The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-03-13
From the National Era.
SPEECH OF MR.. WILSON,

OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

The bill to provide Tor carrying into execu-
ton, in part, the 18th article of the treaty
with Mexico, being under discussion
Mr.. WILSON addressed the Committee sub
stantially as follows:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN l deem it unnecessary to
make any apology to the Committee for break
ing the silence which have siudiousy impos-
ed on myself since taking my seat in this Con-
gress. propose to speak of Slavery, deem
ing it the question, not merely of this country,
but of the whole Christian world-emphatical
ly the question of the age, and is discussion
upon this floor fit and proper, in reference TO
its influences and bearings upon our national
affairs. ..
The honorable gentleman from Alabama,
Mr. billiard. the other day, spoke truly in
regard to the effects of Slavery in the South
ern States of this Union-that they are isolat-
ed, cut oil from the sympathy of the Christian
States of the world, by reason of that peculiar
domestic institution. | concur entirely with
the honorable gentleman in that opinion, and
award to him high credit for his honest, frank,
manly avowal Of that truth upon this floor. l
rejoice, sir, that the truth is known 10 South
ern gentlemen, and proclaimed here by one
of their number, of large experience and ac-
knowledged ability.
1t shall be my purpose, during the little time
allotted to me by the rules of this House, to
speak on the subject of Slavery, as connected
with the political affairs of the country, regard
ing it merely in a political view, without at
tempting to discuss the question generally, in
its moral aspects. Upon this subject desire
TO premise few things, in order that Imav be
fully understood.
In The first place, must say that l do not
assent, to the fullest extent to the charge which
was sometimes made against the South, with
reference TO the amount of physical suffering
which they inflicted upon the African race. i
do not believe that the slaves of the Southern
States are commonly subjected to those ex-
tremc physical suifcrings, so often affirmed by
the opposers of slavery; but, on the contrary,
l believe there is a great deal of just and hui
name sympathy felt by the master for the
slave, in most cases wherever the institution Of
slavery has prevailed in this country.
But there is another point upon which rest
my chief objection to the institution; and that
is that the condition of the slave is absolutely
and irretrievably fixed. There arc no means
of improvement left to the slave he has nc
power-no hope of moral elevation. Now, in
the Northern States, there is no man so poo.
that he is without this hope, either for himself
or his children. It is often the case in the
Northern States, that the son or the daugf ter
of the poorest man in The district stand at the
head OF the class, ard come home from school
with "the reward of merit from their teacher
| The poor laborers of the North are constantly
cheered with the hope of improvement and adj
vancement in their children. But the labor.
ing slave population of the country are cheer
ed with no such hope.
Now, the great question before the country
is, whether it be expediant for Congress to ex-
tend this institution of Slavery into the Terri
tories recently acquired from Mexico? | an
aware of the charge which has been made, in
sisted upon, and urged, reiterated here and
elsewhere, in public speeches, and public doc
uments, and papers of every class in the slave
interest, that the North were constantly tres
| passing upon the South, because they would
not consent to the passage of laws making more
secure the right of the stakeholder to his prop
erty. ! undertake to say that, for the last fit
ty wears Of the history of this Government,
this great Slavery question has been the very
centre and focus of all our political action, the
focal point round which every great national
interest has revolyed.
might illustrate by comparison with the
movements of the planets in their orbits a
round the natural sun. The figure of speech
would not be quite accurate and approx riate,
because, when VIC speak of the natural sun,
we convey to the mind the idea of light and
heat. warmth and life, giving energy through
out the entire sphere of its influence, while
the central point of our political action is as
black and dark as Egyptian darkness. as cold
and heartless and unsympathizing as the ice
bergs that roll in the Arctic ocean.
MIR. w. contemplated the beginning of the
Slave Power of this country, and referred to
the fact that, at the very time when the Pill
grim Fathers of New England were escaping
from the oppression which they had suffered
in the Old. World, and landing upon Plymouth
Rock-during the very SAME year, G620O a
Dutch ship found its way to our shores, and
put into the mouth of James River, with three
or four and twenty Africans, who had been
captured for slaves. Such was the beginning
of Slavery in this country, which went on in
creasing with the increase OF settlements in
Colonics-more slaves being imported into the
Southern than into Northern provinces, be-
cause the Northern people were laboring
people, willing to submit themselves to any
trial, in order that they might enjoy, without
molestation, the religion they professed and
worship according to the dictates of their own
consciences.
Here were facts in history, to which gentle
men might look, and see how the country was
situated The old thirteen colonies were COM
munitics with interests all separate and distinct
from each other. There was no contest be-
tween shcm. England was pursuing towards
them all system of policy which was calcul-
ated to convert to her own advantage the COM
mcrcial value of all the labor of the country.
1t was the policy of the country to increase
the amount of that labor. by importing slaves
No matter what was the character of that la
Dor, England was deriving benefit therefrom
corresponding to its amount. This policy was
carried on by the mother country, until the
Revolution, in the year 1776, when it became
50 oppressive, that the Colonies separated
threw off the yoke of her oppression. The
result was to unite the interests of the Colo
MES for mutual defence. Buf after the war
was over, when they found themselves without
Government, then came the great trial OF
the Colonies; and then it was that the conflict