Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1867-10-02

"But Southern gentlemen stand here
and in almost all their speeches, speak Of
the dissolution of the Union as an ele-
meut of every argument, as though it
were a peculiar condescension on their
part that they permitted the Union to
stand at all. IF they do not feel inter
ested in upholdiUg the Union-if it really
trenches on their rIghts-ir it endangers
their institutions to such an extent that
they can notfeel secure under tiff their
interests are violently assailed by means
of this Union, am not one Of those who
expect that they will long continue under
it. I am not one of those who would
ask them to continue in such Union
It would be doing violence to the plat
form of the party to which I belong. We
have adopted the old Declaration of In
dependence as the basis of our political
movements, which declares that any peo-
pie when their Government ceases to pro-
tect their rights-when it is so subverted
from the true purpose Of Government as
E. oppress them, have a right to recur to
fundamental principles, and if need be-,
to destroy the Government under which
they live, and to erect on its ruins anoth-
er more conducive to their welfare. I
hold that they have this right I will
not blame any people for exercising it,
whenever they think the contingency has
come. I certainly shall be the advocate
of tbatsame doctrine wheneverI I fnd that
the principles of this Government have
become so oppressive to the section to
which I belong, that a free people ought
not longer to endure it. You will not
then find me backward in being the ad-
vocate of disunion; but thatcontingency
never having come, I have never yet
opened my mouth in opposition to the
Union. i ! X You cannot fOrcibly
hold men in this Union, for the attempt
TO do so, it seems to me, would subvert
the first principles of the Government
under which we live. Congressional
Globe, S4th Congress, Sd Session, page 20.
"There are some Senators who profess
great regard for the rights Of the States
I am one of those who have quite as smueh
regard for the rights of the States as
some who make louder professions on the
subject than I do. I am one of those
who, not only when an election is pend
ing, but at all times believe in the wis
dom, the constitutionality and the pro-
priety of the Virginia Resolutions of
1898 and 1899. l ground myself upon
those resolutions, and, standing upon
them, [ denounce this bill as a violation,
not only Of the spirit of those resolutions,
but as an attempt to trample upon the
rights Of the States and deprive them of
the power to protect their own citizens
from aggression and abuse. Do gentle
men suppose that the States now awaken
ed to a keen sense of their rights and the
danger of consolidation, will ever submit
to such bill as this? l tell you nay"
4 X 4
"Who is to be Judge IN the last resort
OF the violation Of the Constitution of the
United States by tho enactment of law
Who is the final arbiter The General
Government or the States in their Sow
ereigntv? Why, sir, to yield that point
| is to Weld up al the rights of the States
to protect their own citizens, and to con-
snlidate this Government into miserable
despotism. I tell you, sir, whatever you