The Madisonian., 1840-02-01

| the African slave trade was prolracted twen-
" years.
Virginia, and her friend aud neighbor Of.
North Carolina, voted against both these al
tcratons, and yet New England now re-
proaches them with their slave institutions
institutions which that very New England
aided ia forcing upon them. do not recur
to this historical fact for the purpose OF re-
! preaching Georgia and South Carolina. do
not doubt they acted, as they thought, for the
best but recur to Il for the purpose OF show
ing how graceess and unbIushing are these
reproaches, coming from New England. But
this is not all, sir, when we look into the slave
trade, and all It's atrocities that dark spot upon
the escutcheon Of modern civilized nations,
what do we sect Among the vessels engaged
in that honid and inhuman traffic, over which
the proud star spangied banner waves with
Shameless desecration--most Of them are
northern built and northern manned. Yes,
sir, where there il one southern man there are
ten northern men in their crews. And shall
they reproach us 7 Let the world answer the
question. Posteriy will not fail TO fix all the
odium which attaches to slavery upon its true
authors.
| have always been. Mr.. Speaker, ayerse to
any agitation Of this dstracting question here;
have always thought il Improbable and mis-
chievous, and have therefore uniformly voted
for every proposition which was calculated to
cut off debate and prevent excitement. Hav-
ing in view this object, do not doubt that |
have given some votes inconsistent with each
other upon the question Of reception, but II
was always with the view of keeping the ex-
element and agitation which these firebrands
uniformly produce, out Of the House, and do
ing the necessary and important business OF
the country. ! have not done so, Mr.. Speak
er. because feared aboltionists, mean those
whose views are ultra--who are prepared to
crusade against southern institutions, and ac-
complish their unhallowed purposes ny ex-
citing servile insurrection, drenching our fields
with blood, prostrating our rights, severing
the Union and overturning our liberties. Vi
them | have no fears-none, sir, whatever.
Not because they are not formdable-are not
actuated by vicious motives, but because |
confidently believe that there is in the North
sufficient amount Of patriotsm-of loyalty
to the Constitution and devotion to the Uuion,
to keep them in check and repe their at
tempts. lf they cannot, then, sir, we can and
will. | do not class with these minions OF
foreign policy-these enemies to our Con-
slitution, our laws, and our liberties those
whose opinions are, in the abstract, opposed to
domestic slavery, but who are not disposed,
on that account, to disturb our domestic rights,
and violate the sacred compact ofthe Consti-
tuition. To such make no allusion-l al
ude exclusively to ultra abolitionism--tha
bane Of our peace, and fear, will be, destroy
er of our happy institutions.
One remark more, Mr. Speaker, and have
done. | have been much panied to hear so
much said Of late about the dissolution Of the
Union-so many calculations about its value
80 many estimates of comparative loss, by
North and South, if snch an event should un-
happily take place. | say, Mr. Speaker,
am pained-not only panied, but alarmed, 10
hear these things SO frequently repeated
Who, sir, can estimate the value of this
Union-ihat Union, consecrated by the blood
of our fathers, which flowed in a common
stream from Ticonderoga to Charleston, and
back again from Charleston TO Ticonderoga
By what rules will you calculate the value of
the liberty, happiness and prosperity which
il secures to great and growing people =
Sir, it has not entered into the heart of man TO
conceive its value-a value which we shall
never truly appreciate until we ioolishly
throw it away. Why compare the losses, sir!
Each section will sustain such weight OF
loss that it will have no inclination 10 enter
into the comparison 1t will be sufficiently
overwhelmed with its own ruin and misery.
Let us, then, having in our own keeping such
an important charge, TO ourselves, TO the
world, and to posterity SO equally and beng
nantly administer the Government as to trans
init this great boon Of liberty unimpaired, to
the countless millions who are TO come after
us. And for the purpose of efecting this,
let us keep out every thing that is calculated
to mar our peace, weaken our bonds, and de-
s,roy our harmony. Sir, whenever and
wherever see the Star-spangled Banner
floating in the breeze, and remember that it
is the flag Of the Union-the emblem Of Lii
berty-l cannot refrain, in the language Of
distinguished man Of old, from exclaiming in
my heart, {" Esto perpetua."