The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-14

slavery DC Cdrrleu into effeCt by THIS HOUSE, te
that disunion is at hand, [Applause.l They who
attempt these aggressions the South were bring
ing that very disunion upon US, and the curses of
Heaven would fall with all their force, upon those
who were the causes of it. In the solemn and sacred
presence of my God declare, mat if these views
are carried out and persisted in, then this Union is
dissolved, Applause And as long as have the
physical strength, l will have the moral courage,
70 stand here and prevent further aggressions upon
the rights of the South [Applause.1
Mr.. DUER rose to explain, but
Mr.. TOOMBS continued. lie said that south
erners had been charged with every crime in the
catalogue, and tainted about the sin of domestic
slavery. He had heard it long as he had been
here. lie had been willing TO sustain the Union on
sound principles; he had used every means; he
had taken all the risks which an honorable man
could. But to tell him that he should not carry
slaves into the territories, he would ask the of
the South what they wanted with organization?
Applause from southern members.l Thirty five
millions have been drawn TO be expended there,
and not one dollar goes into the Golfers of the South
They only ask peace, and ask the North to stand
up to the principles which their fathers of both
tons stood up to in the revolution Slavery did
not trouble their conscences. Slavery left in
the District of Columbia but they of the North
have become tender of conscience, and have vio-
lated that which is the basis of union. Judge
Baldwin said that if a provision had not been made
Tor the delivery OF fugtivcs from justice, the Con-
sutution could not have been created. And yet
this is gone! He asked any man from the North
to say whether that provision not dead
letter. Without hesitation, Mr.. TooMBs remarked,
that he in favor of disunion if this state Of
things continued. Let the South alone give it their
portion Of the territory let the District of Column
bia alone. Only then will there be peace to the
country. And until that was done, he trusted that
discord would reign-if forever. 1.-THE gentleman
was applauded throughout his remarks, of which
the above is but hasty sketch
MIR. ASHE moved that the House adjourn
Mr.. BAKER obtained the floor, but gave way to
MIR. DUER, who said he was anxious only to
DrOdnCe n m He WAS reo6y IN vote for
Wing Democrat from any section of the
country. He had yesterday voted for Wing from
the extreme South, and was ready to do so again,
provided an organization could be had. He was
not governed by any sectional views.
VOICE: Would you vote for the gentleman
from Georgia, who has just addressed the House?
MIR. DUER. cannot well say. do not think
he said he was in favor of disunion.
MIR. BAKER. He said under certain contingent
cies.
Mr.. DUER. The gentleman from Georgia did
not say he was in favor of disunion except under
certain contingencies. cannot well say whether
would vote for him not. would vote for no
man to sit in that chair and preside this House
who would be in favor of disunion.
VOICE: Would you vote for Wimot proviso
man?
Mr.. DUER. Oh, yes, would vote for Wimot
proviso man.
Mr.. BAKER explained his views upon this ques-
ton, and would not have now risen except for the
purpose of setting himself right before his constitu
ents. He had voted for the gentleman from Mass,
(Mr. WINTHRoP,) from the first, and would
still vote for him had he not declined being
didate He was governed by no sectional views J;
on yesterday, he had voted for gentleman from
kentucky Yet he was in favor of the Wimot
proviso. 1t was principle dear to him and to his
constituents, and to the whole northern people.
The whole North was in favor of it, the people of
the free States were all in favor of it, and it was
useless to speak of disunion when the majority of
the country demanded it. But this had nothing,
in his opinion, to do with the question of the cleo
ton of Speaker. He could not believe that any
man. taken from any part of the country, would
carry his sectional views into the chair, or let them
operate on his mind in the government of the
House. He denied that the people of the North,
by holding and advocating the principles of the
Wilmot proviso, could be Justly charged with be-
ing opposed to the Union, or that they were ad-
vancing doctrines which would lead to disunion.
The threats of gentlemen are idle The people of
the North won't be frightened by them The ma
ority of the people of this country in favor of
free territories, and opposed to the extension of
slavery; and the Constitution of the country guar
antics to the majority of the people the right TO
govern.
Mr. billiard protested against such doctrine,
and denied the correctness of any such interprcta-
ton of the Constitution
Mr.. BAKER repeated that the majority of the
people of this Union, through their representatives
had the power, under the Constitution, to make all
laws for the government of the territories which
were the property of the whole Union. AS regards
the threats OF disunion If the principles entertained
their representatives in Congress, they amounted
to nothing. When they shall have been carried TO
the people Of the northern and free States, they
will send back response, that they love the Union,
that the South loves il, and they do not believe you
when you threaten disunion.
Mr.. WALLACE. Well teach you
Mr.. BAKER. How are you to teach us?
Mr. WALLACE. Let slavery be abolished in
this District the South excluded from the terri
tories, and we will show you that we mean what
we say.
Nj. BAKER still did not believe the Union would
be dissolved. Nor did the invocation of the name
of God TO the declaration induce him for a moment
to believe that the Union could be dissolved for such
a cause. Despite the solemn appeal to the name of
God made by the gentleman from Georgia, he did
not believe there was a man in the House who
thought in his heart, in his head, that the hand
would ever be raised with power sufficient to de-
stroy this glorious Union. No man believed, that
there could be disunion Of these States To cal
culate the value of this Union not now his pur
pose, for he did not believe there could be found in
the land, in any town or city, twenty men who
would openly declare themselves in favor of dis
solution of the Union II that disunion took place,
then ii was not the fault Of the North; they were
the majority, and he still of opinion that the
Constitution guaranteed to the majority the right
to govern. We go for our rights under the Const
tuition, but we also go for the "Union, the whole
Union, and nothing but the Union" Applause
from floor and galerics.l Mr.. BAKER was proud
that the expression of that sentiment from his
feeble lips had elected the response which
greeted its utterance. And he hoped that long
as there an American heart 10 beat in the land
il will always respond to the perpetuty of the
Union.
MIR. CLEVELAND wished to say to his friends of
the South who showed such bitter hostility TO the
people of the North, for which he meant not TO
proach them that if their threats of dsunion be
ried out, and they should separate themselves from
their northern BRETHREN that the North would never
be separated in all the kindly feelings of the heart,
such as should sctuate the descendants of their
mon sires. Their fathers had all fought side by
side in the great cause of human liberty; and
the sons TO separate and destroy the great fab
ric which is looked to with such reverence by the
struggling and down trodden masses Of Europe?
The North would ever regard them as friends,
never AZ enemies. The people of the North bad
heard with pain the threats Of disunion. They
could not believe that gentlemen were serious.
What would these gentlemen of the South say, if
the representatives of the North in their places
and said we will dissolve the Union unless you
elect our candidate, or unless you vote thus and
we dctate9 Would not that passionate elo-
qucnce TO which we have listened have been directed
than TO preserve the Union, and To maintain their
independence OF all dctation? 1t certainly would.
There is feeling entertained at the North to OPP