The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-05-30

swered January 26, 1890, when at the
nation 8 capitol the elite, the learned,
the great crowded the senate chamber
Railways and galleries were occupied
and every nook and corner was filed
with an eager, expectant throng. The
very air was charged with suppressed
excitement This question of vital im-
portance was to be discussed that
lday by the greatest constitutional
lawyer Of the age. Every ear was
strained, every nerve on tension, ev-
cry eye fastened on the magnificent
form and the dark, clean cut counten-
ance of the speaker when he arose and
with voice trembling with emotion
said mfr. President. when the mariner
is tossed for days in thick weather
upon an unknown sea. he naturally
takes advantage of the first pause in
the storm, the earliest glance of the
sun to take his latitude and determ-
inc, if possible, how far he has drifted
from the true course. Let us initiate
this prudence, and before we drift
further on the waves Of debate, return
to the point from which we started and
see If at least by conjecture we may
not determine where we are. ask
for the reading of the resolution
Gorgeous Ensign at the Republic.
There was something in these words
SO earnestly spoken that caused a
death-like stiffness to fall upon that
vast audience His deep, sonorous
tones reminded his listeners Of the
thunder's sullen roar and lightning
seemed to flash from his massive
brow Such unanswerabIe argument,
inspiring sentiment and pathetic app
peal was never before, and without
disparaging the efforts of others. L
think we may say, has never since
been heard in the halls of congress.
1t would seem that there was some
thing of prophecy in his closing appeal,
foreshadcwing of the conflict that
later engaged your attention when he
said, When my eyes shall behold the
sun in the heavens for the last time,
may he not be shining upon the brok-
en- and dishonored fragments of once
glorious union, on states discovered,
discordant, helligerent, on a land rent
with civil feuds, or drenched. it may
be, In fraternal blood. Let their last
feeble and lingering glance rather be-
public, now known and honored
throughout the earth, still full high
advanced, its arms and trophies
streaming in their original luster, not
a stripe erased or polluted. or a single
star obscured, bearing for its motto
no such miserable interrogatory as,
What is all this WORTH nor those
other words of delusion and folly,
Liberty first and union afterwards,
but everywhere, spread all over ini
characters Of living light, blazing on
all its folds as they float over the
sea and over the land, and in every
wind under the whole heavens, that
other sentiment dear to every true
American heart, Liberty and union,
now and forever, one and INSOFAR
able'''
1t may be that Hayne and Calhoun
were, technically, correct; that it
was necessary in order that the states
should ratify the constitution that the
idea of national sovereignty should be
obscured. If this idea had been made
prominent, it is quite possible that
the constitution would never have
been ratified. But it was just as neces-
sary in order that the Union should
grow, in order that it should live that
Webster's construction should be
adopted. Technicalities, strict con-
struction seem to have had the advan-
tage for thirty years. While Web