Year: 1859

pdrticeps crin,inis in these Transactions
We insist that it is false and unwarrant
ed charge. Yes, sir; it is libel, it is un-
just and it is calumny, to hold the whole
body of the northern people responsible for
the acts of the leader of band of mad
men. Was the whole South, Mr.. Clerk,
held responsible when the Legislature Of
South Carolina passed an ordinance delib-
erately nullfying the laws of the United
States9 Did we identify the whole South
with the people of South Carolina, or with
the multiplying party in South Carolina,
which was in favor Of armed resistance to
the laws of tho United States? No, sir;
we heard from the loyal States of North
| Carolina, Tennessee, and others, indignant
protestations against the South being in
criminated in the action of South Carolina.


When the President Of the United States,
native of Tennessee, issued his celebra-
ted proclamation against the nullitying res
olutions of South Carolina, he met with
response, not from the North alone, but
from the East and West, and all the loyal
men Of the South. And the secession rec
concentrations of the Nashville convention
of 1850 fell powerless upon the hearts of
the loyal people Of the South. We never


believed that the whole people of the South


were ripe for these sectional schemes of ag-
grandizement and separation of the Union.


Nor do believe that the agency of secret
societies, can be welded together to form a


deliberate plan for the establishment of a
southern slaveholding confederacy, and a


dissolution Of the Union for that purpose


You might as well expect the people of the


North to identify the whole people of the


South withthe re-openng of the slave trade


You might as well expect us to believe that
everybody there is in favor of the revival Of
THAT accursed traffic, because certain lead1
ing public men and presses advocate it,


On the contrary, we know that one, at least,


of the members of the present Cabinet, and


that some of the chief statesmen of the


South are arrayed against it, and we know


that all truly humane and Christian men


there abhor this infamous scheme. We


have no fears upon that subject.


Then why, gentlemen of the South, why,


when we refuse to involve you in these gen


eral charges and odious suspicious as an en-
tire people, do you persist in this war of
elimination and misrepresentation against
the North, when you cannot really believe
; in your hearts that the whole people of that
. part of the country entertvin unconstitu
, tional designs against the South? No. sir
for one | am for the Union; am for peace
| am for law and never until the last mo.
ment shall | despair of making this glori.
Gus Union, and the Constitution dependent
upon it, perpetual I hope we may be able
to live together like band of brothers
] but, sir, we never can, so long as gentle
] men come into this Hall and insist upon &
5 course of misrepresentation, and upon in
/ volving innocent people in the acts of {
criminal few.


: In the name of my constituents of Phil
: adelphia, at least, and of the patriot State
> of Pennsylvania, | protest againstthe as
} sauts upon eur character as law-observine
, and constitutionaly loyal people. There il
not city or State that is more ready tC
I resist aggression in every shape and form il
t which it may be made against the people


of any portion of the Union. We will de
S fend the constitutional rights of others
: with the same zeal that we assert and main
= tain our own.


o WE ARE FOR THE UNION AND CoNsTITU
D TIoN IN THEIR FULL SUPREMACY, AND AGAINs
n ALL WHO WOULD IMPAIR THE EXISTENCE o
e THE ONE OR oBsTRUcT THE OPERATION O
Y THE OTHER.