Year: 1861

anu tnat they exciting eyfnpdtny
by drawing comparisons between their political condi-
tion under it, and the colonists under the King of
I England. But, ask, did the colonists create the
King Did they set up the throne 2 Did they even
elect and control their own Goyernorsl Nay, Sir the
very acts which they passed, with the exception of
come ,olonies had to receive the sanction of the
Engli,h sovereign before they became law. foreign
desIotism held undisputed sway over them.


Now, Sir, let gentlemen who complain of6ppregsion
in the light of complaints uttered by our fathers against
Erglish rule, tel us who established the Government
under which we live. Did it come from foreign
despst7 From king' From an Emperor II came


ron Jour fathers and mine. Who but the patriots OF
the revolutionary times gave us the glorious insttq,
tons which have been the pride and Admiration Of all
wise and good men And now, who carry on the
Cover Tie people of all the States, who create
sentaves. And yet gentlemen Of the South assure US
they are oppressed. Oppressed Oppressed How
oppressed and by wbom3 If at all, by the Govern
nient which they themselves have helped to create,
and have controlled as they openly boast, for fifty
wears It is their Government; and what do they
propose to do now Trampe upon the very laws they
have made with their brains and their hands.
They assume to lay violent bands upon their own
work, and commit political suicide They will over
turn The Government because it is not certain that they
can control it in the future as they have controlled II IN
the past And this is called consistency this s called
declaration of their independence. Sir, call 1t the


independence Of treason and rebelion andthat treason
Is to be punished in way specified by statute OF the





upon that subject.


The Clerk read as follows:


or any S Of Sa h"sy is, san hoY s GoUS citizen
thereof upon the high under color Of any from
pe.on such offender shall notwhsndins the pstense any
such authority be dremed edudged and taken to 6es pse


on and Iobber and on being thereof convicted shah sunef
desth"-l Statutes at Large vol L. p lis.


Mr.. GURLEr Mr.. Chairman, my own State con-
tains larger white population than five Southern
States which can name; and we have two Senators
nd they huv toni Rut with all this inpnuaiIiy
favor Of the South they come to us and demand new
guarantees of fidelity TO their peculiar institution, II
not positive pledges OF servy on the part OF the Free
States. Trey 60 further Sir and actually ask that our
people walk up TO the polls and record the edics OF
few hundred men at Charleston or Baltimore. And
we refuse TO do that, what do they sayl What have
they said in this House They will pull down the
pillars of this great Republic and "look their guns
for Justice and night" The moment we dare to cast
our votes rs freemen should and select the OF
deliberate choice for President in correspondence with
the Constitution and the laws OF the land we commit
objectionable siD and there is an end free govern
men On this principle, can have no higher poltl-
cal privileges than the people of Austria or Russia
We are required to become the obedient servants OF
cottonocracy and snk the freeman in craven polti-
cal dependent.


Imsintain Sir that there is no excuse no apology
whatever, for rebellion against Government wnere
the people themselves make and control 1t. Violent
revolutions justfabe against kingly despotism,
without doubt; but not against our Government,
where each man il Limself ruler Revolution against
that il q high crime. II is leap in the dark. IL ID
wild anarchy; and if successful must end IN military
rule in general war, and general oppression. Ii we
fail preserve the present COnfederacy, reeonstruc-
ton upon the baiis that will be demanded mpossbe
and twelve months will not pass from the time OF It's
overthrow before shall have upon all the horrors
of Mexican warfare.


This great Union and Constitution in the
keeping Of the peoples servants here, and they have
the control OF the Army aud the Navy. Let them
guard The former well for If by any means they perish
in their hands, the great historian Of nations will write
them down as the most feeble, puslaninous towards
that ever disgraeed free country.


But Sir let us look at OF the results Of break
ing up our Government. u States may separate at
will where is your public faithl What better are
your treaties than the naked parchment upon which
iiov are writenl Who, then, will become the pur-
chaeers Of your bonds 7 In what condition will be
your widow and orphan and benevolent societies that
have placed their all in the public credit What man
would truet Ieope for one dollar who would tamely


permit traitors to insult their flag and steal their prop
erty with impunityl One thing IL certain: II the
organized Government here does not vindcate its
honor and resent lie wrongs, and anarchy comes, the
people Of the Free States will do that work most
thoroughly.


Mr.. Chairman, 80 long as gentlemen confne them
selves 10 the harmless business of dissolyng this Union
upon PAPER and setting up In their pOetical magna.
tions Government autagonirtic to that Of the United
Saies certainly have disposition break in upon
their dreams of wealth and glory consequent upon the
order OF things but If the attempt is to be made
10 make there mere dreams the basis OF action against
our great temple Of republican freedom, reared by
patriotic hands and minds If indeed they should take
practical form, and result in the actual invasion of
the III hts OF our General Government illu trated
In tie conduct Of hoee who have recently seized upon
it, property in the South, then, sir / am for using
every means which Almighty God has given us TO
MAINTAIN the laws, the Constitution and the Union.
Tl Sir am is the sentiment Of the ten million
Ieople living in the West and Northwest, with here
and there an exception; and | would now most re-
Tecuy suggest 10 the Seceesioniss Of the South and
to all who dsPosed to break np this great and go


Coniederacy, that II would be at least OF
prudence to consult thoee ten millions. They now
power in the nation to the extent Of onethird aud
they mean 10 be heard, an IL need be felt this im-
pending question. will not say that traitors will
be found in the Free States west of the Allegheny
Mountains but If any, they will be to twenty
tories in the Revolution And now Sir ID there sn-
gle 70 beside himself 10 suppose that these ten
million hardy people viii look calmly on or take neu-
tr position aud State after State leave the Union
and the Mississippi River pass into the control OF for
eign Government No, SIR; they settled up that
country with clear understanding that that river aud
its various tributaries snouh forever how In the Uni
ted States CT America free for commerce that al-
ready rivals that OF the Atlantic ooastthe great
stfucted highway 70 the ocean, Heaven have mercy
upon the men who attempt to make it anything
che, place single disability upon its trade or COM
merce.


know the spirit and the temper of the people Of the
West and know also that they will submit TO
the Mississippi River being controlled by any power
except tbht Ol the Uhion. DIR, there u gathering
storm In the Wsst. The South may not see, and, If
they Zee may not heed it, bu~a mighty storm is com
ing neyertbelsss Our people slow 10 anger, and
will bear much bsore they strike down the invaders
of theirdghts but there is point Of endurance be-
yOhd vi hich they will lot CO.


THIS work Of driving our people from territory
where they have guaranteed rights rs American citi-
zens; this work Of planting cannon upon the Misss
spp River Tor reasonable purposes this work Of per-
soial violence in New Orleans and other places, all
must cease, lens Of thousands of Will rush to
the combat and sweep the entire coast of Mississippi
their ind fairly