Year: 1861

their hands for war with one another. we stood
quarreling about points Of party politics; about
questions which we attempted to sanctfy and con-
secrate by appealing to conscience as the source
of theml Are we to allow such fearful catastro-
phes to occur while we stand trining away our
timer While we stand thus, showing our inierior-
ty to the great and mighty dead showing our inie-
riority to the high positions which occupy, the
country may be destroyed and ruined; and, TO the
amazement of the whole world, the Republic may
fall PROSTATE and in ruins carrying with il the very
hope of that liberty which we have heretofore en-
joyed carrying with it. in place of the peace which
we have enjoyed, nothing but revolution and hav-
oe and anarchy. Shall it be said that we have al
lowed all these evils to come upon our country,
while we were engaged in the petty and small dis
putcs and debates to which have REFEREED Can it
be that name is 10 rest in history With this ev
erlasting stigma and blot upon IT,


Sir wish to Gcd it was in my power 70 preserve
this Union by renouncing or agreeing TO give up
every conscientious or other opinion. | might not
be able to discard il from my mind | am under no
obligations to do that. | may retain the opinion,
but if ! can do so great good as TO preserve nay
country and give it peace and its institutions and
its Union stability, will forego any action upon
my opinions. Well now, my friends Undressing
the Republican Senator that is all that is asked Of
yo-. Consider it WELL and do not distrust the re-
suit. As to the rest of this body, the gentlemen
from the South, | would say to them, you ask
more than thsi Are you bent on revolution? bent
ON disunion? God forbid it. cannot believe that
81 ch madness possesses the American people. This
gives reasonable satisfaction. can speak with sat
isfuciion only of my own State. Old Kentucky
will be satisfied with it, and she will stand by the
Union and die by the Union if this satisfaction be
given. Nothing shall seduce her. The clamor Of
revolution the seductions and temptations of no
revolution will move her one step. She has stood
always by the side of the Constitution; she has al
ways been devoted to it, and is to this day Give
her this satisfaction, and believe all the States OF
the South that are not desrous of disunion as q
better thing than the Union and the Constitution,
will be satisfied and will adhere to the Union, and
we shall go on again in our great of national
prosperity and national glory.


| But sir, it is not necessary for me to speak TO
you of the consequences of disunion. Who is not
proud of the greatness we have achieved Disun-
ion and separation destroy that grertness. Once
disunited, we are no longer great The nations of
the earth who have looked upon us as mighty
Power formidable Power, and rising to untold
and immeasurable greatness in the future will scof
at you. Your flag, that now claims the respect oil
the world that protects the rights Of your citizens
Everywhere, what will become of it2 What be-
comes Of its glorious infiuence1 II is gone; and
with it the protection of American citizens and
property. To say nothing of the national honor
which it displays to all the world, the protection o
your rights the protection of your property abroad
is gone with that national flag, and we are hereaf-
ter to conjure and contrive different flags for
different Republics according to the ieverish fancy
of revolutionary patriots and disturbers of tn,
peace of the world. No, sir, want to follow nc
such flag. | want to preserve the Union Of my
country. We have it in our power 10 do SO, anc
we are responsible if we do not


| do not despair of the Reptile. When ! see be-
fore Senators Of SO much intelligence and Sc
much patriotism, who have been SO honored by
their country, sent here the guardians Of tha
Union which is now in question, sent here as th'
guardians of our national rights, as guardians o
that national flag, ! cannot despair, cannot dc
spond. | cannot believe but they will find SOM
means Of reconcing and adjusting the rights o
all parties, by concessions, if necessary, SO as Il
preserve and give stability to the coun'ay
TO its institutions.


Mr.. President | have occupied more time than


intended. My remarks were Designed and contem
plated only to reach to explanation of this reso
luton.