Year: 1861

protected in all the Territory-the citizens o


the Southern States with their property in onl


JnuOth oft. Prohibition OF slave property North
OF 30 30i,-recognition and protection OF il


South Of that line-and the rule to apply to al
; territory hereafter acqnired--this is the pIinci


pie fthe proposed amendment, and the last na-
med feature is vital.


II the territorial question can be settled al all


it should be settled for all time, and locked uu
in the Constitution. Otherwise, there can be


no hope ofexemption from incessant anti slavery


agitation and the country would soon be
thrown into the midst Of political and financial


convulsons. I he Southern States can not al.


ford to be shut off from all possibility oI expan
sion toward the topics OF the hostile action o


the Federal Government.


am sure that this plan Of adjustment has


been offered not as the full measure OF our
rights but as patriotic concession, with tbs
hope Of obtaining promptly security and peace
In view OF the knowledge we have OF the pro-
gress of political anti-slavery opinions and oI
the manner in which the Federal Government
may be employed by hostile influences, it falls
far short of what would be required in forming
an original scheme Of government, or even in
reconstructing the old one. After the expert
ence we have had OF the practical working Of
u
grounded hope of permanent security except by
the introduction OF some clement which ould
give the Sou the power ofself protection.
| cannot suppose that Kentuoky would con-
slider her rights, Interests, and honor safe under
any settlement less thorough than this propo
sed by MIR. Crittenden. Any attempt to emas
cuate it by excluding from its scope after ac-
quired territory, or by failing to recognize and
protect slave property. south of the line; by
language as clear and explicit as that employed
to prohibit it north Of the line, or by yelling its
provisions in ambiguous phrases, could only
result In new agitatons and convulsions. | be
lieve that Kentucky wants thorough settle
ment or none, and one that any plain and hon.
est mind can understand.


have not referred to the Personal Liberty
BiflS Of the Northern States, because they are
the subjects Of state action; nor to various prop
ositions concerning the Fugitive S ave Law, be-
cause they relate only to Legislative action; nor
to the question concerning the right Of sojourn
and transit wi h slave property; nor TO several
schemes Of constitutional amendment which de-
mand more for the South than the plan Of Mr.
Crttenden have said that, in my opinion, no
thorough and satisfactory amendments will be
proposed to the States by Congress; and have
taken to the plan which comedies most to the
Northern States and which presents the least
that suppose any portion Of the South would
accept


And now, sir, tell you that the Republicans
in Congress, ard | fear in the country, never
will adopt it. They will not recognize in any
form directly or indirectly, property in slaves,
they will outlaw from the projection ofthe com
mon Government property to the value Of four
thousand millions OF dollars, and which is in
terwoven with the very structure of society in
nearly half the States in the Union They in
tend that the South shall never have any por
in the territory Of the Union. Their fixed pol
icy is to weld the Federal Government Tor anti
slavery purposes, ana to crush all opposition by
arms. ain not mistaken as to The purposes of
the resoIute and controlling spirits of that Or
ganization at this capital


At an early day in the session, a number of
gentlemen, fearing that no suitable guarantees
could be proposed by Congress, began to look
to the States and the people. The Republicans
having control of the Northern States, our
friends were there Of course, unable to move
An earnest effort was made here, to secure a
convention Of all the Southern States. The
people could not command the requisite sup
port, aud was lost in the rapid progress of G.
vents. Next a more hopef4l movement was
set on foot, looking to an immediate confer.
ence Of the border Slaveholding States, (embra-
cling Tennessee and North Carolina with the
view to unite their counsels and avert the dan
ger Of civil war. But here, also, the obstacles
proved insurmountable ard the time for such
action has passed. Each of these States, there
fore, must decide for itself the attitude it will
occupy in this emergency.


The immed ate quest on now presented is,
tba inht IF n of
States to dissolve connection with the Federal
system be a reserved tight, or one growing out
of the Constitution, or the right Of revolution
the great fact lies before US, that the act has
been done; and we are not permitted to doubt
that in lew weeks seven or eight States, con-
taining larger population than the thirteen
colonies at the epeech Of the Revolution, will
have withdrawn from the Union and declared
their independence. Under whatever name
disguised collision Of arms with them will be
war.


The dominant party here, rejecting every
thing, proposing nothing, are pursuing policy
which, under the name Of enforcing the laws"
and furnishing traitors" threatens to plunge
the country into all the calamities OF civil war.


The Federal Union can not be preserved by
arms. The attempt would unite the Southern
States in resistance, while in the North great
multitude OF true and loyal men never would
consent to shed the blood Of our people in the
name and under the authority OF violated com
pact A serious collision upon existing issues
would destroy whatever hope may yet remain
Of preserving or restoring the UEicn. An at
tempt to hold it together by the bayonet would
exceed aoything yet recorded in the annals Of
human madness and folly. 1t would bring on
war Of unexample ierocity, in which every vi.
tai principle of the Union would disappear for
ever.


II the South should succeed in maintaining
her independence, the ieuds and aniinosties en-
gendered by the contest between the sections
would be transmitted to succeeding generations,
while, if she should be subjugated; the Govern
ment would become in form and in fact consol-
idated, and would soon reach the usual histori
cal termination in a military despotsm. But
her subjugaiion is impossible without extermi-
naton--and that is impossible.


And yet the danger Of civil war is imminent,
unless it shall be arrested by prompt and ener-
getic action. II, before the passions of men be
come aroused, and a series OF untoward events
drift us into strife, Kentucky and the other Dor.
der States shall calmly and firmly present
united front against it, | believe it may be ar
rested. Fifteen States are potent to prevent
war. This, too, would strengthen all the true
men in the Northern States who resist the a.
trocious policy. Upon this qu stion, let us an
initiate party. The force party believe that
Kentucky and other Southern States are seri-
ously divided on this subject. Unless this can
be quickly shown to be delusiou, it may be-
come the parent of brood ofwoes.


The wisdom ofthe legislature will doubtless
provide whatever is needful; yet at time like