The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-04


she has republican constitutions constitution
more intellig gent and humane than our own miser-
able system Of legislation for this District, where
We have sole jurisdiction. Sir, can We not learn
a profitable lesson from st. Paul, who said, when
he was child, he spoke as child, he thought as
child But when be became a man, he put away
childish thingsn Would it not be well for us to
initiate his glorious example, by putting away our
childish things, asserting our manhood, and en-
teriDg upon the discharge of all the high trusts
assigned us!
But, sir, after all the absurdities of which
have been speaking are exploded, the great Father
Of Compromises comes forward with his peculiar
system Of moral ethics After admitting, in his
New Orleans letter that slavery is piratical war
! against the rights Of man, he has at empted 10
show that this Government should be prostituted
| for its continuance in the District of Columbia
In the letter referred to, he said:
An argument in support of reducing the African race
10 slavery Is sometimes derived from their alleged intel
ectna nferorify to the white aces bnt IL this argument
be founded IN fact may be- but which shall not now
examined II would prove entirely too much ~oud prore
fhdi any ufe nation hch had made gredtr ddrdnees ~
cfp,hsahon knoariedge and uisdon hdn Gnotaer mh'e
nano you'd hare rgh 70 reduce the latter 10 state
ooHddge Nay further: il the principle OF subluga Jon
founded intellectual superiority be true and be APP
picabe TO races and to nations nhG oprere'h ats being
dPphef TO individually And then the wsest nan In the
world would have right 10 make slaves OF all the rest OF
mankind
if indeed POSSESS this jn.eectps spperinritv
fSAAaiy gsNsan' mas pestOweA y,
We ought 70 fuihH all the obligations and duties which H
imposes; and these wouh require not 10 su1ugGs OF
deaf Jrsy oy our oo men rho are less blss than zoe
are ou 10 instruct, 10 inlprore and TO elghfeH mem
Sublime sentiments, embracing the principles
of truth and Of Justice, of hope and immortality !
! These are sentiments for which the Apostles and
the long line Of martyrs suffered and died-sen-
timents for the emodiment of which, the fathers Of
the Revolution pledged their hves their property,
and sacred honor, in the support of seven years
war, which threw off the yoke Of despotism. Yet,
strange as it may seem, the author proposes now
to sacrifice them all On the altar of slavery Yes,
sir, these sentiments we are now called upon, in
this great struggle, "to compromise to throw
away as an idle Observation-Disclosures embracing,
as they do, nothing less than sense of obligation
to God and to our brother Hence the argument
OF the honorable Senator, who said, when urging
the North to make these sacrifices might ask
| OF you larger and more expansive concessions
than from the slave States And why You are
numerically more powerful than the slave States.
You are; in point of numbers greater; and great
ness and magnanimity should ever be allied to-
gether'
Mr. Chairman, in order to see more clearly the
nature OF tSss greatness and msguenipity let MS
call to mind the case Of William Box Brown, who
had 50 great for freedarn to consent to be
put mtS s>os1 Shiv> long, TWO ana NAT ret
wide, and two feet deep, and in this confined and
| distressing condition to be conveyed as package
of goods from Richmond to Philadelphia part
of the time with his head downwards. Here, sir
was one of our own countrymen, free from any
charge Of crime, and yet he was obliged to pass
through the very metropolis of the Republic
which boasts of its liberty and equality, as bale
of merchandise. Shame shame on the Republic !
Take another illustration Of this kind Of greatness
m mil Il ofi Of ha
flag of truce in the capture of the bold and chival
rous Osceola, once already referred to- who was
defending his wife his children, and his country
men, from outrage and insult in the slavery sup
porting Florida war. Sir, if this be the "great-
ness and magnanimity y asked for, | pray that our
country may be less distinguished for such great
ness and magnanimity hereafter.
But, sir, this Compromise measure, that seeks to
identity the Federal Government with slavery by
its continuance in the District of Columbia, re-
verses the generally acknowledged system of ju-
risPrudence throughout the civilized world. While
the strict letter of the Constitution which is just
and good, protects the rights of every person
| wherever the General Government has full juris-
diction, it is urged that We should 90 into court
Of equity to do wrong, when we have the power
to do right. We are told, in effect, that we are
under moral obligation to do wrong. Strange
philosophy, which imposes upon US greater OBJ
legation to do wrong than to do right Sir, it is
the most absurd solecsm imaginable 1t is un-
worthy of the mind that Conceived, and of the
lips that uttered it.
Now, a word further in relation TO the declara-
ton ia Mr.. Clsy's New Orleans letter, that the
colored people have rs good a right to enslave us
as we to enslave them. Suppose some of the
| members of this House, who have sons and daugh-
ters should have them forcibly taken and sold
into slavery, would they, ask again, be willing
to compromise" with people that would COM
NIT such an outrage on their families, by consent
ing that part should remain in slavery, on con-
dition that the others should be restored? No, sir
no! They would revolt at the idea. And yet these
are fair deductions from the premises laid down in
the letter to which have referred-this is the
gross Inconsistency of this recent appeal to our
"msgnanimity y No, Mr. Chairman, we must not
compromise Truth We must not do evil that
good may come We should rather initiate the
noble Kossuth, who when required by the Sultan
to compromise" his sentiments, replied "Ny
ansvr does MOI adinI of hesitation Betmeen death
and shame the choice can nther be dubious nor diff
chit" Sir, this is the only safe rule by which to
square our conduct at all times and under all cir
| cumstances.
But, hear what our own immortal Jefferson
said on this point
"JVah uhat erecraon should the statesman be branded
,cho permitting one half Of the CT items thus 10 iraTpe
Me rghts ne otheT tranortHs those INTO depot', and
and the lore Of country Of The other"
| Why, sir, in certain localities, we have pro-
claimed slavery to be piracy. Is it any less sinful
here2 Let me read an extract from speech de-
livered by STAKEHOLDER, in the recent Convention
Of Kentucky-l mean the Hon. Mr.. Turner
The whole civilized world has turned its back pen the
African slave trade Portugal coming
zston and Christianity upon this subject, If may be
al fbQ h.roa
of England and Of France and Of all the enlightened ma.
ons of the earth And schat is there IN the Aiean Stare
trade that is oorse than to go into another State and 10
bring sapes from thence tearing mothers from their chill
drn, Separating husbands from their tcipes vifho any
offence charged againatenl driving them aio chains,
as they cere beasts Of preyi Is IL not scene that
man. unless he Is determined engage in this traffic. can
look upon without feelings deep and powerful"
Sir 80 long as we render such national facilities
for unfolding this traffic, by keeping within sight
Of this very Capitol, Jail, and authorizing the
United States marshal to keep slaves for slave
traders at the rate of thirty-four cents day, and
even keep our own citizens confined in this same
prison for acts Of humanity towards those thus
treated, and that in violation Of the clause of the
Constitution which expressly declares that no man
shall be deprived Of this liberty unless he shall be
guilty of crime, 80 long may we expect to be by
word and a kissing throughout the world. We
sympathize with the Roman and Hungarian patri
ots, while condemning own citizens for the same
noble deeds Sir, who are the Kcssuths, and who
the Austrians in the contest to which have refer
red Ssyers and Drsyton are now incarcerated
Tor receiving on hoard the Pearl those who had
right, GUARANTEED them by the Constitution, to 90
and come at their pleasure. Sir, have visited
these our afflicted country in prison, and given
them strong assurances that the people sympsthize
with them in their stliction-that hundreds of Pc
titions are constantly being sent to Congress for
their relief told them that the time was near at
hand when the Government would be wrested from
those who now violate the Constitution of their
country, and be placed under the control of such
as would WELD il for the protection of aU its cti