Our army is
maintained for common defense; our forts are built out of the common
Treasury, to which every State contributes; and they are perverted from
the purpose for which they were erected whenever they are garrisoned
with a view to threaten, to intimidate, or to control a State in any
respect.
Yet, we are told this is no purpose to coerce a State; we are told that
the power does not exist to coerce a State; but the Senator from
Tennessee [Mr. Johnson] says it is only a power to coerce individuals;
and the Senator from Ohio [Mr. Wade] seems to look upon this latter
power as a very harmless power in the hands of the President, though the
results of such coercion might be to destroy the State. What is a State?
Is it land and houses? Is it taxable property? Is it the organization of
the local government? Or is it all these combined with the people who
possess them? Destroy the people, and yet not make war upon the State!
To state the proposition is to answer it, by reason of its very
absurdity. It is like making desolation, and calling it peace. There
being, as it is admitted on every hand, no power to coerce a State, I
ask what is the use of a garrison within a State where it needs no
defense? The answer from every candid mind must be, there is none. The
answer from every patriotic breast must be, peace requires under all
such circumstances that the garrison should be withdrawn. Let the Senate
to-day, as the responsibility is thrown at our door, pass those
resolutions, or others which better express the idea contained in them,
and you have taken one long step toward peace, one long stride toward
the preservation of the Government of our fathers.
Pages:
950
951
952
953
954
955
956
957
958
959
960
961
962
963
964
965
966
967
968
969
970
971
972
973
974