gy,
destroy their industry, and make them paupers and vagabonds." He saw
"revolution and ruin" in prospect. "I affirm," said he, "that in
legislating for those States, or without allowing them any
representation in these halls, you are violating one of the cardinal
principles of republican government; you are tearing down the main
pillar upon which our whole fabric of Government rests; you are sowing
broadcast the seeds of revolution and ruin. Mr. Speaker, if the object
of gentlemen here is to restore harmony and peace and prosperity
throughout the Union, why do they adopt measures thus insulting,
tyrannical, and oppressive in their character? Is this the way to
restore harmony and peace and prosperity? How can you expect to gain
the respect and affection of those people by heaping upon them insult
and injustice? If they have the spirit of their ancestors, you may
crush them, you may slay them, but you can never cause them to love
you or respect you; and they ought not while you force upon them
measures which are only intended to degrade them."

Mr. Trimble, of Kentucky, viewed the question in a similar light to
that in which it was regarded by his colleague. "I hold," said he,
"this bill is in open and plain violation of that provision of the
Constitution. There exists no power in this Government to deprive a
citizen of the United States of his property, to take away the hard
earnings of his own industry and bestow them upon this class of
citizens. The only way you can take property in South Carolina,
Georgia, or any other State, is to take that property under the
Constitution of the United States and the laws passed in pursuance
thereof."

He closed his speech with the following appeal: "I appeal to my
friends who love this Union, who love it for all the memories of the
past, who love it because it has protected them and theirs; I appeal
to them to pause and reflect before they press this measure upon these
people; for I tell you that, in my judgment, the effects of the
provisions of this bill to us as a nation will not be told in our
lifetimes. If legislation of this character is to be pressed here, I
awfully fear hope will sink within us. Our love for this Union and
desire for its restoration will be greatly weakened and estranged."

Mr. McKee alone, of all the Representatives from Kentucky, was
favorable to the bill. The opponents of the measure had spoken of it
as a "monstrous usurpation." "We have heard that