Year: 1861

/ Ov wisdom ana discretion. L am not he rt


to defend the action of the cotton States


but | am here to defend the right of Vir
/ ginia and her sister slave States, to de


mand protection to the rights guaranteed


u them under the Constitution ; and whe,


we attempt 10 obstruct her demand, OF fai
to meet her in her patriotic call for peace
able adjustment, we lend ourselves to the
disunion scheme. and drive from us a
State that would be loyal if we would but
let her.


But the RepubHo5n party scout the iJes
that the Soulf have any grievances tia
should -be rcdressed and it is very natural
they should believing as they do, for tie
most part, that the Southern Sta,es have
40 rights in our government, Il is not pos
sible that they should have any sorongs
But un fortunately for this Republican par
ty. they are not always right in their judg-
ment.


The most common understanding of hu-
man nature would teach us that this spirit ol
hatred on the one portion Of our common
country towards The institutions and peo-
pie OF another portion, would neoessarially
be followed by aggressions on their rights,
and this teaching has been mos. lamenta-
bly, yarihed. The Constitution is annull-
ed in one of It's sacred provisions the
laws OF Con gress protecting slavery are
disregarded and broken; the Southern
States are refused any share or interest in
the Territories of the United States, which
were purchased BY the common blood
and treasury Of The land Their property
IS stolen away and they are not allowed to
retske it; they are refused the poor hospi-
tallty OF passing through a sister State
with their servants, TO wait, it may be up
on their sick and helpless wives and chill
dreu their States are invaded by lawlese
bands TO entce away their property, and
incite slaves to rebellion and crime /; they
are siigmatized as ignoren., depraved and
improbable, while at the same time these
very cotton States arc pouring more wealth
into cur nations Golfers than an equal
nun Ger OF States taken from any other re-
glon Of our country ; pious hypocriis at
the North denounce them as immoral and
barbarous, and deny them the right Of
Christian fellowship. All Ibis is but d
nthe OF the wrongs and grievances our
Southern brothers have suffered at the
hands of this dominant party AZ the North
That party IS now about to assume the
control OF tie government, and they have
most clearly and equisocaly announced
the policy they intend TO persue their
leaders have soIemniy de Jared that there
Is an frrepreSsiblc conflict b.lween slave
~ and iieedom that Is dis Union can
not exist permanently part Slave and part
free Their Executive elect will take his
seat, pledged 10 place the institution Of
slavery in the course of ultimate extinc-
ton They have published, and SEN;
broadcast over the land, with their most
cordial endorsement as their political dis
cipline. book. whose equal for mali isnity,
idl5ehood and unfairness was never before
penned against any people and yet. in
the face OF all this, the Republican party
present the South with the Chicago plat
iorm--a jungle of incoherent and contra
dictory resolutions which were iaiended to
mean everything, and yet mean nothing
which were expected to cover every con
-ingency, and are equal to none--they
present dis to the South, ,and say. Here is
balm Giead here is the security to your
rights Ii IS IS if The high wayman, VIII
stops you on the road at the midnight
hour, and with pistol at your breast de-
mands your money or your life, should
say TO you My dear sir. you have q right
TO think ne a wicked and dangerous man;
assure you. sir, | am quite lhe opposite
! act from pure principle of justice
believe in the absolute equalization OF
property; you are rich and am poor,
give me your money and let there be no
strife between us


| am aware. sir, that | am using plain
language. but it is plain subject and i
desire to treat it plainly. | know it is
sometimes said tha: language was framed
the better TO conceal our thoughts. but !
nave not learned that fine ART come
here the free representiye Of free people.
and | propose to speak out boldly and
fearlsssly, on all subjects that come before
this House. The Executive may thunder
his ana:hemas in front of the Capitol ID
elsewhere. but :hey have no terrors for
me. For all threats from that or any 9TH
er source, my language and action. in this
body and out of it, shall be free and un-
trammelled as the winds Of heaven


Having found what are tie sources of our
tronbles, the only two propositions for me
to consider are the nature Of these troub
les. and their remedy.


The elements Of a sectional President
was to the South the elimination of
long series of grievances, aad tho signal
for them to begin in turn in course
equally wrong and unjustiGabe. The
winds had bean sown. and tho whirlwind
must be reapcd. The di-union that had
been bred IN the hot beds of aboltionism
at the North, has finally yielded its fruits.
State after State is dropping from the
bright galaxy Of the Union, and unless
some measure of adjustment is speedily
agreed upon. this session, will not have
closed before there will not be Southern
State in the confederacy.


Republicans either fail To comprehend
the iminen. danger Of our country, or they
biudly shat their eyes 20 the terrible
truth. They persist in regarding it. if ne