Year: 1861




Delivered IN The United States House o.
Representatives., Jan. 81, 1861.


Mr.. Speaker: In this hour of mex


presslble import TO the fate of unborn


millions, / would that / could clear from


my eyes the film Of all human passions,


to see the truth aud the right in their ma


ked, living reality, and with their aid to


rise to the grandeur OF the opportunity


to do good to to my fellow men. There


have been occasions when the fitting


words, uttered in theNtrae place, have


helped to right the scals Shen wavering


toward the ruin Of nadoV. At no time


have they been more Necessary than now.


At no place more requisite than here.
The most magnificent examHe of self
government known to history isin immi-
nent danger of suffering an abrAt mutt
Iation by reason of the precipitae vio-
lence of few desperate men. / pro-
pose to discuss briefly, and | trust with
proper calmness, the cause and the eAsct
of this proceeding, as well as the duly
that it entails upon us.


On the 9Th of November the people
of the United States were called for the
nineteenth time to give in their votes for
the election of the two highest officers
known to the constitution. Nothing mar
ked the proceeding with any unusual fea-
lures. No reluctance had been manifes-
ted in any quarter to fulfill the duty, the
proof OF which is that no more full ex-
preston of opinion was ever made. No
complaint of unfairness or fraud was
heard. Nc contested question sprang up.
With the single exception Of the state of
Virginia, not doubt was entertained of
the true reflection of the popular sense in
designating the electors whose province it
is to complete the process. Not soul
has been bold enough to deny the fact,
that from the origin of the government
not a single election, which had been dis
puted at all, was ever more fairly con-
Quoted or more unequivocalIy determin-
ed. The sublime spectacle, viewed thus
far by foreign nations with degree Of
amazement proportioned to he ever ex-
panding nature Of the eperation, Of SO
many millions Of people, spread over so
many thousands of miles of continent
stretching from sea to. sea, peacefully, in
a single day, selecting their chief rulers
for the next four years, was once more
presented, to all outward appearances as !
successfully executed as in any proceed
ing and more contracted stage Of the re-
public.


Yet no sooner was the result positively
ascertained than the people Of one Of the
states, even whilst engaged in perform
ing the common duty as faithfully as all
the rest, and without the Intervention of
q single new disturbing cause, suddenly
broke out into violent remonstrance, and |
dashed into immediate efforts 10 annul all /
The obligations to the constitution. Such |
a step had never before been taken in
any quar.er. The same spirit directly |
itself in the region round |
about, and it has continued ever since to
spread, until it has more or less affected |
the loyalty Of ten or twelve of the states.
At the precise period Of this occurrence
no new provocatiou had been given, un-
less it were to be found in the single /
fact that the successful candidates were
persons for whom those states had not
voted. A similar instance had never oc-
cured. There have been several cases
of popular resistance to federal laws.
South Carolina had herself furnished a
one. But here was an ex-
ample of resistance to a constitutional
election of men. The former may be
without shakingthe very foun-
dations of the social system. But the
latter at onc0 denies the validity Of the
only process by which the organic law
can be executed at ALL To refuse to ac-
knowledge the constituted authorities Of
a nation, when successfully carried out,
is revolution; and It is called rebellion
when it fails, under every code Of law
known over the globe. 1t is an appeal
10 physical force which depends for its
Justification before God and man only
upon the clear establishment of proof Of
tyranny and oppression. 1t
IS sometimes the last resource of patriots
who feel themselves impelled TO over
throw despotism, but oftener the con-
.rivance of desperate adventurers, who
seek for their own private ends to estab-
Iish one.


Had the present outbreak seemed to
ne the consequence Of mature delibera-
ion and deep-settled convictions among
he people, l should at once have des-
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