Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-04-17
A LEAF FROM HISTORY.

Speech from JEFF Davis on IL
firing from the Senate of
the United States
What was Meant by AssertiI
in the Declaration of In
dependence that "All
Men are Created
Equal"
Now that the fifteenth amendment h
been declared ratified, we, in response
many applications, print herewith, as OIL
of the first steps which led to that resul
the speech of Jefferson Davis, delivert
Jan. 81, 1861, in the Senate of the Unite
States, when taking leave of that bod.
in obedience to the mandate of his State
rise, Mr. President, for the purpos
of announcing to the Senate that / hay
satisfactory evidence that the State G
Mississippi, by solemn ordinance of he
| people, in Convention assembled, has dc
clared her separation from the Unite
States. Under these circumstances, o
course my functions are terminated here
1t has seemed to me proper, however
that should appear in the Senate to an
nounce the fact to my associates, AMI
will say but very little more. The occa
sion does not invite me to go into argu
ment; and my physical condition woul(
not permit me to do SO, if it were other
wise, and yet it seems to become me t.
say something on the part of the State
here represent on an occasion SO solemn
as this.
1t is known to Senators who have
served with me here, that / have fol
many years advocated as an essential at,
tribute of State sovereignty the right of a
State to secede from the Union. There
fore, if | had not believed there was jus
tifiable cause; if had thought that Mis-
sissippi was acting without sufficient
prOvocation, or without an existing neces-
sity, should still, under my theory of the
Government, because of my allegiance TO
the State of which l am citizen, have
been bound by her action. /, however,
may be permitted TO say that that | do
think that she has justifable cause, and l
approve of her act. Iconferred with her
people, before that act was taken, coun-
sellcd them then that if the state of things
they apprehended should exist when the
convention met, they should take the &C
ton which they have now adopted.
| hope none who hear me will confound
this expression of mine withthe advocacy
of the right of State to remain in. the
Union, and TO disregard its constitutional
obligations by the notification of hclaw.
Such is not my theory. Notification and
secession, so often COMPOUNDED, are in
deed antagonistic principles. Notification
Is remedy which is sought TO apply
within the Union, and against the agent
of the States. 1t is only TO be justified
when the agent has violated his constitu-
tional obligation, and State, assuming TO
judge for itself, denies the right of the
agent this to act, and appeals TO the other
States of the Union for a decision. But
when the States themselves, and when
the people of the States have SO acted as
to convince us that they will not regard
our constitutional rights, then, and then
for the first time, arises the doctrine of
secession in its practical application.
A great man who now TcpoSes with his
fathers, and who has been often arraigned
for want of fealty to the Union, advo-
Gated the doctrine of notification, be-
cause it preserved the Union. 1t was be-
cause of his dcep-seatcd attachment to
the Union, his determination to find some
remedy for existing ills, short of a sew
GRANGE of the ties that bound South Caro-
lima to the other States, that Mr.. Calhoun
advocated the doctrine of notification
which he proclaimed 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
IF the States for their juGg nent.
Secession belongs to q different class of
1t is to be justified upon the
basis that the States are sovereign. There
was time when none denied it, / hope
he time may come again when better
of the theory of our gov
and the inalienable rights of the
States will prevent any one from denying
hat each State is a sovereign, and thus
nay reclaim the grants which it has made
o any agent whomsoever.
| therefore say concur in the action
IF Mississippi, believing it to be necessary
md proper, and should have been bound
~ their action, if my belief has been 9TH
,rwise; and this brings me to the impOr-
ant point | wish on this last occasion to
present to the Senate. 1t is by this con-
of notification and secession that
he name of the great man whose ashes
low mingle with his mother earth, has
Jeen invoked to justify coercion against a
seeded State. The phrase ''to execute
he laws" was an expression which Gen.
Jackson applied to the case of a State re-
using to obey the laws while yet a mem
Der of the Union, That is not the case
which is now presented. The laws are to
DC executed over the United States and
IpOn the people of the United States.
Hhey have no relation TO any foreign
country. It. is perversion of terms-at
east it is great misrepresentation of the
,ase-which cites that expression for ap-
DliCatiOn to State which has Withdrawn
rom the Union. You make war on a
foreign State. If it be the purpose of
gentlemen, they may make war against
State which has withdrawn from the
Union; but there are no laws of the United
States 10 be executed within the limits of
/ seeded State. A State finding herself
n the condition in which Mississippi has
Judged she is, in WHICH her safety requires
hat she should provide for the mainten-
lncC of her rights out of the Union, sur
lenders all the benefits land they are
Known TO be many,) dcpriVes herself of
he advantages (they are known to be
Ireat, sewers all the ties Of affection
and they ale close and endearing,) which
BOUND her to the Union; and thus divcst-
ng herself of every benefit, taking upon
herself every burden, she claims to be cX-
'mpt from any power to execute the laws
IF the United States within her limits.
well remember an occasion when Mas
;achusetts was arraigned before le'bar
IF the Senate, and when, then, the doc
rinc of coercion was rife, and to be ap-
Dlied against her, because of the rescue of
/ fugitive slave in Boston. Ny opinion
hen was the same that it is now. Not in
spirit of egOtism, but to show that l am
lot influenced in my opinion because the
;ase is my own, refer to that time and
hat occasion as containing the opinion
which | then entertained, aud on which
ny present conduct is based. then said,
f Massachusetts, following through a
stated line of conduct, chooses to take
he last step which separates her from the
Union, 1t is her right to go, and / will
neither vote one dollar nor one man TO CO.