It has
arrested the religious feeling of the country; it has taken strong
hold on the consciences of men. He is a rash man, indeed, and
little conversant with human nature, and especially has he a very
erroneous estimate of the character of the people of this country,
who supposes that a feeling of this kind is to be trifled with or
despised. It will assuredly cause itself to be respected. It may be
reasoned with, it may be made willing--I believe it is entirely
willing--to fulfil all existing engagements and all existing
duties, to uphold and defend the Constitution as it is established,
with whatever regrets about some provisions which it does actually
contain. But to coerce it into silence, to endeavor to restrain its
free expression, to seek to compress and confine it, warm as it is
and more heated as such endeavors would inevitably render
it,--should this be attempted, I know nothing, even in the
Constitution or in the Union itself, which would not be endangered
by the explosion which might follow.
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