Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-03-06
miscellaneous.
REMARKS OF, MR.. BUTLER,
OF SOUTH CAROLINA,

to amend the rules rctatire TO The reception and
disposal of abolition Petitions.
Mr.. BUTLER, Of South Carolina, rose and
said:
Mr.. SPEAKER: It has not been the habit of
Southern members, and particularly from
| South Carolina, to discuss the bject now be.
fore the House. Nor sir, do | intend, on the
present occasion, TO discuss the constitutional
right TO hold slaves. the moral infuency of
slavery, or its expediency. No Southern man
on this floor and if they are forced upon us,
another field must be the arena ofdiscussion.-
We do not fear the issue of such discussion
before an honest and enlightencd world
| We could show that slavery was coeval al
most with the existence Of the human race, that
it was fully recognised under the Old and New
Testament dispensaionS; and that to MS it is
political blessing, instead of an evil. But, sir,
no one, has right to coerce us INTO these mat
ters, and no power on earth shall move us from
our position. We cannot, however, sit tamely
by and see these constant, repeated and
ceaseless attacks upon our Institutions and
insults upon our characters, without feel
ING indignant and excited. 1t is TO repel
charges thus reiterated that rise.
1t has been alleged against the South that we
are sectional in our prejudces, and slaves to To-
cal opinion. This allegation comes with bad
grace from those who are bound down by pref.
udices, the most willully blind and pernicious.
Slares to local opinion! What, sir could ill.,
duce members Of Congress, gentlemen ofintel-
gence and character, 10 present abolition petit
lions to this House and demand their reference
to committee, but being slaves to local opin-
ion? What but this could influence the course
which Northern gentlemen take, in irritating
the South without profit 10 any section of this
| Confederacy So far as am Individually
concerned have always endeavored to allay
sectional prejudices and TO look upon this Uni
| on as one great family Of brethren. The gen
tleman from New York Mr.. Granger asks
why we Of the South are now so excited at the
presentmcnt of abolition petitions, when history
| proves that they have been presented Tor the
last twenty-five years. He, sir, has furnished
us with an answer. Abolition petitions, until
within the lust half dozen years, were confined,
to few ignorant, weak, and misguided tana
tics; but now they have wealth, political and
local influence, talents, well organized and III
creasng societies, and numerous presses devo-
ted to their cause. Their banelul influence is
felt and exercised every where i'll the free
States, and political parties dread their opposi-
| llOn ulQ court uCH ldNUI. VlClHUCIS HGIC
cover before this local feeling; and, what is still
worse. avowed Abolitionists are OH this floor
the advocates and eulogiSts oitlicsc fanatic in
cendiaries. Can il be thought wonderful, un-
der these painful reflections, that the South
should be deeply agiiatcd! We should be
less than men, five could fold our arms. and
| patiently submit to these indignities. But sir,
the gentleman from New York Mr.. Granger
saws that the South seems to forget that other
portions of this Union are to be heard and res
pected here. The South claims no such dis.
| tinction, and how, let me ask, stands the case?
| When n protective tariff is to be imposed,
omcrous and unjust in its operations, who reaps
the benefit! The North. When canals are
| 10 be opened, harbors surveyed aud improved,
roads to be built and any other exlravagant ap-
propriations. for internal improvements, who
Share the "spois! !" The North. When u
great National Bank is to be chartered, with
capital aud power sufficient to control all other
banking institutions in the country, where is il
to be located In the North. National legis
laton has always been partial 10 the North, and
although the South has deeply felt the Injustice
ofit, she has sought for no selfish projections
the only protection she demands is to be let a.
lone in the management OF her local concerns
1t is said that we are ultra, upon the subject Of
these petitions, because we fear the effect it
would have upon onr elections at home. This
is mistake; we stand upon hig her ground than
such pitituI considerations. We are defending
| our constitutional and inalenable rights: we
are battling for the security OF our 6resides, and
the sanctity of our domestic regulations; and,
sir, letmet tell gentlemen, for one, that if the
course which they advise would put stop to
incendiary petitions, | would freely become the
| re dal
God forbid that for so ignoble purpose, single
man could be found SO base as not to render
himself willing sacrifice on the altar of his
country We are told, sir, that our course is
mnislerng to the wishes oftheAbolitionists, and
our true policy would be to unite with Northern
gentlemen in referring these petitions to CON-
lnilee, and that calm and temperate report
would arrest the evil ofwhich we complaint
How plausible is this argument, yet how deu-
sive and untrue. Ifsuch would be the result
now, why has it not had that effect heretofore
In leg these petitions were referred TO COM
mttee and report was made against the pray
er of the petitioners. Again, in 1896, they
were referred, and Mr.. Pinckney, chairman of
that committee, made an able and lenghthy re
port. Did this stop the evil-dd it retard it for
moment! On the contrary, your table has,
from that period, literally groaned under the
weight of Abolition memorials, from neil, wo-
men, and children. Sir, the movement which
that gentleman made on that occasion Q do not
impeach his motives) was unwse and impo-
tic, TO say the least Of it, and the rrcparable
mischief followed, fear, is not speedily to be
cured. 1t opened the doors of this Hall to
Abolitionists and invited them TO come in and
prosecute their unhallowed purposes, and well
have they improved the opportunities thus ac:
iorded them. Think you, sir, in the face of
these facts, that any Southern member can be
found OH this floor, or elsewhere, so utterly
regardless of his own interest, and so for
gettnl of bis duty 10 his constituents as again
lobe caught aiding and abetting the worst enc
mics Of his country Why, sir, no man here
can believe that reception, reference, report, and
all, would satisfy and qucll the movements OF
men moaded on by fierce and fanatcal resou.
ton to accomplish theirends or rend the Union
asunder. They have the sacacity TO seq tbo,