The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-12-26

army from New Mexico, and to dissolve the
Union, has not served to strengthen the cords Of
affection which should have bound us together.
But neither the President nor any other person
will charge the North with disloyalty TO the
Union. But that portion Of the sentence just
quoted, which refers to the attempts to disturb
its compromised was intended to refer to those
political friends with whom act.
Sir, those compromises left US entirely free from
the support OF slavery. BY the passage Of this
fugitive law those compromises have been dis
turbed, and the people Of the North involved in
the degradation aud guilt Of sustaining slavery
and sir, in the language Of the President, "thcy
are ready to rebuke' those who have thus dis
turbed the compromises-and they will rebuke
them. Our people, too, will resist by every con-
stitutional means the execution of that law.
This practice of attempting to sanc'ify every
enermiy in legislation by referring to the Union
of orr. fathers" has become very common among
a certain class of politicians; but did not expect
to meet with it in the Message Of the President.
1t does not comport with the dignity Of such
paper. 1t is almost as much out Of place as it
would be TO appeal to the loyalty which our ia
theirs ancently bore to the British crown. The
Union of our fathers was adopted as the best
means Of preserving the liberties, and promo.
ting the happiness of the people 1t was abandon
ed for the same purpose Even our Union with
Texas was framed for that avowed object. A ma
iority of Congress thought and believed that it
would increase the wealth and the happiness of
the people For the same purpose we waged a
war with Mexico, and conquered another vast
territory and brought another State into the
Union. The Union now existing will be retained
80 long as the great mass Of the people shall re-
gard il as conducive to their interests and happi
ness Yet whenever they shall be convinced that
it subservcs the cause Of oppression, that it has
become an instrument for degrading themselves,
another revolution will take place, and they will
lay II aside az cur fathers did their union with
England They feel as the patriots Of that day
felt, that whenever any form of Government
shall fail to sustain the selt-evident truth that all
men mae created egval and are eWVed 10 The enjoy
mem of life and h1,Hy" it is the right of the peo-
pie to lay it aside, and to adopt new form of
Government, basing its action upon such princi-
pies as shall best promote their interests and hap
pinessn
But this cry of danger to the Union" is be-
coming understood by the people. To save the
Unionp we annexed Texas; " TO save the Union"
we paid her ten millions Of dollars; to save the
Union fifty thousand square miles of territory
which had been consecrated to freedom by Mex
leo, and conquered by our arms, were delivered
over to Tex IS and to slavery to save the Unon,"
the people of the free States have been compelled
TO become slave cstchers and we are now told
that " to save the Union" this infamous law must
d kept in force TO save the UNiNH we uHst !
drive the FINISHING weary, fugitive from our
doors or seize him and send him back to his pris
on house of bondage Sir il has come to this the
cry of danger TO the Onlon0 is now resorted to
for the purpose of iustifying every outrage upon
the people Of the North, which the Slave Power
demands Under this cry, meetings are called in
your commercial cities and resolutions adopted to
suppress agitation among the people" And the
Secretary of State, and distinguished Senators,
write letters 10 saue me UniOnn Dinners eaten
and wine drunk, and speeches made, 80 sGUe The
Uaionn For the same purpose the Secretary Of
State votes against the candidate of his own par
ty, and distinguished Senator from q Western
State threatens to leave the Wings, with whom
be has acted from early life
Sir this clause Of the Message has reference to
that new party which is already in process of for
nation and which is TO be based upon the doc
trines of this Message-upon the policy of con-
tnuing in force this Fugitive Law--the laws that
sustain the slave trade upon our Southern coast,
and in this District-and of opposing all efforts
TO exclude slavery from our Territories and from
the District of Columbia In short, sir, this new
party is to oppose all attempts to separate the PEG
pie of the free States and this Government from
the support of that institution
T. sir, rejoice at the prospect Of seeing every
public man, and every electOr of the nation, take
his position either for Freedom or for Slavery
The President has come out boldly and maufully
on the side of oppression, in favor of compelling
the people Of the North to become the catchers of
Southern slaves lie calls on his friends to take
position with him They will do so. We shall
soon have buttw political parties One will con-
tend for the emancipation of the free States and
this Government from the control of the Slave
Power; to restore vitality to the Constitution; to
give that instrument effect to maintain the rights
of all the States under it to secure all men under
our exclusive Jurisdiction in the enjoyment Of life,
liberty, and happiness With Mr., Morris, and
those who assisted in framing the Constitution,
that party "nerer wW concur IN uploldmg domestic
SLAVERY" With Mr.. Gerry, "while they have
nothing TO do with it in the States, they Mil iHd
no sanction 10 Io With MIR Sherman, they /" can
see no more prOpic'y IN selling and arreaderiag a
tHg6irs Stare than a horse"
With these trainers of the Constitution the
party of Freedom will stand. These principles
they will maintain and carry out; they will sepa-
rate and purify themselves from the sin aud the
shame of Slavery they will redeem this Govern
ment from its support; they will leave II within
the States where it exists. The judgment and
conscience Of the people are with us; they know
our doctrines to be correct. The popular heart
beats for freedom. Party prejudices are giving
way. Truth is doing its Legitimate work A great
political revolution is going forward No parti-
san influence can stay its progress. The history
of the last few months and years must bear to
every rejecting mind consciousness that the
principles Of Justice, Of righteousness of humani-
ty, must triumph The moral sentiment of the
nation demands the repeal Of those acts of Con-
gress which authorize and cnioin the commission
Of crimes They wW he repeoled, and the Govern
ment will be redeemed from its present position !;
and its laws and influence will be exerted for the
benefit, for the elevation Of man.