Year: 1861

! immediate advantages of such measure
/ But if the measure were practicable, should
/ prefer a different course, namely when
/ the eccentric movements of secession and
disunion shall have ended, in whatever form
/ that end may come, and the angry excite
! ment of the hour shall have subsidized, and
calmness once more shall have resumed its
accustomed sway over the public mind,
then, and not until then-one, two, or three
years hence-I should cheerfully advise n
convention of the people, to be assembled in
pursuance of the Constitution, to consider
and decide whether any and what amend
ments of the organic national law ought to
be made. A republican now-as have
heretofore been a member of other parties
existing in my day nevertheless hold
and cherish, as l have always done, the
principle that this Government exists in its
present form only by the consent OF the
governed, and that it is as necessary as 1t IS
wise, to resort to the people for revisons OF
the organic law when the troubles and dan
gers of the State certainly transcend the
powers delegated by it to the public. Nor
ought the suggestion to excite surprise
Government in aLy form is a machine; this
is the most complex one that the mind of
man has ever invented, or the hand of man
has ever framed. Perfect as it is, it ought
to be expected that it will, at least as often
as once in a century, require some modii-
cation to adapt it to the changes of society
and alterations of empire.


Fourthly. | hold myself ready now, as
always heretofore, to vote for any properly
guarded laws which shall be deemed neces-
sary to prevent mutual invasions OF States
by citizens of other States, and punish
those who shall aid and abet them.


Filthy. Notwithstanding the arguments
of the gallant Senator from Oregon Gen
eral Lane1, 1 remain of the opinion that
physical bonds, such as highways, railroads.
rivers, and canals, are vastly more powerful
for holding civil communities together, than
any mere covenants though written on
parchment or engraved upon iron. | re-
main, therefore, constant to my purpose to
secure, if possible, the construction of two
Pacific railways, one of which shall connect
the ports around the mouths of the Missis-
sippi and the other the towns of the Mis-
souri, and the Lakes, with the harbOrs on
our western coast.


If in the expression of these views, have
not proposed what is desired or expected by
many others, they will do me the justice TO
believe that | am as far from having sug-
gested what in many respects would have
been in harmony with cherished convictions
of my own. | learned early from Jeffer-
son, that in political affairs we cannot al
ways do what seems to US absolutely best.
Those with whom we must necessarily act,
entertaining different views, have the power
and right of carrying them into practice.
We must be content to lead when we can,
and to follow when we cannot lead and If
we cannot at any time do for our country
all the good that we would wish, we must
be satisfied with doing for her all the good
that we can.


Having submitted my own opinions on
this great crisis, it remains only to say that
| shall cheerfully lend TO the Government
my best support in whatever prudent yet
energetic efforts it shall make to preserve
the public peace, and to maintain and pre-
serve the Union; advising, only, that it
practice, as far as possible, the utmost mod
eration forbearance, and conciliation.


And now, Mr.. President, what are the au-
spices of the country? know that we are
III the midst of alarms and somewhat eX-
posed to accidents unavoidable in seasons of
tempest1ous passions. We already have dis
order; and violence has begun. know
not to what extent it may go. Still my faith
in the Constitution and in the Union abides,
because my faith in the wisdom and virtue
of the American people remains mistaken.
Goodness calmness, and resolution are ele-
ments of their character. They have been
temporarily displaced but they are reap
pearing Soon enough, | trust, for safety,
it will be seen that sedition and violence
are local and temporary, and that loyalty
and affection to the Union are the natural
sentiments Of the whole country. What
ever dangers there shall be, there will be the
determination to meet them; whatever sac
rifces, private or public, shall be needful
for the Union, they will be made.


feel sure that the hour. has not come
for this great nation to fall. This peo-
pie, which has been studying TO become
wiser and better as it has grown older, is
not perverse or wicked enough to deserve
so dreadful and severe a punishment rs dis
solution. This Union has not yet accom-
plished what good for mankind was mani
testify designed by Him who appoints the
seasons and prescribes the duties of States
and Empires. No, sir, if it were cast down
by faction to-day, it would rise again and
re-appear in all its majestic proportions to-
morrow. 1t is the only Government that
can stand here Woe Woe to the man
that madly lifts his hand against it. 1t
shall continue and endure ard men, in
ton, which saved the Union from such sud
den and unlooked-for danger, surpassed in
magnanimty even that one which laid its
foundations in the eternal principles of lib
erty, justice and humanity,


WROFATOES.-2OO RUSH PRK.gEE