you wish to govern
a fraction of the country? Behold the difficulties that you must
encounter. You cannot carry on your Government without money. Where is
the capitalist who will advance you money under existing
circumstances?

Gentlemen, believe me, as one who has given no small amount of time
and careful reflection to this subject, when I tell you that you
cannot coerce sovereign States. It is impossible. Mr. HAMILTON'S great
foresight made him assert that our strength lay in the Government of
the States--of the undivided States. Look at New York. She herself is
a match for the whole army of the United States. Look at the South.
She stands now almost upon an equality with you. You may spend
millions of treasure, you may shed oceans of blood, but you cannot
conquer any five or seven States of this Union. The proposition is an
utter absurdity. You must find some other way to deal with them. In
the wisdom of the country some other way must be found.

Several gentlemen have referred to our army and our navy. As a citizen
of the United States, I am proud of both. I am proud of the country
they serve. I have enjoyed at times her honors, at others endured her
chastisements. I respect the power which our army and our navy give
to our nation, but our army and navy are impotent in such a crisis as
this.

Mr. PRESIDENT, even England herself has been shaken to her centre by
rebellions in her North with which she has been forced to contend. In
Paris, too, I have myself seen regiment after regiment throw down
their arms and rush into the arms of the people, of their
fellow-citizens, and thus oppose, by military strength, the government
under which their organization was formed. Will you repeat such
occurrences here? Will you 'destroy the imperishable renown of this
nation'? No! I answer for you all--you will not. Now, we,
representatives of the South and of Virginia, ask of this Convention,
the only body under heaven that can do it, to interpose and save us
from a repetition of the scenes of blood which some of us have
witnessed.

Our patriotic committee have labored for two weeks--have labored
earnestly and zealously. Their report, though not satisfactory to
Virginia in all respects, will yet receive her sanction, and the
sanction of the border States. The representatives of Virginia know
they are yielding much, when they tell you that they will support
these propositions. We will do it because they will give peace to the
c