The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-23

send such memorial II adopt il now, SIR 1t willgo
out sanctioned BY the Senate of the United Sates ana
considered as par, of the history of the country
have not heard betore-t may be true, but have MOI
headof the horrors of the prisons and the slave trade
IN the District OF Columbia to which these resolutions re
fer but that sapen, legislature three or four hun
dred miles OH may know more about 1t than we do VINO
live here on the spot
do not pretend TO say whether il is true not but
do not wish to endorse it, | cannot, Mr.. President,
sanction these proceedings, because think there are
those radical errors IN IT. do not object TO the opinions
but IL is the facts contained in that memorial to which
Object p,s.;dsD, s.,,,. h,. com.0csd and
since the gentleman from Connecticut MIR NmEsl has
asked the question about the danger 10 the Union,
whether the senator from Florida Mr IuLEEl knows OF
any facts which he supposes the Uuion in danger
or not, l. southern member, take upon myself 10
make reply in part to that gentleman Yes, SIR, | la
TO say that there strong causes lncreas
ing. and multiplying every day, which endahger the
Union.
If the gentleman asks where its Indications
will tell him the first and prominent one, that he may
take it home, sleep and reflect upon 1t, and that IS, the
action of the people of the North for past
particular subecttha of retaining fugitive slaves
1t is admitted on all sides now, Il suppose there is no
man here who denies it, that that principle OF the const
tuition for retaining fugitive slaves without which
Judge Story, Judge Baldwin, and even Judge McLean
have declared that the constitution could never have been
adopedhat part of the constitution OF the United States
is completely and absolutely dead letter. l know II is
erased from the constitution of the United Sates-l
know it is not expressly abrogaed by all the States,
though by some but practically and really, 1t is no
to exist The obstacles thrown in the way by north
ern fanaclsm the danger TO lie IN attempting to re-
cover the fugitive, have abrogaled it. 1t is no long,
err a principle of the constitution, though admitted
all sides that the constitution could never have been
formed without that. ask the gentleman now to con-
slider it calmly and say whether he does not think il IS
very blow TO this edicethe constitution OF the
United States'
Unfortunately, Mr. President, this is not all those
blows which formerly few and far between,
have thickened, and thickened greatly; and when
the misfortunes, if they should come, 10 which
these events lead, fall upon us-when the Union
is about to be severed-when that gentleman, who
presents these resolutions, to reflect in his
calm hours the msfortunes of the country, or the
blows which have been evelled at this Union unless
much mistaken, this gentleman Will recollect that
some of those heaviest bows-unnlended perhaps, bu
the less deslruc,ivesome of these blows were Of
fered By him, and on this floor | believe, in those mo
ments il they should comel hope they never may
but if they to come, think the senator from New
York [Mr. DIxl will recollect that the very resou
tons and arguments offered this morning. and on former
occasions by gentlemen of influence have been the heav
est blows against the perpetulty OF the Union
know, Mr. President, i, has been customary to
suggest and throw out the idea that all the blows
against this instrument from our quarter Of
this Union Not at all, sir | know OF 70 violation
from the South-not one. When has anything that de-
stroys the constitution on this subject any other
from the Souih' We have acted-we now act-and
shall ACT in the awful CRISIS il it comes TO us-on The de-
ensive, and on that alone Have we ever claimed any
extraordinary privilege on the subject OF slavery Have
we ever asked this body any other body, to extend
slavery Never these resolutions enormously represent
Is not then, admitted here by every member from the
free States that he knows nobody-and certainly know
nobody-who claims an extension of slavery, or who
wishes for extension OF slavery But they Tear we
shall carry it to- other territories, and the Union be en-
daHgeed The idea Is thrown out that 1t is We and not
they, who are making the assaults 1t is not us al all
it is altogether the North
But, Mr. President did not intend to debate this ques'
ton; only wished to state that there was danger OF dis
union that the foundations OF this Union are shaking
that they may perhaps fall; and think and believe
certainly will fall if these people who have been con,
t,n,,ul lr dali fhpir In
for such length of time, do not cease, IN order TO
calm the agitation of this question. We ask moth
as heretofore with the Territories, the District OF Co.
umbia, and with other places We certainly have
right to ask that-we ask no more but If, after you
have abrogaed that provision of the constitution
practically, you go on and make small nracion in
the District of Columbia and then go further and extend
this principle to the ockyads and other places owned
by the government of the United States-when your
course. brings at the South conscentonsy TO be:
eve that these only steps TO the consummanon Of
the great event of the abogaon of slavery it is great
evil at least and while these things go on uninterrupted
and unchecked you must not be surprised the dissou
ton of the Unions but do not attribute it to US Look at
home. to your own coniuct, at your own course al
your own ntractions OF the constitution
Have intertered with your domestic institutions!
Have abrogaed the principles OF the constitution
in our section OF the country why, SIT, II south caro-,
lima Louisiana had shut their ports to New York ana
TO Massachusetts,, and absolutely excluded them as the
South are already excluded by the North by the operation
OF that principle against the reCapure OF slaves, what
would have been thought of u.s. Nobody would
ton it for moment Well, sir, the measures which
they have adoptelno at at one great blow, but
blyhave been injurious as such measure
on oar part would be.
Mr. President, there is another reason why | con-
sier these resolutions, and all others presented OF
similar character, to be heavy blows aimed at
the destruction of this Union; and, sir, it Is because
they indicate most clearly and uneluivocaliy that that
spirit OF harmony and union upon Wch the constitution
was founded has ceased to exist Do you believe, MIR.
Presidents there any here who can believe Tor
one momen-hat with sixteen States on one sldc-and
the gentleman has mentioned one more than had sup
posel though may be so--when there are sixteen, or
can we believe that in the formation OF the constitution
one half dcnouncng the oher halt Tor practice
immoral, unjust improper and SINFUL and had devised
measures to abolish slavery Do you believe In that case
that the constitution would ever have been formed |!
This sir indicates spirit of hostility; it IS the work
ing not of friends, but OF enemies. liis may De
said not merely of the resolutions now, but OF all
the resolutions aciel upon by the legislatures, AMI OF
resolutions presented by almost every legislature What
is the spirit of them? Instead OF quietly settling their
own domestic affairs, a great many OF them-too many,
regret sayhave taken up this subject OF slavery All
thou IN 1t has particular connsXlon win tneit own
local they have denounced the system OF slavery
here This serves to show that the spirit OF the tunes
when the constitution formed has ceased to exist
Garry il little further and 1t viii not only cease 10 eX-
ist but will become bitter spirit OF hostility between
the North and the South and once let that come, and
am satisfied that must look Tor It's cause 10
the people of the North let exist that feeling OF
hatred and animosy which existed, and even exists
to this day. between ourselves and the mother country
when rebeed against the laws she inflicted upon US
Let them imbibc this spirit in It's full play. and IT will
increase and gain strength both sides All the CHAINS
of the constitutions though they were ten tunes stronger
than steel and alamant, would be rope 81 sand 1t