“Never violate the Constitution!” said Randolph, in an excited and querulous tone.  “Mr. Holmes, you perhaps know the nature of your people better than I do.  But I know them well enough not to trust them.  They stickle at nothing to accomplish an end; and their preachers can soon convince them that slavery is a sin, and that they are responsible for its existence here, and that they can only propitiate offended Deity by its abolition.  You are a peculiar people, Holmes, prone to fanaticism upon all subjects, and this fanaticism concentrated as a religious duty—­the Constitution will only prove a barrier of straw.  No, sir; I am unwilling to trust them.  They want honesty of purpose, have no sincerity, no patriotism, no principle.  Your dough-faces will profess, but at a point will fly the track, sir; they can’t stand, sir; they can’t stand pressing.  Interest, interest, sir, is their moving motive.  Do you not see it in their action in this matter?  Missouri is a fertile and lovely country; they want it for the purpose of settlement with their own people.  Prohibit slavery to the inhabitants, and no Southern man will go there; there will be no competition in the purchase of her land.  Your people will have it all to themselves; they will flock to it like wild geese, and very soon it is a Northern State in Northern interest; and, step after step, all the Western territory will be in your possession, and you will create States ab libitum.  You know the Constitution permits two-thirds of the States to amend or alter it:  establish the principle that Congress can exclude slavery from a territory, contrary to the wishes of her people expressed in a constitution formed by them for their government, and how long will it be, before two-thirds of the States will be free?  Then you can change the Constitution and place slavery under the control of Congress—­and, under such circumstances, how long will it be permitted to remain in any State?

“Your people are too religious, sir; eminently practical, inventive, restless, cold, calculating, malicious, and ambitious; invent curious rat-traps, and establish missions.  I don’t want to be trapped, sir; I am too wary a rat for that; and think with Mr. Crawford, now is the time for separation, and I mean to ask Clay to unite with us.  Yet, sir, I have not spoken to the fellow for years, sir; but I will to-morrow; I will tell him I always despised him, but if he will go to his people, I will to mine, and tell them now is the time for separation from you; and I will follow his lead if he will only do so, if it leads me to perdition.  I never did follow it, but in this matter I will.  I bid you good night, gentlemen.”  He waited for no reply, but taking his hat and whip, hurriedly left the room.

“Can Mr. Randolph be in earnest?” asked several.

“Intensely so,” replied Mr. Crawford.  “Mr. Holmes, your people are forcing Mr. Randolph’s opinions upon the entire South.  They will not permit Northern intermeddling with that which peculiarly interests themselves, and over which they alone hold control.”