Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-01-14
9th CONGRESS-lst Session.
ABOLITION SLAVERY.

ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.
remarks OF Mr.. Can't MD, OF Virginia, in the
House of Representatives, December 23d 1888,
III reply 10 MIR. Sladc OF crmont on the petition,
praying Tor the abolition of Slavery in the Dis
trict OF Columbia.
Mr. GARLAND addressed the House as fol-
lows
MI. SPEAKER, rise under deep and painful
feelings had hoped, sir that the violent and
pcrn'cious designs OF flew disaficccd fanatics Of
the North, would have been long since sienccd,
ana the recent votes of this House had inspired me
with the iond hope, that upon tins floor at least,
never SHOULD have been called upon to ,ndicate
my fcllow-c'lzens OF the South, agains, the false
and foul charges of piracy and man stealing, so
| repeatedly aud lasishly made against them. But
sir, tins question assumes an aspcc, that forbids
| me 10 be silent and should be rccreant To
tile feelings and interests of those people who
have confdcd to me the duty of representing
their feelings and interests upon 1is floor, if
could stand by patiently, quietly, and submissive
", and not repel the strong insinuaons, unbound
cd aspcrsions and foul caumnies cast upon them ;
and roll back the waves upon those WHO lavs at
tempted TO roll them upon us.
Sir, the honorable gentleman who last addressed
tho House, (Nlr. Sadc,) has, in effect, by giving
direct contradiction To the representations of oth-
oi the aboions,s of the North, done much to I'M
I'Inge and loosen every feeling of confidence which
before ielt on this subject, in consequence of the
action OF Me Northern people during the last sum-
ier and TALL, and the declaration of other of cir
representatives on this floor in relation 10 this ag
'tating, this dangerous subject. Honorable gentle
men from that section Of the Union tell us there is
a strong feeling of sympathy in the North for the
people OF the South Ay, while some of them
tell us, and assure too that not in five hun
dred among the people there, favor the abolition
lists or their schemes, another gentleman, (thc hon
orable member from Vermont from that section
OF the country tells us, that those gentlemen have
groSsl y. mistaken the feelings of their OWL people.
This gentleman Mr., Slade,) tells US, hc speaks
not only the sentiments and feeling of he people Of
| lbs own district, but of the Whole people of the
North; and that they are strongly in favor Of the
schemes OF these memofiasis. Is IL so, Mr.
Speaker Is it true then, sir that those honora-
Die gentlemen have disguised and misreplrsentcd
the true scnso and feelings of the people of The
North and that the gentleman from Vermont is
| letter acquainted wi,h their true character and
rue feelings upon this question tan they are, and
has ianly developed thcm2 II he is sit, and if he
does speak truly, and il the people OF the North 90
mainlaln these opinions, |, sir, thank the gentle
man, IN the aame OF the Southern people, that he
has frankly disclosed 10 lis the fact and disclosed
III s"aSonahe Time. | thank him that he ha,
prepared us Tor the assault that awaits us by warn
my us OF lis approach | thank him that he has
nndeccNcd our confidence, and aroused our eal-
ousy. But, Mr.. Speaker, | do venture to hope
however, and believe, thai the gentleman has de-
cened himself (aihoueh | do not doub, his since
fliy and has mistaken the true feelings ofthe Nor
Them people And here sir, cannot but express
my admiration Of the peculiar adroitncSs and skill
with which that gentleman. approached this sub
ject ; and while | give the gentleman full credit
Tor the skill and adroiiness be- used IN conri,ingi
bring this whole question before us, at the same
ilme must confess, and mean in no offensive
sense, dislike the heterogeneous ayowal of svmpa-
thy under which he commenced his attack aud
the attempted concealmen of the real views OF
these petitioners. The honorable gentleman pro-
irssca great kindness for us; his behcvolente for
is very expanded lie means no offence lie
does not To call MS land pirates and man siea-
lcrs Oh, no But Then, says the gentleman, that
system among you is Il SYST IN OF land piracy
mcrchan !ise in human flesh The gentleman
does moi mean TO hurt us, oh no, but he means to
aSSall our rights, and destroy our property, out of
mere benevosrnce, mere kindness to us. While
he smiles in our faces, he drives the dagger to our
hearts You, he says, are not pirates and man
>tcaers, but your system of slavery is, in every mcn
\ in every form, system of piracy & man-stea-
ing, accompanying the charge with every oppro-
brlous rpilhet, which the honorable member could
string together. This, sir is kindness with VEN
eeance, for which we have no thanks to return to
the honorable member from Vermont
beg leave, Mr.. Speaker, before entering fur
ller upon tie subject before me, to make sin
gle remark in relation to what fell from the ven
cradle member from Massachusetts, (Alr ApAMs.)
That gentleman said, he had no wish TO be forced
into discussion on the " sublime merits OF slave
ry." Let me ask the gentleman, when he speaks
of the " sublimr merits slavery" in The ronical
sense he intended the remark to cast his eyes up
on lhat picture, (poin,ing TO the portrait of Gener-
al Washingon) of the Father of his country, and
stand rebukcd by tie recollection Of lis Virtues
and his deeds When the people Of the North
were weak and assaulted by cruel and Hnrelclting
enemy, and struggling for their rights, that man at
the head Of a determined and re,olntc band OF
shareholders. rushed to their rescue. lie and his
companions in arms left their wives, then Children
'hsir domestic ircsdcs. their iarms, their all, risk
cd all they Possessed hazardcd all they held DEAR
the cause Of the northern people, and in defence
of northern liberty Sir, that man was "A slavc
holder and his southern companions were slave
holders. ask the gentleman 10 cast his rctrospcc
ton back to the cvcnlinl period m 10, when that
man with some seventeen hdndfcd or Two thousand
patriots were rctTcatlng before IA large army
through New Jersey their very footsteps imprint
ed in the snow with their blood, and TO look back
again at the conduct of that little band at Trenton
Il princctan Immediately After. SRA few of these