Year: 1861

better be borne than could the evils Of .
different practice. At the same time. the
candid citizen must confess, that II the Gov.
e.nment upon vital questions affecting the
whole people, Is to be irrevoca9ly fixsd by
the decision of the Supreme Court, the in
slant they are made in ordinary litigation
between the parties in personal actions. the
people will have ceased TO be their own
rulers, having to that extent practically
resigned their Government into the hands Of
that tribunal. ss


Nor is there in this view any assault upon
the Court or the Judges. II is duty from
which they may not shrink, to decide cases
properly brought before them. and it is no
fault Of theirs If others seek to turn their
decisions to political purposes.


One section Of our country believes slavery
is right and ought to be extended while the
other believes il is wrong aud ought not to
be extended. This is the only substantial dis
pate, for the fugitive slave clause Of the
Constitution, and the law: fors,he suppress
sion Of the foreign slave trade, are just ~
weh enforced, perhaps, rs any law can ever
oe.'n asommua.sy where the moral sense of
the people iuperfectly support the law itself.
The great bod, Of the people abide by the dry
legal obligations in 9th cases, and o few
break over in each.


After the separation OF the two sections,
the foreign slave trade, now imperfectly
suppressed, would be ultimately revived
without restriction in one section, while
fugitive slaves, now only partially surrender
ed, would not be surrendered at all by tho
other. Physically speaking We cannot scpa-
rate-cannot remove our respective sections
from each other, nor build an impossible
wall between them. The husband and wife
may be divorced, and go out Of the pres
ence or beyond the reach Of each other, but
the di:leren; parts Of cur country cannot do
this, they cannot but remain face to face,
and an intercourse either amicable or hostile
must continue between them.


Is it possible then TO make that inter-
course more advantageous or more satisfac-
tory, after separating than before? Can
aliens make treaties easier than friends can
make laws? Can treaties be more faithfully
enforced between aliens than laws among
friends? Suppose you 60 to war, you can
not fight always, and when after much loss
on both sides there is no gain on either, you
cease to fight, the old identical questions 40
to terms of intercourse are again upon
you.


This country with its institutions, belongs
to the people who inhabit it. Whenever
they shall grow weary Of the existing Gov
erument, they can exercise their Constitu.
tional right of Amending it, or their rev.
olutionary right to dismembcr or overthrow
it. cannot be ignorant of the fact, that
many worthy, patriotic citizens are desirous
Of having the national Constitution amend
ed. While ! make no recommendations OF
amendments, fully recognize the rightful
authority of the people over the whole SUBJ
ject, to be exercised in either Of the modes
prescribed in the instrument itself, aud l
should under existing circumstances, favor
rather than oppose fair opportunity being
offered the people to act upon it.


will venture to add that the Conven-
ton mode seems preferable inasmueh as it
allows the amendments to originate with
the people themselves. instead only Of per-
mittng them to take or reject q proposition
originated by others not specially chosen
for The purpose, and which might not be
precisely such as they would wish to either
refuse or reject. understand a proposed
amendment to the Constitution, which
amendment however, ! have not seen, has
passed Congress, to the effect that the Fed
cral Government shall never interfere with
the domestic insti i.utions Of the States, in
cluding that of persons held to service. To
avoid misconception Of what have said,
depart from my purpose not to speak Of par
ticu.ar amendments, so far as to say that
holding such provision to now be implied
Constitutional law, have no objection to
its being made express aud irreyocable.-
The Chief Magistrate derives all his author
ity from the people, and they have conferred
none upon him to fix forms for the ,cpara-
ton Of the States. The people themselves
can do this, also, if they choose, but the
executive rs such has nothing to do with it.
His duty is to administer and preserve tho
Government as IT came to his hand, and to
transmit it unimpaired by him to his sue
cessor. Why should there not DO a patient
confidence in the ultimate justice Of tho
people? Is there any better or equal hope
in the world? In our present differences, is
either party without faith or hope Of being
in the right? II the Almighty ruler Of Ma
tions, with eternal truth and justice, be on
our side Of the North, or on yours Of tho
South, that truth and justice will surely
prevail by the judgmeniof tnis great tri.
bunal. The American people, by the frame
Of the Government under which we live, have
wisely given their public servants but little
power for mischief, and have with equal wis-
dom, provided for the return OF that little to
their IN hands. at short intervals. While
the people retain their virtue and vigilance,
no administration 10 any extreme Of wick.
edness or folly can very seriously injnre the
Government in the short space Of four
years. ........


My countrymen, one and all, think calm.
ly and well upon this whole subject. Moth
ing valuable can be lost by taking time II
there be an object to hurry any Of you in
hot haste to a step which you would never
take deliberately that object will be frus-
trated by taking time, but no good object
can be frustrated by il. Such Of you a.
are nov dissatisfied still have the old Con-
stitution unimpaired and in the sensitive
point, the laws Of your own framing under
it, while the new administration will have
no immediate power if il would to change
either. II il we're admitted that you who are
dissatisfied hold the right side in the dis.
pu.e, there still is no single good reason for
precipitate action.


Intelligence, patriotism, christianisy and
a firm reliance in Him who has never yet
forsakcn this favored land, are s.iil com.
pesent to adjust, in the best way, all our
present difficulties. 10 your hands, my dis.
satisfied coun.rymen, and not in mine, il The
momensous issue Of civil war. The Gov
erpmen. will not asssil you. You can have
no conflict without being yourselves the
nggressors. You have no osth registered
in Heaven to destroy the Government, while
shall hase the most solemn one to prssefve,
protect md defend il.


aIa 10th to close. We are not epemiss
bu. friends. We must not be enemies,
,hougb passions may have strained, il must
not break our bonds Of affection. The mys-
tic chords Of memory stretching from every
BATH. 6eld and patriots grave to every los.