Year: 1860

dSoiu Ihat ueslre the Union of these
States to be perpetual. desire it to
be perpetual as Union of equal States;
but if stand here representing peo-
pie who will quail before the announce
ment that the exercise of their honest
convictions is to work dissolution of
Of the Union, and if l thought that
such an intimation as that would fright
en- even one of our women from the
course of her duty in the approaching
crisis, which is to be solved by the re-
suit of the next Presidential election, 1
would scorn to represent them.





But, sir, if / could, without arro-
gance or presumption, make an appeal
to gentlemen who believe that dark
clouds hang over us, and that the fu-
ture is portentous of evil, would ask
them if they really believe that this is
the way to deal with such a state of
things. Gentlemen have told us, over
and over again, that the danger of q
dissolution Of this Union is imminent,
Sir, if it is not only imminent, but de-
sirable, l beg gentlemen not to indulge
in this strain of remark. think, and
l believe history justifies me in it,
other gentlemen can speak for them
selves-that l represent a people that
cannot be driven. They are few; but
when they were much fewer than they
are now, when they were not one-half
in number what they are now, they
left their plows in the field, and they
left their women to look after the home
steads, and they turned out from noun
tain and valley and barred their breasts
tothe invading foe, wherever and when
ever he might come. Sir, / do hope in
God, that the day is distant, very dis
tant, when their mettle or their courage
shall be put to the test, in anything
that bears even the semblance of fra
ternal contest; but let me tell gentle
men that they viii find in the end they
are mistaken.


If know myself, 1 have never in
dulged in an opprobious epithet in re-
lation to any State of this Union, or to
any public man of this Union. have
endeavored, according to the measure
of my feeble abilities, to grapple with
the questions which have presented
themselves in this Chamber, and on
the theatre where the confidence of my
constituents has again and again placed
me. But should feel myself un-
worthy of their confidence, would not
dare to look them in the face nor to
shake their honest hands, if | failed, on
any fitting occasion, SO far as | was
able, to vindicate them from what /
believe to be unjust and, sir, the idea
that this people can be driven by any
such annunciation of what is to follow
the exercise Of their judgment, / utter
ly disbelieve and disavow.


While know that it is the province
of every member upon this floor TO
present his convictions of the reality
and of the truth of the case, as it ex-
lists to-day, in just exactly that light in
which his own convictions and his own
understanding of right and propriety
may suggest, yet will venture to sub
NIT to them if, as they avow, as |
fully believe, they do desire this Union
to be perpetual, whether this is the
way to make it so. Gentlemen, do
you desire this Union to be perpetual ?
l would not, if / thought as meanly of
your people as you would imply that
you do of us. | would not desire .
union with you another day, because it
seems to me the implication is that We
are not equals. You seem to think
that you are unequally yoked. You
are high, chivaIrous, noble men, born
to command, associated with craven
set, who have nothing left but to regis
ter your DEGREES; and if perchance,
indulging in. fanciful theories of the
equality of States and of men-no, I
will not say of men-of white men,
they should undertake to place a man,
as the representative of their opinions,
in the executive chair, by that they
have sealed their doom, and have COM
mitted an act which, from that day
forth, is to be considered as the knell
which sounds the dissolution and des-
truction of this Confederacy!


/ will not detain the Senate longer,
but l recollect an anecdote, which l


have already told, that / think Illus
CTdCcS GD0 III Which, W. al W
yield and settle these difficulties, and
l hope that shall not be considered
as having too much levity. 1t is to


be remembered that speeches have


been rather solemn this morning, and


we may temper them with a little levi


ty. remember hearing distinguished
clergymen once say, that in the State
} of Connecticut very serious and
} alarming controversy arose in one OF
the churches, and it got divided about


equally. To render the division more


sad, ore of the deacons represented
one division, and the other the other.


The minister, seeing this state of things,
preached sermon on union, and pre-
sented it SO forcibly that every heart
/ was struck with the idea union must be
, had at anyrate. SoDeac on Jones with a
teeming heart, earnest for union, wen,
down to see Deacon Snow, and said


he, ''Deacon, we must have union. .
, i" - said Deacon Snow, VIC
, must" "Well," continued he, Dea
con, there is but one way on earth that
f we can get it." Deacon Snow replied
"Brother, do tell me what that is. >
"Well," answered he, ssyou must give
t up, for l cannot" Laughter i
seems to me that it is Just exactly ths
appeal that is made to US. There IS ;
L. -