What other sentiment, dear to every true American
heart--Liberty and Union . . ."

MENTOR

Emphasize the "and."

ABE

"Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and
inseparable!" (He puts the paper back on the
table.) He must have had 'em up on their feet
cheering with that, all right.

MENTOR

Some cheered, and some spat, depending on
which section they came from.

ABE

What was he talking about?

MENTOR

It was in the debate over the right of any state
to secede from the Union. Hayne had pleaded
South Carolina's cause--pleaded it ably. He said
that just as we have liberty as individuals--so
have we liberty as states--to go as we please.
Which means, if we don't like the Union, as ex-
pressed by the will of its majority, then we can
leave it, and set up a new nation, or many nations
--so that this continent might be as divided as
Europe. But Webster answered him, all right. He
proved that without Union, we'd have precious lit-

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