But, sir, it is not necessary for me to speak to you of the consequences that will follow disunion.  Who of us is not proud of the greatness we have achieved?  Disunion and separation destroy that greatness.  Once disunited, we are no longer great.  The nations of the earth who have looked upon you as a formidable Power, and rising to untold and immeasurable greatness in the future, will scoff at you.  Your flag, that now claims the respect of the world, that protects American property in every port and harbor of the world, that protects the rights of your citizens everywhere, what will become of it?  What becomes of its glorious influence?  It is gone; and with it the protection of American citizens and property.  To say nothing of the national honor which it displayed to all the world, the protection of your rights, the protection of your property abroad is gone with that national flag, and we are hereafter to conjure and contrive different flags for our different republics according to the feverish fancies of revolutionary patriots and disturbers of the peace of the world.  No, sir; I want to follow no such flag.  I want to preserve the union of my country.  We have it in our power to do so, and we are responsible if we do not do it.

I do not despair of the Republic.  When I see before me Senators of so much intelligence and so much patriotism, who have been so honored by their country, sent here as the guardians of that very union which is now in question, sent here as the guardians of our national rights, and as guardians of that national flag, I cannot despair; I cannot despond.  I cannot but believe that they will find some means of reconciling and adjusting the rights of all parties, by concessions, if necessary, so as to preserve and give more stability to the country and to its institutions.

ROBERT TOOMBS,

OF GEORGIA. (BORN 1810—­DIED 1885.)

ON SECESSION; SECESSIONIST OPINION;

IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE, JANUARY 7, 1861.

MR. PRESIDENT AND SENATORS: 

The success of the Abolitionists and their allies, under the name of the Republican party, has produced its logical results already.  They have for long years been sowing dragons’ teeth, and have finally got a crop of armed men.  The Union, sir, is dissolved.  That is an accomplished fact in the path of this discussion that men may as well heed.  One of your confederates has already, wisely, bravely, boldly, confronted public danger, and she is only ahead of many of her sisters because of her greater facility for speedy action.  The greater majority of those sister States, under like circumstances, consider her cause as their cause; and I charge you in their name to-day, “Touch not Saguntum.”  It is not only their cause, but it is a cause which receives the sympathy and will receive the support of tens and hundreds of thousands