The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-05

the same opposition that would be offered 10 n
direct question Of emancipation. ID. Ii w
dishearteR our friends by its timidity, and thro
gloom over the prospects of the whole part,
and lastly, fear we may drive from us some
, our best friends. For myself, l shall meet yo
heart and hand, upon any platform Won ma
propose; but | fear there are some who won
be indisposec TO place this question of SLAYER
IN the hands Of the Legislature, or leave il
toarce OF constant agitation before the peop
Gar opponents will declare il to be a maske
battery-an attempt TO do by indirection. ths
which we fear TO attempt openly and boldly. =
We may sugar the pill, but politicians will ten
on the coating, and We will come 10 the nj
at last. With due Difference TO gentlemen Q
more experience, suggest as the real difficulty
Ins want OF confidence in our own strength
mat | am inclined TO think, We very great
underestimate. Ii is the cause of truth an
night fer which We contend ltcannot fail O
success. IT'S but ten years ago, that even Il
some OF the free States, men were afraid 10 ope
Their mouths upon this question. Even there
the agitation Of IL often resulted in riots an,
oioodshed Now, sir, here In the heart or ,
slave State, we are assembled 10 consider IL.
best means TO rid ourselves Of this curse. i,
the emphatic language Of the Hon. Mr.. Davis
''the Institution is doomed
The first effort TO stife public sentiment Oh
this question, we find in the first pablisl,ee
Br0REReiameRfO, Of the so-called friends az !
Convention, assembled at Frankfort, In 1867
Then came the Legislators Of last winter
which did everything il ought not 10 have done
ana LEFT undone everything II ought to have
done. The Legislature resolved thai nothin Q
should be done on this question. But the peo-
pie need only time and Encouragement TO come
up TO this matter. The hearts of the masses
are with us-it will not take much persuading
10 indnce them TO enlist under our banner. -
We are even now hundreds, where few weeks
since We were numbered by tens. IL we can
devise some plan by which we can get this
question directly before the people-avoid the
Legislature-and secure an open field for dis
cussion, have no fears. Ii is the part ofpolicy,
IN my judgment, 10 take bold groend. Inspire
our friends with confidence. l believe win
Carlyle, that bolster up lie as much as you
may, truth is OmniPotent aud must prevail
We have quite time enough if we act boldly
A great deal can be done In three months
more than ia three years in olden times. Men
nowadays think, write and act, as if by steam.
Let US, therefore, commence our labor at once,
and boldly. Wei go forth armed with the sword
Of truth-and thus armed, we shall be more
terrible than an army with banners.
John g. Young, of Boyle, had no objection
10 the amendment, for really il seemed 10 him,
quence Of the former part Of the resolution.
But he differed from his friend, (Mr. Smith,)
who wanted this thing done quickly. IL is
great undertaking, aud must be approached
slowly and cautiously. We must not mlscal-
culate the power Of our opponents. few
years ago, you will remember, IL was said that
tte0 regiments Of infantry would be sufficient 10
Oyerrun Mexico. This was all deception. II
cost us in losses, a large army. And Mexico is
more powerful as to US, than we are 10 the pro-
slavery party. The pro-slavery party is pow
erful party-it is cemsnted together by power
ful interests, and it will be no easy task to
overcome such party. IL we 60 into the fight
and are defeated, the moral strength Of the
cause is weakened. l don't want to come be-
fore the people in the attitude Of one choosing
the least Of two evils. want 10 fight for the
good-and 10 fight hopefully. with prospect Of
success. And, Mr.. President, all good causes
require policy, as an army requires a general
IL will not do 10 rely wholly on truth and
The bible is truth and righteous
ness, but its final triumph is slow and far re-
moved.
II is said We must fight for all, or We lose all.
| do not think so. We may secure in the Con-
ventiOn, the first instalment, and then tight for
a full sictOry. want to see an opening made
Why, sir, If you desired 10 take the capital Of
Of fOrtresses, would you press rapidly past these
outPOsts and make the battle in the heart Of this
grand fertilization, without even a thought for
the future and the possibility Of defeat and con-
sequent annihilationl No prudent general
would be guilty Of such criminal folly. He
would seize upon and dismantle the outposis,
and there await the good time for reducing the
capital. Let us seiEe the outpcsts-and after
awhile We shall be ready 10 march upon the
capital with some hope Of victory.
In a large majority Of the counties repre-
sented on this floor, we are ia minority. We
may secure between this and August a MAORI
~ Of our own counties, yet about seventy-fve
are unreIresented, and even II we
should succeed in our own, having no time TO
90 abroad, We should be in a sad minority, and
would have Constitution fastened upon US
and we are lost. Sixty millions is a vast
amount, and property Of that value is not TO
be disposed Of very readily. There are many
men who may be converted to
our cause, yet they must have time TO turn the
matter over in their minds, to brood over it, and
talk over il until Il becomes a sort Of principle.
There is another class who have prejudices in
favor Of slayery-they must he convinced
Then there Is another class-c)wed by the cry
Of abolition-they must be strengthened and
There is besides that class which
Cromwell called "Waiters on Providence
waiting 10 find which way the popular breeze
Is blowing--this class must be called 10 our aid.
All these things must be done. We mus. take
ground here which will enable ms TO accomplish
all these things. | believe that ground is pro-
posed in the resolutions. At least, ! feel that
we may do good in battle upon that platform.
II We are defeated, however, i shall not be dis
nor feel regret, except that the day is
day when the true glory Of my
country shall shine forth.
W L. Breckenridge, Of Louisville, said he
felt embarrassed In taking the opposite side Of
this question, after the applause with which the
OF the advocates Of the resolution have
been received. feel impressed with the great
importance Of this question, and the great ahx, =
ETY. feel for the cause increases my embarrass-
ment The great body Of the Emancipation
party in Kentucky will certainly acquiesee in
the action Of this body, and therefore the desti-
my Of the State of Kentucky, may be said to
depend. in a very great degree, upon the result
Of our MISUNDERSTANDING upon the decision
Of the single proposition now under consdera-
ton.
One party here fayors the enerafiing in the
Consultation Of plan Of emancipation. The
other is Tor leaving the power in the hands Of
the Legislature, and trusting 10 the future ac-
ton Of that body for the details Of plan. il
is assumed by the latter, that defeat is inevita-
bic, If the plan of the former be adopted. This
is broad assertion, but confess the arguments
offered in its support have not produced convic-
ton. On the other hand, / think II has been
shown that the proposition Of the committee
will meet with the most determined opposition;
equal perhaps 10 that which will be offered 20
the holder and more direct effort 10 engrsft in
the new Constitution plan. Is there not great
force in the idea that there is In the minds Of
the people firmly fixed opposition to the con-
slant OF too frequent agitation Of this question:
Fifty years have elapsed since H. was presented
seriously to the people. II We now take the
higher o .ound, and we arc successful, the ques-