Year: 1861

against the righ: of that State to scceds, I
deny.


Hemphill, of Texas, (Dem., asked II the
protection Of Texas was the only reason Of
the war, and If the United States paid any
thing to Texas for the land, and IL we did
not acquire California from that war.


Mr.. Douglas said the only cause Of com.
plant Of Mexico was the annexation of
Texas, and We had only paid Texas $lO,-
100000, for some barren land she did not
own. [Laughter] He said the Constitution
was intended to be perpetual, and he denied
the right Of secession under the Constitu-
ton, as against the Constitution, and against
justice and good faith He said there could
be no government without coercion, but
coercion must be used in the mode ttescfib-
ed by law This is not question Of coer-
cion in State. Where no authority of the
Federal Government remains, we are bound
| to recognize Government de facto, when
the State maintains individual sway. The
man who loves the Union, who loves to see
the laws enforced, will love to see rebellion
put down. There is no other way or re
course left, to enforce the law in seeding
State, except to make war and bring the
State within your possession first, and then
enforce the law aftcrward. A war bctw cen
eighteen States on one side, and fifteen Sc
ceding States on the other, is to me revolt
ing thing. For what purpose is this war to
be wageds Certainly not for the purpose
OF preserving the Union. have too much
respect for gentlemen on the other side OF
the chamber, collectively and Individually,
to believe there is one among them who
does not know what war is. You cannot
expect to extcrminate ten millions Of peo.
pie, whose passions are excited with the
| belief that you mean to invade their homes
and light the flames Of insurrection in their
| midst. You must expect to exterminate
them, or subjugate them, or else, when you
have got tired of war, to make treaty Will,
them. No matter whether the war lasts one
year, or seven years, or thirty years, it must
| have an end at some time. Sooner or later
both parties will become tired and exhaust.
ed, and when rendered incapable of fight
ing aEy longer, they will make treaty OF
peace, and that treaty will be one of sepa-
ration. The history of this world does not
furnish an example of war of sections, or
between states of the same nation, where the
war ended in reconciliation. Such war
always ends in a treaty Of peace, and Anal,
eternal separation. don't understand,
then, then how man can claim to be q
| friend of the Union, and yet be in favor OF
war upon ten millions of people Of the
Union. You cannot cover it up much
longer under the prctext Of love for the
| Union. Now, the question must be met,
and whatever confessions | am called to
make, choose to make voluntarily, before
blood is shed, and not afterward. No man
has more pride of country than I. Ithum.
bles my pride to see the authority Of the
Government questioned, but we are not the
first nation whose pride has thus been
humblcd. Republics, empires and king.
doms alike, in all ages, have been subject
to the same humiliating fact. But where
there is a deep-seated discomfort pervadng
ten millions of people, penetrating every
man, woman, child, and involving every.
thing dear to them, it is time for inquiring
whether there is not some cause for this
feeling. If there be just cause for it,. in
Gods name let us remove it. Are we no,
criminal, in the sight Of Heaven and pos
terity, if We do not remove the just cause ?
If there is no cause, and yet they believe
there is, so much greater the Necessity for
removing the misconception. Are you so
elated with the pride of your recent tri.
umph, or pride of opinion, that ou cannot
remove an untuunded apprehension, when
it is rushing ten millions of people into dis
union and breaking up the Government OF
our Fathers, and leaving US, hitherto a
proud Republic on earth, to become by
word among the nations? / still entertain
the hope that this question may be adjust
ed, although the indications are that blood
will be shed and war will rage before gen.
tlemen fully appreciate the crisis through
which we are passing. don't think my
nerves are any weaker than ordinary, nor
do think there is much courage in shut
ting the eyes in the face of danger, and
tn saying you did not it. Every man
mist see it, and hear it, and breathe it,
The atmosphere IS full of it. l have deter
mined that will do all that is in my power
to rescue the country from such dreadful
fate. But will not consider this question
Of war till all hope OF peaceful adjus tment
fails. Better. thousand times better, that
all political parties b. disbanded and dis
solved. Better that every public man now
in existence be consigned to retirement and
political martyrdom, than this Government
should be dissolved; and this country
plunged in civil war. trust We are to
have no war for a platform. l can fight for
my country, but there never was politi-
cal platform that I would go to war for.
fear if this country is to be wrecked, it is
to be done by those who prefer party to
their country. Party platforms, and pride
of opinion, and personal consistency, are
the only causes in the way of satisfactory
adjustment Of this difficulty. Irepeat that,
Notwithstanding the gloom and the dark
clouds which overhang everything. do not
despair Of the Republic, and will not des-
pair till every effort shall be found to be Of
no avail.