Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-06-22
VOL. V. NO. %.

question introduced that is likely to produce ag-
ltaton can only say that it has been my
purpose to remove any such cause of agitation.
For one, sir, want the country to understand
what this proposition is | have always done
ample justice to the South. / have said to nv
friends at the North when you hear these men
you know them; you can see them hard. They
are not like that contemplate animal that | have
not seen described in any history of animated
nature have read, a "Northern man with South
ern principles" They are bold and OPEN
They tell you what they want and how they
want it. When you deal with such men, you
can understand them. Stripped of its yerbiage,
then, the proposition before us is simply this.
that slavery is one of the natural and inherent
rights of property which belong to the people of
the South, over which this Government or the
Government of the Territory has no CONTROL
hope that have now stated correctly the ex-
tent of this proposition. If it goes any farther,
hope it will be so announced The people Of
the North have been DESTROYS to get down to
ow-water mark, just as far as the acquisitions of
this institution required them to 90; but, after
they had bowed SO low that their back was al
most broken, they have been told that there was
still lower point to which it was necessary that
they should 90. 1t has now, however, come to
this-that claim is set up to an absolute inhe-
rent indefeasible right, with which neither Con-
gress nor the people of a territory have any right
to meddle Well, now is it possible that any
body acquainted with the legislation of this coun-
try from its foundation, can listen patiently to
any such pretensons! Was the ordinance of
'87 an insult to the South! If so, why has it
not been found out before? Why have they per-
mitted that standing insult to remain upon the
legislation of the country! How has it happen
ed that with their peculiar senstiveness to insult
their chivalrc sense of honor-ther keen per-
ceptions-
Mr.. BAGBY. | did not say that the action of
this Government, in any respect, upon any sub
ect, was an insult. [ asked this question: If,
when gentlemen on the other side admitted it
was not necessary to interpose this obstacle to
the admission of slavery into that Territory,
it was not an insult to the South to propose it,
Mr. HALE. ! did not refer to the gentleman
from Alabama, but to a remark of the honora-
BILE senator from South Carolina, who said, if
did not misunderstood him, that the proposition
was insulting to one-half of the States of this
Union-a sentiment in which, believe the Sena-
tor from Mississippi concurred.
Mr. FooTE. 1t seems to me, that when the
gentleman from New Hampshire renews his a
doubt their propriety now. He certainly is not
justified in making them on the ground that he
is responding to me,
Mr.. HALE. If the honorable gentleman says
he did not say anything, | certainly do not mean
to say anything to him. But | was proceeding
to inquire how it happened that these very sensi-
tive gentlemen, with their keenness of percep-
f ton and quickness of resentment had not be-
81, a. IL,
they have been greving for more than half a
century, Why, sir, did they not make the dis
covery when the bill for the admission of Iowa as
Territory was before this body! That bill con-
tanned in express terms, the very provisions con-
tanned in the 10Th section of the bill now before
S us, which is now deemed so insulting, and de-
g nounced as a irebrand. | find that the question
on the motion to lay that bill upon the table was
taken by yeas and nays, and decided in the neg,
ative by large ma ority, many southern men,
bers voting against it.
Again ask, why did not the gentlemen then
: discover this insult to the South! With all re-
L spect to these gentlemen, must say that car
!. have very little sympathy with that exqusitely
+ nice sense Of honor which cannot find out an in
}, suit until it becomes to be sixty years old, The
honorable Senator from Alabama said, that BY
:. nopossbty could slavery be introduced int
this Territory, and that therefore the insult wa
r the more mortal. Pray, sir, who then is fghtin!
= for an abstraction The amendment has beer
r withdrawn. The bill is before us Just as it wa
IS reported by the Committee on the Territories
~ and yet these very gentlemen, so sensitive to in.
. suit, wish to introduce an amendment giving then
n liberty to carry slaves into territory where the
m say they never want to carry them, and neye
can carry them. Who, then, now brings in al
a abstraction? Who thrusts pestiferous question
le upon us! Who seeks to mar the harmony of tn
u "party" Who desires now to disturb the pros
Of poets of the most eminent and illustrous tickle
I'd that is to sweep the country, and annihilate al
ry opposition! Does the disturbance come fron
to firebrand Abotionsts! Not at all, sir. 1t come
e from this very sensitive quarter of the Union S
IL prone to cast reproaches against everybody VIII
=, introduces this subject of abolition, as they ar
= pleased to call it, and who, the moment it is with
drawn, bring it in themselves
know that | stand here under peculiar cir
cumstances; but can appeal to gentlemen O
the other side of the Senate in proof of tn
statement, that l was applied to by those 70
whose opinions have deep regard, to Withdraw
the amendment, in order that they might procee
u with the bill. AT their request, did withdra,
III the amendment, in order that their feelings {
g humanity that had been appealed to so eloquent
IL: 10 y by the honorable Senator from Missouri, t
!" the profound agitation of the sympathies whic
stir the benevolent heart of my friend from Mis-
IL sissippi, might be gratifed. do not desire t
oi be obstinate or to embarrass or to impede tn
us action of the Senate | am not at all desirou
H. of claiming right to any of the hard name
or which have been flying so thickly around m,
TO and therefore, at the risk of offending thos
Gt whose judgments regard as much as those
ell any around me. and who have stood by me whe
q, their sympathies were worth something, an
e' their votes worth more, | consented to withdra
: this pestiferous amendment this firebrand,
order to ascertain if | could not produce lit
IL harmonious action here. But what has been tt
nc result! Something more pestifercus still is il
s d, troduced; and when reminded the honorab
'u' Senator from Alabama that | had withdrawn
;" he says that no doubt intend to introduce
=, again,
5el Mr. RuTIER Will the rentleman allow N