US 54367 1846. sept. 15 bhas Franklin Sunbar & Boostere & A Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, by HARPER & BROTHERS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. EPISTLE DEDICATORY. To the Honorable NOAH H. SWAYNE, one of the Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. MORE than forty years ago, my dear sir, you and I were youthful fellow-students of the legal science in the bosom of our loved native state, and in the sweet village of Warrenton, so memorable in its connection with the ever-shifting current of the recent most deplorable civil war. We were examined for license by the same judges, and at the same time, in the year 1823; after which, in a few months, you migrated to the State of Ohio, where you have since attained such eminence as a jurist and forensic advocate as few of your fellowcountrymen have been able to reach; while the graces which distinguish you in social and in domestic life have been such as to surround you with almost innumerable friends, and apparently, too, without the customary drawback of those enmities which are unfortunately sometimes awakened in ungenerous bosoms even by the exhibition of superior merit. The friendly relations which existed between us in the days of opening manhood have been maintained up to the present moment, undisturbed even by the occurrences of a deplorable civil war, the territorial character of which necessarily located us, during its sanguinary continuance, A on opposite sides; a circumstance which, though it would have been necessarily fatal to ordinary friendship, has, in our case, only served to draw more tightly the cords of sympathy, and to afford you an opportunity of proving in a thousand ways, as you have done, how possible it is for a truly magnanimous spirit to do justice, and to exercise the most generous kindness, too, toward those around whose character and motives of action untoward circumstances may have for a time cast clouds of unmerited suspicion, and which the undimmed eye of a true and resolute friendship could alone have been able to penetrate. Allow me the honor of giving you some additional assurance of my esteem, as well as of my gratitude for past kindnesses, by dedicating to you the following volume; which, though the imperfect product of a few weeks' labor, and written under circumstances not very propitious to the display of mere literary ability, yet will, as I hope, serve to yield you more or less of entertainment in such moments of relaxation as may be occasionally allowed you when temporarily withdrawn from the arduous duties of the very responsible official position which you now so deservedly occupy and so signally adorn. H. S. FOOTE. NEW YORK, December, 1865. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Introductory Remarks.-Allusion 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 ..Page 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 North 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 the Time the Declaration was adopted.—Mr. Webster's important Recital of historic Facts connected with this Subject in his 7th of March Speech CHAPTER III. 30 Continuation of the same Subject. -Cession of Northwestern Territory by Virginia and other States in 1784.-Ordinance of 1787.-Federal Con vention. Correlative and contemporaneous Action of that Body and of the Confederate Congress upon 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 Resolution on the Subject of non-interference with Slavery in the States by the general Govern- ment for many Years faithfully observed in the North.-Mr. Webster's 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.-Confederate Con- stitution 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.-Rise of the Missouri Question, and violent Agitation con- sequent thereupon.-Wise and salutary Compromise of that Question. -Remarks upon the Value of legislative Compromises in general, with Happy Cessation of Excitement after the Adoption of the Missouri Com- promise.-Era of good Feeling during the Remainder of Mr. Monroe's Administration.-Presidential Contest of 1824.-Mr. Adams's Elec- tion 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 Feel- ing.-Violent and illiberal Opposition to his Administration.-Defeat of Mr. Adams for Re-election in 1828, and Elevation of General An- drew 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- |