Year: 1861




glance, what is our Constitution, with all its
historic splendor, worthp Should such a course
obtain the sanction of serious concessions, the
national Government would he forever destroy
ed, and each member of the family, as they ac-
quired strength and meltc for disobcdence,
might in turn defy the law and order of the
palernal roof unless some portion of authority
was abdicated, and some portion OF the estate
was set apart tor exclusive enjoyment | will
do nothing to commit our Republic to this crum-
bling process of mutiny and decay; | will do
nothing to amt the doctrine of secession as the
extreme medicine Of the Constitution No one
who desires the continuance Of the Union
should consent to put it in position of mere
suiierancc-tenant at will-of one State, nor
even dozen States Self-preservation forbids
that our system should be inocuated with any
such virus If the seeding States desire to
quit the Union, and TO quit it forever, let them
propose constitutional amendments for that
purpose, ard calmly submit them to the people.
This is the only mode by which the end aimed
at can be reached without civil war, and the ut
ter decentralization of all the parties who choose
to maintain the present Constitution.


know that the existence of party, as COM
pared with the existence Of the Union, is
matter Of utter inSignifcancc But, at this
time. there is but one party which can be relied





favor of the Union and the Constitution as it is.
If this party fails in its duty or lacks the cour-
age equal to its mission, either the Union will
be DESTROYED. or the Constitution will be SO
changed that it might cost less to abandon
our inheritance thus ncumbered than to sup
port it. Union men, in whatever party now to
be found should acknowledge the necessity and
unite with us in rescuing the Government from
its present dangers; and when we reach calmer
seas, we shall have ample time to fight about
political differences as practical issues arise.
Whether Representatives here show that patri-
otsm or not, feel sure the people will rally
under no other banner than the "stars and
stripes


For one, cannot make what appears to me
| to be concessions, nor consent to any measure
that shall lower the moral and political standard
of the great majority in the North. The South
shall have all its rights but am commission
| ed to surrender none. When the principles
upon which | was elected n member of this
| House become dangerous to the country, shall
deem il my duty to resign and 20 home; but
while | believe them vital to its preservation,
they will continue to be asserted Measures


intended for humiliation, forcing the majority
! to capituae to the minority, will have no coun-
tenance from me. But, outside of this being
vctors. we can afford to be frank and magnani-
| - =
we cannot afford anything less If some fu-
ture republican traveller from Naples or st. Pc
tersburgh shall ever come here to sketch the
ruins of this temple of liberty, let him have
| no data to note that it was shattered by mere
perversity of temper. Let the rock upon which
| we split--slavery extenson--and no other, b.
marked on the map. The assailants of the
Union are now in the wron ; and we must keep
them so. | will not shut my eyes to the fact
that several States with apparent and sudden
sanction of their people, have started to leave
us, with the intent never to return. Other fixed
stars of the Republic, with fear of change, are
perplexing the world. What can properly do
to restore harmony, although it may prove fruit
less, shall try. | will deal in truth, frankness
and Cancellation; and shall favor such measures
as will not compromise, in my judgment, the
great principles of human liberty upon which
our Government was established-if such shall
be accepted as an adjustment of present diff
culties. Whatever | might do under ordinary
circumstances, neither more nor less, shall fee
it incumbent upon me to do now. To the peo-
pie of the South our party has been most per-
tnaciousy msrepresented; and ! am willing tc
tell them that we intended them no harm; that
if Jefferson and Jackson were not dangerous
their apprehensons are unfounded as to Mr.
Lincoln. | am, therefore, willing to give ,





dered that the Republican party of to-day il
no blacker than the Republican party which
for twenty-fuur years in succession, found il
Virginia successful candidates for the Pres


dency and that Mr.. Hamlin is as immaculatel,
white as is the gentleman from Ohio, Cover
nor Corwin.l | feel sure the southern people
goaded by calumnious oratory, have made
suicidal plunge; and | would give time for sobe


truth to rise and reassert its empire. Nov
standing on the souess punctlo that the!
ought to have known better than to have lcapet
into such turbid and bottomess waters, let u
fling them at least the drift wood that may iloa


to return by their own voltion, it will cost les


than to plunge in after them and they will b
better associates in all time to come.


1t is not to those States now in armed revol
that would offer the calumet for they are no
entitled even to an explanation to save ther
from suicide. They have not asked it the


have appealed to no tribunal save that of force
But the border States have, as yet, done moth
ing to earn our hate, something rather to elici
: praise and to them, made glorious by ances
/, tral renown, and by common fame, precou
by holding the ashes OF heroes and statesme
whom we have loved with that wonderful Low
$ "passing the love Of n;" 10 them let L
i give assurances of faithful redemption of a
the obligations imposed upon us by the Const
tuition we have sworn to support, and that tri


ternal sympathy that shall leave them no e,
cuse for seeking foreign home.


a Among the resolutions reported by the con
u mittee, not all of which received my assen


there was one


"That the several States be respectfully request,


to cause their statutes to be revised, with view
IS ascertain if any Of them in conflict with or ten
r to enbarmss or hinder the execution Of the laws
d the United States


e To which did assent, because it is respec
Il ful in its tone, pertinent to States South as VT
o as North and because my own State had q
d ready ordered precisely this thing to be dol
II before we assembled here. Moved by her ov
J. sense of propriety, Vermont WILL in her ov
" good time, do whatsoever is right-because
o is right. ! have not given critical attention
st what are called personal liberty bills, for mol
d of them, nor anything else, has prevented Il
le execution of the fugitive slave law, though /
of pugnant to a large share of the legal and nor


sense of the country, which the President sa
n has 6eH erecUted ia ereyy contested case. III
n cannot be said of the neutrality laws to preye
&c fllibusterism, nor of the laws for the suppre
le sion of the African slave trade.


it SO far as the legislation Of Vermont is co
n cerned, think it has been intended to mai
I'd tain her reputation as the purest democracy
b. the world. the very sanctuary Of liberty and
N throw around all her inhabitants, however hui