The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-05-16


| Morl celebrated amendment | will now make
some observations Of general character upon the
subject of slavery, in relation to which so much
has been said in this debate in order that my po-
sition and views may not be misconstrued First
! however permit me to premise, that u ne had dc-
q,lred srhsr Ne1o Me1ieo or California and biH
ras before The House proridng Territorial GoperH-
me,Rs thersia, or bill mas b5oreths House protid"g
for The admission Of evhsr OF those PrOUiHesS as Sot,s
lhe territory being first acquired By treaty) 'o0Hid
ro,e for a pr5uisioN ereladusg Siqrery. tarOr NE
principle contained IA The amendment Of my colleague
| and rM 90 for Rgrottmg upon The legislation Of
Tie country, but in the proper form, and at the
proper time and place, when the power to do SO
can be rightfully exercised
Sir. this premature dodge which we have
seen invoked at the present session, by distin-
guished representative from Massachusetts,, is not
original with him. claim priority of discovery
| for the gentleman from whose speech have just
read and think could find some score or more,
who have at least three years advantage ofthe gen.
tleman from Boston, in its use | should not have
deemed this worthy of note, but that | do not
think il fair in Massachusetts to claim originality
for all the inventions connected with this subject
She, fear, will be coming in for pay, to the ex'
clusion of earlier and more meriorious inventors.
| A distinguished Senator from that State claimed
| the Proviso by right Of prior discovery, ana ex-
| hibited much warmth aud indignation, that hum
| bier men should play with his thunder" ms,
| however promising neither quick nor large re-
turns of profit, the distinguished Senator mas re-
Gently abandoned, and patented another inyen-
| ton, under the name of physical geography. or
the lac of tie formation Of The earth by which ne
proposes to quiet the apprehensons of the North,
upon the subject of the extension OF slavery
| Here again Massachusetts, is infringing upon the
| rights of PENNSYLVANIA This same pdndced was
offered to the public rs eary'as the fall OF 1917,
by a distinguished citizen of my own State, in a
celebrated document, knownas the Berks Coun-
ty Letter. Ii did not promise at that time 10
become a popular medicine. Every Wing stomach
rejected it. We shall see whether or not it will
be more palatable to them, when administered by
one of their own doctors. But, sir, it is not my
purpose to enlarge upon this theme. only de-
sired to state the facts to vndcate the truth OF
history and to notify the South, that Pennsyl-
vania claims the first instalment OF pay
To return. Mr. Chairman, to the subject from
which have been led by this DEPRESSION. Ii was
under pledges Of fidelity and support that treach-
ery to freedom first took shelter. This cloak was
worn, until the South demanded that it should be
laid aside The Territories were acquired, and
il became necessary either to stand up to these
professions, or to find some new cover behind
SrioG 60 s6shefprposition. Presidential cleo
ton was approaching The slave power insolent-
ly proclaimed its purpose to support no man for
Gxssiys et7se yhpshoaid regard Eitb ,he least
favor the Ordinance of Freedom. True, promi-
nent candidate had given it his unequvocal en-
dorsement--had spoken Of it as great measure
of right which ought not and must not be aban-
doned But slavery was memorable. The oracle
must speak and it must speak as commanded Sir,
the oracle did speak, and we had produced the
"Nicholson letter. in which, for the first time,
the ground was taken by Northern man, that
the "Proviso" was unconstitutional.
We hear much said, MIR. Chairman, of the ag-
gressions of the North upon the South charge
upon the South wanton and wicked aggressions
upon the North. She seduces our public men,
She tempts them beyond their strength. She
leads them Cup into an exceeding high noun
tain, and shows them the Kingdoms of this world,
and promises them dominion and power and they
" fall down and worship"
Sir have spoken of slavery as the basis OF an
aristocracy. IL is so and give ii as my mature
and deliberate judgment, that the shareholders Of
the South constitute one Of the most formidable
and powerful aristocracies upon the face Of the
earth An aristocracy is where the power is In
the hands of the few, to the exclusion of the many
1t is not essential to aristocracy, that its pow
ers and prerogatives should rest upon law; they
may rest upon a strong public opinion, that has
the consistency and force of law. Thus 1t is in
the South. The public opinion of the South is
entirely moulded and directed by the Shareholders
Their views, sentiments, and principles, make up
Southern public opinion. The strength Of this
public opinion is strikingly exemplifed in its in
fuence over the press, that great lever which
moves the world The press of the South is the
mere organ and advocate Of tho interests and pre-
negatives of slavery 1t no more dare assail that
instituton or question it's rightful supremacy in
the State, than dare the press Of any arstocratic
| Government Oh earth assai the privileges and
immunities of its -arist0cracy. In the one, the
press is under the Surveillance of law and vigil
ant police, in the other it is under the equally
watchful Surveillance of public opinion stronger
than law | say stronger than law because the
freedom of the press is secured by the Constitu-
ton of every slave State yet this provision is a
dead letter 80 far as respects slavery. The press
of the South is free to discuss every other sub
ject, and all sides of every other subject. There
is nothing in morals in law or religion, so sacred
that it may not undergo Il full and thorough dis
cussion at the South save only the one subject OF
slavery Why is this made an exception
answer, because it is the bul'park of Southern
aristocracy. Why, sir, the press is free in Rus
STA. in Austria, in the most despotic and aristo-
cratic Governments in Christendom, to discuss
all and every subject, so that it does not trench
upon the prerogatives of the privileged order.
No aristocracy ever struggled more desperately
to strengthen and fortify their prerogatives than
have the Shareholders of the South to extend and
perpetuate that system upon which their power
rests Holding in their hands fifteen hundred
millions of dollars of slave property, together
with large portion of the real estate Of the
| South having entire control over the public
opinion, and filling near all the positions of Office
| and power in their respective States with ninety
one Representatives upon this floor, one half OF
| the Senate, and the Executive branch OF the Gov
eminent during nearly the whole period Of our
national existence, thoroughly and indissolubly
united in the common interests and dangers OF
slavery repeat the proposition with which
set out, that the shareholders Of the South consti
tute this day one of the most powerful aristocra-
ces on the face of the earth, and are now fighting
| a battle of life and death for the permanent con
troll of the Government Of the Union.
Sir, one of the characteristics of an aristocracy
| is unrelenting and uuforgiving hatred Of those
who question its privileges or assail its power
Slavery has exhibited this in marked degree
during the history of our Government. When
| has statesman Of the North, however pure, and
Just, and nobe-however exalted in the affections
of his countrymen-wh has such a man crossed
the track of Southern policy, when has he plant
cd himself in the path of slavery, and made man.
full resistance to its exorbitant demands, and sur.
vivcd its proscriptive wrath 2 Sir, the example
cannot be found in the history of this Govern
ment Such man could have sooner passed in
safety the ordeal Of the lSQuIsInos in the dark
ages, upon a charge Of heresy, than he could pass
that Senate Chamber to-day, Are these things
ever to be Must we forever bow our necks to
the yoke of slavery Shall the true men Of the
| North be forever struck DOWN. Are we to stand
still and see our children prescribed in the land
of their birth No, sir no! The men are borr
who will rescue this Government from the GRASP
of a heartless and ruthless aristocracy. Thi'
great work is the appropriate and appointed mis-
sion Of a genuine Democracy-composed, as tha
| Democracy in truth is Of the great free masses o