[Footnote 32:—­Vide Jefferson’s Autobiography, commenced January 6th, 1821.  JEFFERSON’S Works, vol. 1, p. 49.]

[Footnote 33:—­“I am not ashamed or afraid publicly to avow that the election of William H. Seward or Salmon P. Chase, or any such representative of the Republican party, upon a sectional platform, ought to be resisted to the disruption of every tie that binds this Confederacy together. (Applause on the Democratic side of the House.)” Mr. Curry, of Alabama, in the House of Representatives.

“Just so sure as the Republican party succeed in electing a sectional man, upon their sectional, anti-slavery platform, breathing destruction and death to the rights of my people, just so sure, in my judgment, the time will have come when the South must and will take an unmistakable and decided action, and then he who dallies is a dastard, and he who doubts is damned!  I need not tell what I, a Southern man, will do.  I think I may safely speak for the masses of the people of Georgia—­that when that event happens, they, in my judgment, will consider it an overt act, a declaration of war, and meet immediately in convention, to take into consideration the mode and measure of redress.  That is my position; and if that be treason to the Government, make the most of it.”—­Mr. Gartell, of Georgia, in the House of Representatives.

“I said to my constituents, and to the people of the capital of my State, on my way here, if such an event did occur,” [i.e., the election of a Republican President, upon a Republican platform], “while it would be their duty to determine the course which the State would pursue, it would be my privilege to counsel with them as to what I believed to be the proper course; and I said to them, what I say now, and what I will always say in such an event, that my counsel would be to take independence out of the Union in preference to the loss of constitutional rights, and consequent degradation and dishonor, in it.  That is my position, and it is the position which I know the Democratic party of the State of Mississippi will maintain.”—­Gov.  McRae, of Mississippi.

“It is useless to attempt to conceal the fact that, in the present temper of the Southern people, it” [i.e., the election of a Republican President] “cannot be, and will not be, submitted to.  The ’irrepressible conflict’ doctrine, announced and advocated by the ablest and most distinguished leader of the Republican party, is an open declaration of war against the institution of slavery, wherever it exists; and I would be disloyal to Virginia and the South, if I did not declare that the election of such a man, entertaining such sentiment, and advocating such doctrines, ought to be resisted by the slaveholding States.  The idea of permitting such a man to have the control and direction of the army and navy of the United States, and the appointment of high judicial and executive officers, POSTMASTERS INCLUDED, cannot be entertained by the South for a moment.”—­Gov.  Letcher, of Virginia.