Year: 1860

our rights, or for the protection of our
people, if in the midst of the war the
Union should be dissolved and the gov
ernment destroyed whenever some one
of the states might be disappointed in
the election of her fayorite candidate
for the Presidency, or because her
interest would be prompted by doing
so, or because 1t aoould enhance the
price of cotton to open q direct trade
pih the enemy? What government
on earth would thereafter treat with us
as one of the nations of the world or
treat us with respect? l do not wish
to be disrespectful to anybody, and
most surely not to you, but hope you
will pardon me for saying. that one of
the inconceivable and irreconcilable
things of this world, to my mind, is,
that an idea Of such unmixed and un-
mitigated nonsense and absurdity as
that of the right of state to secede
at pleasure should ever have obtained
a place in the mind Of any man who
was not an absolute lunatic. Mems
minds are differently organized, l know,
and we see things through different op-
ties, and, dare say, you and others
look upon me in the same light as l
look upon you and upon them. Well,
be it so; hOnors are easy, and we break
even.


1t has become quite favorite and
fashionable mode of expression to say,
"his is not a government Of force the
government soas not made 6y force, and
cannot be kept together by force.


1t is very true that the government
was not made by force, and it is for
that Uery reason that there is no right
to break it up, and that it can be kept
together by force; whether that is a
desirable mode of doing it is altogether
different question; if 1t had been
formed by force, if some tyrannical
despot had forced government upon
the people which had never obtained
their approval or assent, then any of
the parties would be justified i'm throw
ing it off whenever they could get rid
of it; but it is precisely because 1t ,cas
not made by force, but that, on the
other hand, it was free and voluntary
compact, entered into one with anoth
err, and each one with all the rest, that
there is power to enforce the compact.


Debts are not and cannot be created


by force; but if voluntarily entered
into, the payment of the obligation may


be enforced by the strong arm of the


law; and the compact between the


States having been voluntarily entered


into, may, in like manner, be enforced


if necessary, by the strong arm of the


government; and it is no government


at all if it is not one of sufficient force


to protect itself against treason and re.


bellion on the part of its own citizens


If it is not government of force, why


was Congress clothed with power to


provide for calling forth the militia to


eeecute the la,os Of tie Union, suppress


instructions, and repel incasions,' y


without? Pshaw! that's all fal laI, to


tickle the ears of groundIings. 1t was


a government of force, and very eff
cient force, in 1888 when the force bill


passed a Democratic Congress-, in the


House by vote of 149 to As, and ir


the Senate by vote of 32 to1 Wher
and how has the constitution beer


changed since that time, or is it only be


cause statesmen have grown more wise
of late? Establish this doctrine of Sc


cession, and it is at once settled tha


there is an absolute imposibility of evel
forming a fixed, permanent and stable
government out of two or more States
, for if our constitution does not max,
this a permanent government, as de
, signed by its founders, then language
) cannot be employed that would max,
, it so, and our institutions are no bette
than those of Mexico.


But if new confederacy were to b,
t formed, could not go with you, for
should use whatever influence / Nigh
| be able to exert against entering int,
, one with South Carolina, that ha
| played the part of a common brawle
3 and disturber of the public peace fo
the last thirty years, and who coul,
f give no security that would be willin,
r to except that she would not be faith
l less to the next compact as she ha
been TO this, which she is now endeay
t oring to avoid. In addition to which
I the objects and interests of South Car
r olina, as she conceives them, are essen


TALLY at variance with those of Virgin
l ia; this State will never sanction pirs
b cy; and if not, South Carolina doe
: not desire our company, and would sc
d rid of us as soon as possible.


e What may be the ultimate conditio
o of things l do not pretend to be pre-
r phetic enough to tell, but do not thin
i there is any likelihood that any othe
g State will 90 out as South Carolina prs
n poses to do, in a sort of sky-rockt
g blaze; the rest will be disposed to cor
: slider matters more carefully, and wi
/, take time for consideration and refet
e tion, during which much may, and
p think will be done. to reconcile existin
t, differences.


d The Northern party has succeede
s to power; they are, therefore, deepl
J. interested, IN q political sense, in keeI
G ing the Union together, and can we
y afford to do all that we have right I
It demand under the Constitution and
y they do not, zoe may be able to accon
t. ptish all that is essential through tx
Y action of COn0ress.