The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-03-07
WHOLE NO. 1876.
THE SLAVE QUESTION.
"tLVh w AE. MILAN II. BISSEL
OF ILLINOIS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPEFsrNr,T,vrs

4 M
Massage - me appropriate Standing Comg,,,,sss
Mr. BlSSELL said:
Mr. CHAIRMAN: Our discussions in this Com.
mlttee have already produced profound and
painful sensation throughout the Union The
public mind has become agitated and anxiops AMI
oppressed with approximations of impending calan,
ny This state Of things, sir, ought not to con
tlnue; or, at any rate, that uncertainty which
makes the future more terrible than would per
haps the realization of our worst fears. ought IN
he removed. fthis Government OF ours il really
80 near It's end as gentlemen here declare IL 10 h.,
or II ITS longer continuance depends upon contin-
gencies so uncertain, il were well that we knew IL
low, that we might make timely preparation. IT.
on the other hand, the apprehensions have spo-
ken OF are groundless, the people ought, in mercy
| TO be uhdecelVed. They ought TO he uudeceiyed
at once, sir, in order that they nav have that re
| pose and conscious security TO which they are on
Titled under Government created and sustained
| by their own hands
| Reluctant as am to add to the public anxiety
yet do not feel at liberty to withhold the express
sion OF my own opinion upon the absorbing tonic of
THIS discussion, and Ofthe day. And DO not hes
Itate to declare as my settled conviction that uu-
| less Representatives who have assumed to sneak
for the sIaveholding States have greatly msts ken
the purposes and intentions OF the people OF those
States war and bloodshed, consequent. upon an nj.
tempt to overthrow this Government arc inevita-
bic. This declaration desire should 20 forth TO
the country, and with il the reasons upon which
my opinion is based. These reasons are found in
the extracts which | shall quote first from the
speech of the honorable gentleman from Nis,is.
sippi, Mr.. BRowN Here are the extracts:
Whilst you have been heaplug outrage upon outrage.
adding insult 10 Insult people have been calmly ca
latrg the value q TIE Usion The quest. has been nnp
49, pa. -. E>},sts sno o,o, sS..Ss ~ maze
. - n IN
to the friends of freedom Throughout the world to warn yu
that We intend TO submit I6nsg.?h
Long years OF outrage feelings DISREGARD OF
our nave awakened in every southern heart feeling
~ stern resistance Think what you will say what YOU
WILL perrerste again and again " you WILL these acts OF
wess tyranny the day aud the hour At hand when every
southern will rise In rebellion every tongue viii
say give us just ce or give us death"
Go home and tell your people the issue Is made nm hev
must now choose between Interference with S6utb,rn
r,ht' on the side ana dissolution Of Union ON the
otheru W. "
II yon fancy that voon the Union will keen "a,
~ the Union, you are mistaken Our love for the Uncn
ceases with the justice Of the Union We cannot love Oh
preston, hug tyranny TO oui bosoms.p
tell you candid we have calculated the value Of the
ustihes me to day in discussing the value the Union and
do freely and fearessy Your press your peore and
your pulpit may denounce this treason be il so You
sing hosannas 10 the Union Il well British lords
called IL treason In fathers when they resisted British
tyranny British 'rators were eloquent in their euogums on
the British Crown Our hthers felt the oppression they
saw the md that aimed the blow resolve 10 resist
The result is before the d. We will resist 10
rhe Sonth afraid Of dissolvng Union why should
fef What Ia there To alarm our
sons Are not able to maintain Shall eight
millions Of freem"n, with more than hun tired millions Of
annual exports take position among nat,n
OF the EARTH win our cotton sugar rice and tobacco
products Of Southern SOIL yielding annually more than
hnn,ed millions OF dollars need fear tae the
a Hsvc any fear dissolution Of the UuIon9
Look at the question ospass natey answer 20 your
selves important inquiry Can he expected from
the bern people Do not vourselres
% m eelf lcau
clear conscience do fear are appalled, at
the prospect before us we deIrecste di.unon Int We do
not fear IL; We know position too well for that
Have we anything to fear from you the dsso-
luton htte gasconRdc and sometimes threat two"
r,sa s,f9 s6sidAps fsip eis e. gF nv,
pose 10 take them out the Unonto dissolve the
ant association win you seek battlefield TO renew amid
blood and carnage, this oathsome assocation for
granted that you will not But should point you
20 the record Of the past and you by its blood stained
pages, that We shall be really to meet youp
These extracts from the speech of the gentle
man from Mississippi Mr. BRowS are sufficient
for our present purpose.
The gentleman from North Carolina TMr.
CLIScMAS tells us mbat is the -uem presented in
prospect 10 many Of fhehghea n,tliecs of The South ~
and IL is substantially this that as separate Con-
federacy the saveholding States might cxpend
AZ much as the United States ever did in time of
peace up to the beginning Of Gen Jackson's Ad-
ministration, and still hive on hand twenty five
millions Of dollars to devote to the making rail
domestic purposes The same gentleman has
thus disposed, in advance, of some lutIe matters
pertaining to the interior regulations the "South-
ern ConfederacyO to he: "The northern tier Of
counties in Kentucky says he, "would perhaps
be Obliged to their slaves to the South But
there would be to her advantages in the change
similar to those of Maryland. Kentucky supplies
the South with live stock TO n great extent but
she has to encounter the competition of Ohio and
9TH Nnrfh hun he o{
these SAFES mere subject 10 duty, she might for
time have monopoly In the traden | doubt not,
sir TINT it will astonish the people Of the great
West and Northwest to find that the fathers Of the
q" Southern Corfederdcyn have disposed of the navi
cation of the Mississippi with such celebrity, as
much as IL will the people Of Kentucky TO learn
that their slaves are henceforth to be removed
of Norh. The same gentleman
Mr.. CLrsGMAN has divulged his plan for remov-
ng-though not quite so gently-all those in Ken
lucky and the other slaveholding States who hest
tate about swearing allegiance to this Southern
Conicderacyn lie intimases that 1t will not take
ms long to hang them as 1t did the Tories in the
Revolution
| think, Mr.. Chairman, that have now given
extracts enough TO justify the opinion expressed
at the outset Of my remarks We cannot fail to
that II the feelings purposes, and intentions of
the peopie of the slavehoding States correctly
represented In these speeches, our countrymen
may well apprehend the most fearful cnlamties.
The subject has been calmly considered in all its
aspects by the highest ueiieas Of the South, ID
has been ascertaned by calculation that II the
Southern States were separated from the North
ern, not only would they escape from Northern
aggression in future, but they would also derive
a direct pecuniary advantage Of s25 600 900 per
annum. And though 1t docs not appear that the
asa Be- to Des p psss
- r. A. Ill.
sippi river has yet been liked IL nevertheless does
appear that such duty Is to be exacted faliude
to these things, sir, to show the minute calculs-
lions that have been entered into in reference to
the altered condition Of things consequent upon
the meditated dissolution Of the Union. They
show an advanced stage In the progress Of this
movement, which, in my judgment, will astOund
the country.
Now, sir, let us see II we can CLEAN from these
gentlemeps speeches the shadowing forth Of any
plan by which this movement is to be commenced
and carried out. first quote from the speech of
the gentleman from Alabama, Mr. lsoE;
VIII the Representatives Of the North attempt by the
power Of numbers outrage the Constitution degrade
he soath by the admission this Territory iCarnai
state without the offer Of some squivslsntr sugyst 70
them rsmembe that TO support the Cons
tuon and could scarcely ut in tame acausscsncs and wit
ness It's open ard shameful violation The attempted
summation Of soch aet would be the overthrow Of the
Constitution, which the Psops represent would resist
Of the People, but obligations the Constitution
and the South less than those Of other citizens
Who In tho aggregate are the Psopef w. assume addition
al o5 gaons when We como a. Representative but
relieved from those which rested upon private eth
ssnsI MY Individual opinion IT, that the southern
pie ought 70 resist Of aggression after Its con
summation here under the higher oblgn
ti.n 10 resist Its con umDafon These suggestions are
made not In the nature OF threat do not IN
sssrAfe ths nrmhess Of the Worth. As matter Of dcrc
ton, always proper TO assume that your antagonist
rm n the fact be doubtful the course proper
90 Ia eur n 10
ton Of Southern members willing 10 suggest, and
my is not approved, 10 follow any path o bonr
sheh pointed by those who older and wiser
trust shall stand together and present
our breasts as the shield Of the Constitution"