The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-08-12

!
difference between the two cases. The IA
mites of the South are but n counterpart OF
those Of the North. lfthGre be any dlllcr-
ence. it is only this: That the fanatic OF The
! North has the poor apology OF aiming to give
liberty to his lellOw-man, while you OF the
South are endruvOring Iopull down the lell-
plcs of Liberty aud 10 rear your institution OF
| slavery upon their ruins. | have declared
my opinions in regard 10 this institution, as
believe il to exist. have no belief thal
man who owns slaves must nGccssaralIy be
permitted to carry out his own views. !
! rather ,hink he owns them because he does
not know any better / think, upon the
whole, they had all better come to the Suite
! of Ohio for un example, where we drive even
the free negroes away | intend nothing OF
! fcnsire 10 the scnsibillies of gentlemen, but
| ilIhc free expression Ofnly honest convictions
offcnds. cannot help IT, believe five were
10 set about this business ofcstublishing Gov
crnmcnis MS our fathers did when they lald
the foundation of this Republic OF ours--Ii
the same spirit animated us-lt happily ihcy
could come 10 us this day from the abodes
of the blessed and mpart TO us n little of their
wisdom, there would he no difficulty in pas
sing the ordinance Of 1857, and applying il
to these Territories We are not such men
rs they were.
MIR Johnson ofMd. lin his senrl Certain
ly we are.
Mr. Corwin. The Senator from Maryland
may be, but if so, he is an exception.
Mr. Johnson. The Senator from Ohio is
certainly an exception.
MIR Corwin. The Senator is very polite.
Now, sir, gentleman before me MIR Fitz-
geraldl has, with great propricty, explained
to the Senate the position in which he is
placed in respect to friend Of his, who is
-, -, IL, I,,,l tn MI In hpan
often adverted to,amd while on my feet wish
to say few words in relation TO it. Gen. Cass
it is suid,is likely to he implicated on account
Of his friends action upon this question OF
slavery. know not how that can be, for
may as well say here that have no conf
dcnce whatever rs to the precise position in
which Mr. Cass may place himself tomorrow.
He has occupied TWO positions already &may
change back at the shortest notice. Gen.
Cass has declared that Congress has no pow
cr over the subject. But the Senator from
South Carolina has very properly declared
such Il doctrine to be II flat absurdity; because
five can transfer the power TO the territorial
government to act upon the subject, we must
Of course possess the power ourselves we
cannot communicate more power than we
have. And declare, il anybody is concern
ed TO know what is my opinion on the sub
jet, and what is the opinion oi'lhe free states
of the Union, that if General Taylor was not
considered as being committed by his pub !
liShcd letters against the exercise of the veto
power upon this subject he would not get my |
vote, nor would he get The vote Ola free State
in America if could help it.
MrlIanncgnn. | would like to he inform |
ed by the Senator from Ohio, as he has re- /
lGrrcd to Gen. Cass's position, and rs lac is !
about to give his support TO Gen. Taylor, if
he can give MS Geu. Tayor's views on the
subject aud what his opinion will he rs eN-
pressed in his message 10 Congress
Mr. Corwn. cannot.
Mr. liamneguu; / understand the Senator
from Ohio to say that if GeH. Yd'dr would
intcrpose n veto upon the suijcct, lac would
not vote for him under any circumstances
Mr. Corwiu. would not, nor would any
man in my State, unless indeed found him
opposed 10 Just such another man who had Il
great many bad qualities beside. a laugh.
But, Sir, have TO say that do not believe
that Gen. Taylor could get the electoral vote
Ola free State in America, lit were not for
the belief that prevails, that upon this subject
as well rs upon any other ola like character
he would not intCrposo his veto. | believe
the man who does it deserves impeachment,
and to have his head rolled on Il block. That
has been my opinion for some time, laug htcrj
have no more desire to live under des
poilsn here than IN Ireland. We have en-
hibitcd to some extent our sympathy with
those who are warning against dcspoiism,amd
now mean to show you as far as ! am able |
what is the public opinion ut this time in this
country Ii may he that the people will toll
crate you III passing law of this sort, be- |
cause You are the constituted law makers of |
the land, hut they will tolerate no man, no, |
not even UGshington if he were alive, in in |
terpOsing his veto upon law analogous to
the Ordinance Of 1877. Ifthc Congress of |
tie United States will that there shall be free
dom from Slavery forever, aud any man sit |
ting in the White House dare interposc Ills |
uuny arm against it, | will not say that lie
will be taken through the forms of impcacIl- |
ment--there might he more summary
method found ont Of disposing ofhim.
know very well the Senate is weary of
this debate. wish now only to state anoth-
CT fact which will show what it is which our
brethren ol'ihe South now demand. If you
take the area ot'the Free States aud the Slave
States MS they exist, and compare them, you
will find tina: the latter predominant. When
the Constitution was formed, and when all
the territory which you then had was brought
into the Union, the free States had an excess
OF 100000 square acres over the Slave
St"tes;but when you had acquired Louisiana.
Florida and Texas, and added them to the
Uh'3n, and whcT you add the claim of the
Scum that they will carry their Slaves into
Oregon, New Mexico and California, what
will then be the condition of the Free States?
The latter will have one third more power in
the Senate ofthe United States than the Free
States could ever have. And this is all you
ask Much has been said about the modesty
of the South-the forbcarance ofthe South!
Why, considered merely as a question of po-
political power, all they ask of us is to put
thn ,l,,., 4 IL,