Now, what do you complain of 7 You aro
going to break up this Goverumor.t: you are
going to involve us in war and blood, from
u mere suspicion that we shall justify that
which we stand everywhere plodgsd not to
do Would you be justified in the eyes of
a eivpiz^d world in so monstrous a position,
own State hus and }.mlioatin£ it on a hare groundless suf-
of his couotr? pioiun V We dp
judgment, HS I not know thit
ho hitusclf is in favor of tbe rigid exeoution cisely as it was a year ago. No great eatat*
not love
do
trophe has occurred. There is no recent oc
oasi o to acouse us of anything. But all at
ooce, when we meet here a kind of gloom
porvi des tho wholo country and tbe Senate
Chamber. Gentlemen risa and tell us that
they are on the ve of breaking up this Gov*
erument, that ssven or eight States are go
ing to break off their conneetisn with the
Government, retire from the Union, and set
up a hostilo Government of their own, and
they look imploringly over to us, nnd say to
us,
44
you can prevent it we can do nothing
to prevent it, but it all lies with you."—
Well, sir, what can wo do to prevent it
You have not oondest^nded to tell us what
you want but I think I see through tbe
speeches that I have heard from gentlemen
on the other side. If we would give up the
verdict of tbe people, and take your plat
form, 1 do not know but you wOuld he satis
fied with it. I think the Senator from Tex
as rather intimated, and the Senator from
Georgia more tbaa intimated, that if we
would take what is exactly the Charleston
platform on which Mr. Brtokinridge is placed
and give up that on which we won our vioto
ry, you would grumblingly and hesitatingly
be satisfied.
