The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-01-25
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
The Great Debate Between Edgerton
and Thornton in the Senate.
How the Fervid Eloquence of Napa's
Young Senator Then Fired the
Patriotic Heart.

in the Senate his famous "Union Resolu-
tions," which gave rise to the memorable
debate that followed between himself and
Harry /. Thornton, the ablest representa-
tive Of the Democracy on the floor of the
Senate. Many students of political
history have likened this debate to that
which occurred in Congress between
Webster and Calhoun, and which is still
quoted in the school textbooks of the
country as the subject OF defamation by
rising young orators. Both Edgerton
and Thornton were then very young
men, and at the zenith of mental vigor,
heightened by the natural ambition and
enthusiasm of youth.
South Carolina had just passed her
ordinance of secession, and other South
ern States were preparing to follow in
her footsteps. California at that time &C.
cupied very unstable position polit
ically. The Presidential campaign, which
had ended but two months prior to the
meeting of the Legislature, resulted in a
division of the Democratic party between
the Douglas men and Breckenridge men.
The latter represented the Southern, or
disunion, element, while the Douglas
wing had decided leaning toward
conservatism and unioniSm. Still
many of the Douglas Democrats were
men who had arrayed themselves under
the Little Giants" banner before the
question of secession was precipitated,
but who, having strong Southern ten
| denotes, deserted that party and joined
| the secession wing as soon as the South
| ern States began to show their hand.
| 1t was understood that in the Legis-
| lature of the spring of 1861 the Brecken-
ridge Democrats would introduce, and, if
possible, pass an ordinance of secession,
and it was expected that they would
draw enough votes from the little band Of
| Douglas men in that body to overshadow
the Republicans and Union Democrats.
Public sentiment was thought to be
about evenly divided on the question,
and as matter of fact, the fate of Cali
fornia for time hung ubon mere
| thread, as it were.
Edgerton, although a native of Ver-
mont, had always been an uncomprom-
| Using foe of abolitionism, and the enemy
| of Republicanism. But he was q true
patriot, and espoused the cause of the
Douglas Democracy in the firm belief that
the success of that party was best calcu-
lated to heal the wounds caused by the
bitter strife between the Northern Re-
publicans and the Southern Democrats.
Looking as he did with horror on the
proposition to have California sever her
connection with the Union, and conf
IDENTIFY relying on the support of the Re-
publicans in the Legislature to any meas
ure declaring Caliiornias loyalty to the
Union, he prepared and offered in the
Senate the set of resolutions referred TO.
AS elected, the Legislature consisted Of:
Senate-Nineteen Douglas Democrats,
eleven Breckenridge Democrats and five
Republicans. Observation-Disclosures eight
Douglas Democrats, twenty-five Breck-
enridge Democrats, nineteen Republicans,
| Oil
| lions were ably drawn, one paragraph
reading as follows:
RESOLVED, That we look upon the dissolution
of this Union with feelings of horror; that we
prize this Union above all sordid standards of
| pecuniary interest; that weslove it and cherish
| it with the unselfish affection of freemen low
ing and cherishing the most valued institu-
| ton of their country. and the sacred heritage
of their fathers; that even If disunion could De
peaceably accomplished, it would be unwise,
| imprudent and impolitic-a rash experiment,
| because exchanging the happiest institution
for other and untried schemes of government;
| and, if not peaceably effected, it would bring
in its train multitude of evils too horrible 10
contemplate. That we regard, therefore, the
| disruption of the Union as one of the greatest
| calamities that could ever fall upon the world
as blighting the hopes of freedom and of free
| men everywhere; as impairing the confidence
of patriots in the capacity OF man for Selt-rue:
! as overturning the freest and best of all gov
| ernments, and destroying the most prosper
Gus of the nations of the earth-as putting
|
cause of civilization ITSELF and of rational lib
| erty regulated by law.
Resoiped, That the Union of these States.
| under the Constitution as it now exists, or
may be hereafter amended, must be preserved;
and that the people of the State win stead
| lastly stand by the general Government in
| the exercise of every conStitut ional power to
uphold and sustain both in all their integrity,
and in the enforcement of the Federal laws.
The resolutions We're finally made the
special order for January 81, 1861, and on
that day Edgerton opened the debate
thereon by mastery Grafton and argu-
ment, report OF which occupied six
! columns OF close print in the UNION.
The following brief extracts will recall to
the memory OF many old Californians a
| speech that created a profound sensation
in that period OF political excitement:
| Everywhere all over the land, in the north,
| the SOUTH the east and the west, the elements
| of the coming storm are gathering thick and
| fast upon us; and the solemn question that
| now wrings the patriotic heart and tasks the
statesman's skill is, What can be done to avert
| it? AT such a moment deem it the impera-
| tive duty of this Legislature TO look QUITO
| take high and decided ground-to give "a firm,
| deliberate official and authoritative express
| sion to the feeling and opinion of the State
| upon the mighty issue which we, in common
| with our sister States, are called upon to de-
! termine. What is that issue? 1t is the cause
| of the Constitution! 1t is the cause of the
| Union! And the question is whether to the
eternal shame and disgrace of our Gay and
generation, these great legacies that have
| fallen to US from our ancestors are to be igno-
| miniously abandoned to the yaDdal hands
| that are plotting their destruction, or whether
they, shall be preserved and transmitted,
bright and unimpaired, with all their accumu-
| lated and ever-increasng blessings to those
who stand next to US on the line. We
have become suddenly convulsed. by internal
discussions. The fell spiritof fraternal discord
| shakes the republic from center to circurnfer-
ence; and if it prevail until ii precipitates us
upon civil war-and through civil war accom-
ict,a n
| strange epitaph will the Genius of History
| inscribe upon the ruins of our fallen great
| ness! When some philosophic Gibbon shall
come 10 dellneate the cause OF our decline and
| fall, it will be written: Here was II republic
| founded in the principles of wisdom. of lib
| erty, and of law; its literature and arts en-
nobled and adorned the human mind; its
| sciences enlarged the bounds of knowledge; its
| inventions changed and ars.eliorated the con-
| ditions of mankind. No external calamity be-
| fell ii; no foreign conqueror Frustrated il;
| no pestiience or famine ravaged il. But
| at a. moment OF unparalleled material pros
perity: at q time when. its relations with all
| the world were peaceful and friendly; when
| the measure OF Its happiness and renown was
| full, and when il was rapidly carccring on
ward to the realization of the grandest hopes
/ lit was dismembered and destroyed through
| the folly, the madness and fanaticsm OF de-
/ generate peopie!' This Union is not only
the citadel of our liberty. but the depository OF
| the hopes of the human race. He who shall be
| its destroyer shall go down to future ages asso-
| ciated, indeed, with its founder, the Father of
his country, but with contrasted immortal
/ ity. No halo OF glory will surround his brow,
| but on his head will be gathered the Missing
| curses of all generations, horrible as the
| snakes of Medusa! He will stand ON the
highest and blacklist enlinence of infamy-ths
detestation OF mankind. IL he meet not a
| traitors death, he will I'LL traitors grave
over which there will be no requiem but the
groans of the oppressed and the executions
| of the good. Wild appause.l His monu-
ment viii be of human bones, upon founda-
tons slippery with human blood. However
high may have been his elevation, his fall will
be like that of Lucifer. And as from his bad
eminence he shall turn from beholding the
glories of that Constitution and Union against
which he had rebelied. TO view the barren