Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 9.djvu/31

HAYNE federal government strictly within the limits- prescribed by the Constitution ; who would pre- serve to the States and the people all powers not expressly delegated; who would make this a federal and not a national Union, and who, ad- ministering the government in a spirit of equal justice, would make it a blessing and not a curse. And who are its enemies? Those who are in favor of consolidation — who are constant- ly stealing power from the States and adding strength to the federal government. Who, as- suming an unwarrantable jurisdiction over the States and the people, undertake to regulate the whole industry and capital of the country. But, sir, of all descriptions of men, I consider those as the worst enemies of the Union who sacrifice the equal rights which belong to every member of the Confederacy to combinations cf interested majorities, for personal or political objects. Thus, it will be seen, Mr. President, that the South Carolina doctrine is the republican doc- trine of '98 — that it was promulgated by the fathers of the faith — ^that it was maintained by Virginia and Kentucky in the worst of times — that it constituted the very pivot on v/hich the political revolution of that day turned — that it , embraces the very principles, the triumph of which at that time saved the Constitution at its last gasp, and which New England statesmen were not unwilling to adopt, when they be- lieved themselves to be the victims of uneon- 21