Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-05-29

| the union will be dissolved; and with a
look fixed on me has told us, " we have
kindled fire which all the waters of the
ocean cannot put out, which seas OF
blood can only extinguish."
Sir, language of this sort has no effect
on me; my purpose is fixed; it is inter-
woven with my existence; its durability
is limited with my life s: it is a great and
glorious cause, setting bounds to slave
ry the most cruel and debasing the
world has ever Witnessed; it is the free
dom of man; it is the cause of unre-
deemed and unregenerated human be-
ings.
Sir, if dissolution of the union
must take place, let it be SO. If civil
war, which gentlemen SO much threaten,
must come, | can only say, let it come
My hold on life is probably as frail as
that of any man who now hears me; but
while that hold lasts, it shall be devoted
to the service of my country--to the
freedom of man.-lf blood is necessary
to extinguish any fire which l have as
sisted to kindle, can assure gentlemen,
while | regret the necessity, shall not
forbear to contribute my mite. Sir, the
violence to which gentlemen have re-
sorted on this subject, will not move my
purpose, nor drive me from my place.
have the fortune and the honor to stand
here as the representative Of freemen,
who possess intelligence to know their
rights--who have the spirit to maintain
them. Whatever might be my own pri-
vate sentiments on this subject, standing
here as the representative OF others, no
choice is left me. know the will of my
constituents, and, regardless of conse-
quences, | will avow it-as their repre-
sentative, ] will proclaim their hatred to
slavery in every shape-as their repre-
sentative, here will l hold my stand, till
this floor, with the constitution of my
country which supports it, shall sink
beneath me.-If | am doomed to fall, |
shall at least have the painful consola-
ton to believe that l fall, as fragment,
in the ruins of my country.
Sir, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
Colston) has accused my honorable
friend from New Hampshire (Mr. Liv-
ermore) of " speaking to the galleries"
and, by his language, endeavoring to
excite servile war; and has ended by
saying, " he is no better than Arbuthnot
or Ambrister; and deserves no better
fate. - Sir, when hear such language
uttered upon this floor, and within this
house, am constrained to consider it as
nasty and unattended language, result
ing from the vehemence of debate, and
not really intending the personal indie
corum the expressions would seem to
indicate. Mr.. Colston asked to explain,
and said he had not distinctly understood
Mr.. L. Mr.. Livermore called on Mr..
c. to state the expressions he had used.
Mr.. c. then said he had no explanations
to give. Mr.. I. said he had none to
ask--he continued to say, he would not
believe any gentleman on this floor would
commit so great an indecorum against
any member, or against the dignity of
this house, as to use such expressions,
really intending the meaning which the
words seem to import, and which had
been uttered against the gentleman from
New-Hampshire. Mr.. Nelson, of Vir-
ginia, in the chair, called to order, and
said no personal remarks would be al
lowed. Mr.. I. said, he rejoiced the
chair was at length aroused to sense Of
its duties. The debate had, for several
days, progressed with unequalled VIC
lence, and all was in order-but now,
when at length this violence on one side
is to be resisted, the chair has discover
ed it is out of order.-I rejoice, said Mr..
L. at the discovery; l approve of the
admonition, while l am proud to say, it
has no relevancy to me. 1t is my boast
that never uttered an unfriendIy per-
sonal remark on this floor, but wish it
distinctly understood, that the immutable
laws of self-defence will Justify going
to great lengths, and that, in the future
progress of this debate, the rights of de-
fence will be regarded.
Sir, has it already come to this j.: that
in the Congress of the United States
that in the legislative councils of Repub-
lican America, the subject of slavery
has become subject of SO much feel
ing-of such delicacy-of such danger,
that it cannot safely be discussed Are
members who venture to express their
sentiments on this subject, to be accused
of talking to the galleries, with intention
to excite servile war; and of meriting
the fate of Arbuthnot and Ambrister!-
Are we to be told of the dissolution of
the union; of civil war, and of seas of
blood And yet, with such awful threat