded upon the plan generally Of the
zoll-verein Of the States Of Germany, be
accepted as the only practicable arrange
ment to secure peace now aud hereafter.
That mastery paper, every word Of which /
I baor1 so.I -, l. t..grlf al ,ssttoh stsYaa