WAR OF THE REBELLION

Front matter

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Chapter I

Inti-oductory Remarks. — ^AlluBion to the "Irrepressible Conflict" Theory. — Direct Issue made therewith. — Sectionalism. — Its dangerous Tendencies. — Geographical Parties. — ^Washington's Warning against them. — ^Mr. Webster's Remarks upon Sectionalism. — Author's first Acquaintance with Mr. Webster in 1825. — Renewal of that Acquaintance twenty Years thereafter. — Allusions to Mr. Webster's Life and Character. — Remarks upon his great Ability as a Statesman and Orator. — ^His amiable Qualities in private Life. — Mr. Webster's funeral Notice of his great Rival, Mr. Calhoun Pag6 13

Chapter II

Early colonial Settlements in North America. — Character of the People very nearly identical. — Similitude of Customs, Language, Religion, Laws, and Mode of Life. — ^No Conflict of Sentiment then between the Colonists of the North and South in regard to African Slavery. — Testimony of Mr. Greeley on this Point. — Kindly social and commercial Intercourse between the Colonists Nortti and South. — Their united Defense of the infant American Settlements against Indian Violence and the-hostile French. — Early Suggestion of a confederate Union between all the British Colonies in North America. — Strange Interpretation of a Portion of the Language of the Declaration of Independence. — Mr. Jefferson's important Statement as to the Action of the Confederate Congress in regard to Slavery at th^ Time the Declaration was adopted. — ^Mr. Webster's important Recital of historic Facts connected with this Subject in his 7th of March Speech SO

CHAPTER IIL

Continuation of the same Subject. — Cession of Northwestern Territory by Virginia and other States in 1784. — Ordinance of 1787. — Federal Con-

IV CONTENTS. .

▼ention. — Correlative and contemporaneous Action of that Body and of the Confederate Congress npon the Subject of African Slavery. — No Conflict worth mentioning then existed between the States of the North and the South in regard to African Slavery. — ^Action of Congress upon Abolition Petitions in 1790. — Congressional Resolntioii on the Subject of non-interference with Slavery in the States by the general Government for many Years faithfully observed in the North. — Mr. Webster*8 uncontradicted Statement on this Subject in the Debate between Mr. Hayne and himself. — ^Washington's Administration. — Election of John Adams ; his stormy Administration. — Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Madison, < and Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of 1798, '9. — Nullification and Secession growing out of these. — John C. Calhoun^— ICk)nfederate Constitution professedly based upon the absolute Sovereignty of the States. — ^This Principle shamefully abandoned by the Confederate Government itself. — Successive Administrations of Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Madison, and Mr. Monroe. — ^Bise of the Missouri Question, and violent Agitation consequent thereupon. — ^Wise and salutary Compromise of that Question. —Remarks upon the Value of legislative Compromises in general, with Mr. Calhoun's Views of the same ', Page 40

Chapter IV

Happy Cessation of Excitement after the Adoption of the Missouri Compromise. — Era of good Feeling during the Remainder of Mr. Monroe's Administration. — Presidential Contest of 1824. — Mr. Adams's Election by the House of Representatives to the Presidency. — Inaugural Speech of Mr. Adams. — ^Interesting Scene in the White House on the Occasion of President Monroe's taking Leave of his Friends to return to his private Home in Virginia. — ^Intense Excitement growing out of Mr. Adams's Election, but without any Intermixture of sectional Feeling. — ^Violent and illiberal Opposition to his Administration. — ^Defeat of Mr. Adams for Re-election in 1828, and Elevation of General Andrew Jackson in his Stead. — Rise of Nullification in South Carolina in 1832. — General Jackson's Proclamation against South Carolina. — Mr. Clay's successful Scheme of Pacification, known as the Compromise Tariff Bill. — Origin of Abolition Societies in 1835. — Minute historical Account of these Societies given in Mr. Greeley's *' American Conflict." — Mr. Webster's striking Remarks upon these Societies in his 7th of March Speech. — Author declines any special Notice of the Presenta-

CONTENTa V

tion of Abolition Petitions, and the excited Discussions growing ont of the same. — ^Notice of the Acquisition of Texas with the general Consent of the American People. — Breaking out of the Mexican War, and Presentation of the Wilmot Proviso in the Midst thereof. — Author's Election to the United States Senate, with Jefferson Davis as his official Colleague. — Serious political Disagreements between them. — Sketch of President Davis's Character, with some Notice of his History. — Session of the United States Senate commencing in December, 1847. — Mr. Dickinson's Non-intervention Resolution, and Mr. Calhoun's extreme Opposition to it. — Curious colloquial Scene in the Senate.-— General Cass's Nicholson Letter. — Complimentaiy Notice of General Cass Page 58

Chapter V

Proceedings upon the Wilmot Proviso during tl\e Congressional Session of 1847, '8. — ^Mr. Clayton's Compromise Bill, and its unfortunate Defeat in the House of Representatives. — General Cass as the Presidential Candidate of the Democratic Party in 1848. — The Contest between himself and General Taylor by no means of a sectional Character. — Election of the latter. — ^Appearance of William L. Yancey at the Baltimore Convention of 1848, and the prompt Rejection by that Body of his celebrated Protection Proposition. — Unfortunate Division of the Strength of the Democratic Party in 1848 between the Hunkers and Barnburners, resulting in the Nomination of Martin Van Buren and Charles Francis Adams by the Buffalo Convention. — Mr. Gott's Resolution. — Declaration, as early as 1843, by Messrs. Adams, Slade, Gid- < dings, and others in Favor of dissolving the Federal Union in the Event of the Annexation of Texas. — Inflammatory Address issued by these Gentlemen, — Author's first acquaintance with John Quincy Adams and his accomplished Lady. — Commendatory Notice of his Life and Character. — Parallel between John Quincy Adams and John C. Calhoun , 78

Chapter VI

Session of Congress closing on the 3d of March, 1849. — ^Important Test Question raised by Mr. Douglas, of Illinois, in Connection with the Oregon Bill, which was then pending. — ^Defeat of Mr. Douglas's Proposition by the unexpected but effective Interposition of Mr. Wm. H.

IV CONTENTS. .

▼ention. — Correlative and confemporaneoos Action of that Body and of the Confederate Congress npon the Sabject of African Slavery.— No Conflict worth mentioning then existed between the States of the North and the South in regard to African Slavery.— Action of Congress npon Abolition Petitions in 1790. — Congressional Resolntioii on the Sabject of non-interference with Slavery in the States by the general Government for many Tears faithfully observed in the North. — Mr. Webster*s uncontradicted Statement on this Sabject in the Debate between Mr. Hayne and himself. — ^Washington's Administration. — Election of John Adams ; his stormy Administration. — Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Madison, . and Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of 1798, *9. — ^NtilUfication and Secession growing out of these. — John C. Calhoun»— Confederate Constitution professedly based upon the absolute Sovereignty of the States. — ^This Principle shamefully abandoned by the Confederate Grovemment itself. — Successive Administrations of Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Madison, and Mr. Monroe. — Rise of the Missouri Question, and violent Agitation consequent thereupon. — Wise and salutary Compromise of that Question. ^Remarks upon the Value of legislative Compromises in general, with Mr. Calhoun's Views of the same '. Page 40

CHAPTER IV.

Happy Cessation of Excitement after the Adoption of the Missouri Compromise. — Era of good Feeling during the Remainder of Mr. Monroe's Administration. — Presidential Contest of 1824. — Mr. Adams's Election by the House of Representatives to the Presidency. — Inaugural Speech of Mr. Adams. — ^Interesting Scene in the White House on the Occasion of President Monroe's taking Leave of his Friends to return to his private Home in Virginia. — ^Intense Excitement growing out of Mr. Adams's Election, but without any Intermixture of sectional Feeling. — ^Violent and illiberal Opposition to his Administration. — ^Defeat of Mr. Adams for Re-election in 1828, and Elevation of Greneral Andrew Jackson in his Stead.— Rise of Nullification in South Carolina in 1832. — General Jackson's Proclamation against South Carolina. — Mr. Clay's successful Scheme of Pacification, known as the Compromise Tariff Bill. — Origin of Abolition Societies in 1835. — Minute historical Account of these Societies given in Mr. Greeley's *' American Conflict." — ^Mr. Webster's striking Remarks upon these Societies in his 7th of March Speech. — Author declines any special Notice of the Presenta-

CONTENTS. V

tion of Abolition Petitions, and the excited Discussions growing oat of the same. — Notice of the Acquisition of Texas with the general Consent of the American People. — ^Breaking out of the Mexican War, and Presentation of the Wilmot Proviso in the Midst thereof. — Author's Election to the United States Senate, with Jefferson Davis as his official Colleague. — Serious political Disagreements between them. — Sketch of President Davis's Character, with some Notice of his History. — Session of the United States Senate commencing in December, 1847. — Mr. Dickinson's Non-intervention Resolution, and Mr. Calhoun's extreme Opposition to it — Curious colloquial Scene in the Senate—General Cass's Nicholson Letter. — Complimentary Notice of General Cass Page 58

CHAPTER V.

Proceedings npon the Wilmot Proviso during tl\e Congressional Session of 1847, '8. — ^Mr. Clayton's Compromise Bill, and its unfortunate Defeat in the House of Representatives. — General Cass as the Presidential Candidate of the Democratic Party in 1848. — The Contest between himself and General Taylor by no means of a sectional Character. — Election of the latter. — Appearance of William L.Yancey at the Baltimore Convention of 1848, and the prompt Rejection by that Body of his celebrated Protection Proposition. — Unfortunate Division of the Strength of the Democratic Party in 1848 between the Hunkers and Barnburners, resulting in the Nomination of Martin Van Buren and Charles Erancis Adams by the Buffalo Convention. — Mr. Gott's Resolution. — Declaration, as early as 1843, by Messrs. Adams, Slade, Gid- * dings, and others iuEavor of dissolving the Federal Union in the Event of the Annexation of Texas. — Inflammatory Address issued by these Gentlemen, — Author's iirst acquaintance with John Quincy Adams and his accomplished Lady. — Commendatory Notice of his Life and Character. — Parallel between John Quincy Adams and John C. Calhoun.... 78

CHAPTER VI.

Session of Congress closing on the 3d of March, 1849. — ^Important Test Question raised by Mr. Douglas, of IlUnois, in Connection with the Oregon Bill, which was then pending. — Defeat of Mr. Douglas's Proposition by the unexpected but effective Interposition of Mr. Wm. H.

VI CONTENTS.

Seward, who had not yet taken his Seat as a Senator from New York. — Mr. Seward at that Time opposed to all Compromise of the Slavery Qaestion. — Extract from a memorable Speech of his, delivered in the United States Senate in the Year 1850, having Relation to this Subject — Mr. Seward's Cleveland Speech in 1848. — ^Important Extracts there* from. — General Taylor's Administration. — ^Violent Excitement beginning to rage both North and South upon the Slavery Question, and in Connection with the Admission of California. — Unfortunate non-action Policy of General Taylor's Administration. — ^Alarming Condition of the Country. — Election of Messrs. Gwin and Fremont United States Senators from California. — ^Attempt of Colonel Thomas H. Benton to revive his decaying Popularity by becoming the Champion of Californikn Admission. — Efforts of the Author to defeat this Scheme of selfish Ambition. — Retrospect of Colonel Benton's Attempt, about the Close of Mr. Polk's Administration, to bring about the Rescission of the Treaty with Mexico, by which all the territorial Domain recently acquired would have been lost to the United States but for the Defeat of that Attempt. — Signal Defeat of this unpatriotic Scheme, and remarkable Particulars connected therewith not heretofore divulged. — Colonel Benton deprived in Democratic Caucus of the Chairmanship of the Committee of Foreign Affairs in the Senate on the Motion of the Author, after a two-days' Struggle, by a Majority of one Vote only. — Mr. Benton's extraordinary Attack on Mr. Calhoun and Others in his public Speech delivered in Missouri in the Summer of 1848, and Mr. Calhoun's overwhelming Response thereto, drawn up at Author's earnest Instance. — Short Sketch of Colonel Benton's public Character, and Delineation of his intellectual Qualities Page 94

Chapter VII

Review of General Taylor's non-action Policy.— Painful and exciting Rumors in regard to the Instrumentalities employed by him to carry that Policy into Operation. — ^Intense Alarm awakened among Patriots as to the Fate of the Country. — Mr. Clay leaves his own Home,

* and comes to Washington upon a Mission of Pacification. — ^He is met upon his arrival there with general Cordiality and Respect. — Mr. Benton attempts to inveigle him into a false Position in regard to the Measure of admitting California, and is for a time successful. — Mr. Clay's Programme of Adjustment, and the "five bleeding Wounds." — ^This

CONTENTS. VU

Gentleman severs his Alliance with Mr. Benton, and hecomes the Champion of the famous Omnibus Scheme. — His magnanimous waver of certain abstract Opinions with a View to general Conciliation. — ^First meeting of the Nashville Convention. — Great Excitement consequent upon its Proceedings. — Anti-slavery Movements about the same Period, and Mr. Seward's anti-compromise Speech. — Resolution introduced by the Author, several weeks before, for t^e raising of the famous Committee of Thirteen, finally pushed to a Vote at the Instance of Mr. Cass. — Eminently patriotic Conduct of Mr. Webster on this Occasion. — Resolution finally carried. — Mr. Clay appointed Chairman thereof, who speedily brings in his Report, upon which an animated Discussion occurs..... Page 113

Chapter VIII

Great Compromise Struggle of 1860. — Mr. Clay and Mr. Webster the principal Figures in the Picture. — Mr. Webster's 7th of March Speech, and its prodigious Effect upon the Public Mind. — Striking Extracts therefrom. — Mr. Calhoun's last Speech in the Senate, in which he urges that the Admission of California shall be made a test Question. — Emphatic Protest by the Author to this Portion of the Speech, and painful Altercation with Mr. Calhoun in Reference to the disputed Point — Proceedings of the Nashville Convention. — ^Wise and patriotic Conduct of Judge Sharkey, the President thereof, which prevents immediate Mischief. — Judge Sharkey arrives in Washington, and is offered the Department of War, which he declines. — Some Account of Judge Sharkey's Life and Character 129

Chapter IX

Omnibus Bill under Consideration. — Strenuous Opposition of General Taylor'ji Administration to its Adoption. — Last Appearance of President Taylor in Public on the 4th of July, 1850, at Monument Square, in Washington City, and touching Scene which occurred there. — General Taylor's Decease a few Days thereafter. — ^Mr. Webster's eloquent Funeral Notice of him. — Mr. Fillmore's Inauguration as President, and efficient Support of the Compromise Measures. — Official Order found on General Taylor's Table after his Decease, ordering the forcible Expulsion from New Mexico by the Mililj^ry of Texan Settlers. — ^Mr. Clay's heroic Remonstrance against this coercive Policy, which he re-

Viii CONTENTS.

garded as needlessly endangering the Union. — ^Fierce Opposition to the Compromise Measures on the Part both of Extremists of the North and Extremists of the South. — ^Terrible Struggle oyer the Omnibus Bill in the Senate; which is finally broken into Fragments mainly by the Indiscretion of its own Friends, but the integral Portions of which finally pass both Houses. — ^The Country quieted under the Influence of this Measure.— Sage and firm Conduct of President Fillmore in causing the Compromise Enactments to be every where faithfully executed. — Celebrated Rescue Case in Massachusetts, and interesting Proceedings in Congress in Connection therewith Page 148

Chapter X

Country completely restored to Quiet under the Compromise Measures, except in several of the Southern States. — Exciting Contest in Georgia and Mississippi in 1850, '1, upon the Disunion Issue, in both of which States the Union Cause is finally triumphant. — South Carolina, failing to obtain co-operative Aid, at last subsides into a State of Quietude. — The Election of Mr. Pierce to the Presidency as an avowed Supporter of the Finality Principle, who calls Mr. Davis to the Department of War, and the Slavery Agitation is at once renewed. — Mr. Pierce's gross Infidelity to his Pledges, by whose Indiscretion and Misconduct the Conflict of sectional Factions is again revived. — ^Mr. Douglas unfortunately yields to the Counsels addressed to him from various Quarters, and introduces the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. — Sectional Excitement greatly increased and intensified by that Measure. — Notice of the Decease of Mr. Clay and Mr. Webster, and of their commanding intellectual Powers and interesting Traits of Character 169