Year: 1861

: who loves the Uni0n--who loves to see the law
enforced-wil love to see rebellion put dow1
How does he intend to enforce the law in q Sc


ceding State except by making WARP In hi


opinion we had reached the point when disun
} ion was inevitable unless compromise, found


ed on concession, can be made. He preferret
T compromise to war, and concession to disunon


No compromise would he available which doe
not carry the question of slavery beyond Con


gress. He said he had voted for the proposition


Of the Senator from Kentucky (Mr Crittenden


and was ready to vote for it again. Why can


not the Republicans unite on the MisSour


Compromise line. They had heaped curses


enough on his head for repeating it, TO be glaC
now to re establish it. He had helped to sup


port that measure till he was compelled to aban
don it, He was willing now to meet on ternl


oil mutual concession. He had offered another


provision to leave the territories IN statg Qu


till they have $1,000 inhabitants, and then set


tie the question themsekes--and also provided


fer the removal of the negroes if the Territory
chose, to certain provinces. If the Republicans
do not intend to interfere with slavery in the


States, why not put in amendments to the


Constitution so they cannot do it. There mus


be settlement OF some sort now. 1t can't be
postponed. Wear in state ofrevolution. II
Is compromise or war. He preferred compro.


mise. lie said it seemed as though the Sena.
tors en- the other side determined to act as a
party. Let the people decide the question


No doubt the people Of Massachusetts are op-
posed to slavery extension; but he thought il
the questions were submitted to-day-the reso-
lutions of the Senator from kentucky-they
would ratify them.


He argued against making war against 10000
| 100000 people. He saw there was an eternal
separation, but he would not consider war till
all hope was passed. There is no other way or
recourse left, to enforce the law in a seeding
State, except to make war and bring the State
within your possession first, and then enforce
the law afterward. A war between eighteen
States, on the one side, and fifteen seeding
States on the other, is to me reyoluting thing.
For what purpose is the war to be waged?
Certainly not for the purpose Of preserving the
| Union. have too much respect for gentlemen
on the other side of the chamber collectively
and Individually, to believe there Is one among
them who does not know what war is You
cannot expect to exiermlnate ten millions OF
people, whose passions are excited with the be-
lief that you mean to invade their homes and
light the flames of instruction in their midst.
You must expect to eXterminate them, or sub
j jugate them, or else when you have got tired
o war, to make treaty with them. No mat
ter whether the war lasts one or seven years,
or thirty years, it must have an end at some
time. Sooner or later both parties will become
tired and eXauSted, and when rendered ncapa-
be oi fighting any longer, they will make a
treaty OF peace, and that treaty will be OF separ
alton. The history ofthe world does not fur
niSh an example ofa war of sections, or be-
tween States OF the same nation, where the war
ended in reconciliation Such war always
ends in treaty OF peace, and a final eternal
separation.


! don't understand then, how q man can
claim to be a friend OF the Union, and vet be
[ in favor OF a war upon ten millions of people in
the Union. You cannot cover it up much lon
ger under pretext o. love for the Union. Now,
the question must be met, and whatever con
ceSsions am called upon to make, | choose to
make voluntarily, before blood is shed. and not
afterward. No man has more pride of country
than |. 1t BUNDLES my pride to see the auth
ority OF the government questioned, but we are
not the first nation whose pride has been hum
bed Republics, empires and kingdoms, alike
in all ages have been subject to the same hum.
iliatiDg fact. But where there is deep seated
discomfort perYading ten millions OF people,
penetrating every man, woman and child, and
involving everything dear to them, it is time


for iDquIring whether there is not some cause


Tor 1t, in Gods name let us remove it. Are we
not criminal in the sight of Heaven and posteri-
ty, 1--WE do not remove the Just cause? II
there is no cause, and yet they believe there is,
so much the greater the necessity for removing
che mlsconception. Are you so elated with
the pride OF opinion, that you cannot remove an
unounded apprehension, when it is rushing ten
millions of people into disunion and breaking
up the government OF our athers and leaving
us, hitherto proud pepublc on earth, to be-
come by word among he nations?


still entertain the hope that this question
may be adjusted, although the indications are
that blood will be Shed and war will rage be
fore gentlemen fully appreciate the crisis through
which We are passing. Idon't think my nerves
are any weaker than ordinary, nor do think
there is much courage in shutting the eyes in
the face OF danger, and the saying you do not
see 1T. Every man must see it, and hear it.
and breathe it, The atmosphere is ull of it.
have determined that | will do all that is in
my power to rescue the country from such
dreadful fate. But | will not consider this
question of war till all hope of peaceful adjust
ment fails. Better, a thousand times better
that all political armies be disbanded and dis
solved. Better that every political man now
IN existence be consigned to retirement and
political martyrdom, than this Government
should be dissolved, and this country plunged
in civil war trust we are to have no war for
q platform. | can fight for my country, but
there never was political platform that would
60 to war for | fear ii this country is going to
he wrecked it is to be done by those who pre.
fer party to country. Party platforms, and
pride eff opinion, and personal consistency, are
the only causes in the way OF satisfactory ad-
justment Of this difficulty. ! repeat that, not
withstanding the gloom and the dark clouds
which overhang everything, do not despair of
the Republic, and | will not despair till every
effort shall be found TO be Of no avail,