Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-03-12

from the lands and territories ceded by
her TO this Government, for any such pur-
nose as to believe, in whole or sin part,
or in any way to diminish or depp! bench
ciallv with the free colorea population OF
the Southern States. have>saln>S4a'
houor Virginia for her cesslon okthSNeT-
r;tory. There have been rcceveeo
the treasury of the United States e,ghh
millions of dollars, the proceeds OF The
sales of the public lands coded by Flrgin-
ia. If the residue should be sold at the
same rate, the whole aggregate viii eX-
ceed two hundred millions of dollars. II
virginia and the South see fit to adopt
any proposition to relieve IhemselYf
from the free people Of color among 'hen~
they have my free consent that the Gov
ernment shall pay them any sum OF moR
fey out of its proceeds which may be 7A
equatc to the purpose.
AMI now, MIR. President, draw these
observations to i close. | have spoken
freely, and | meant 10 do so. l have
sought TO make no display Il have sought
to enliven the occasion by no animated dis
cussion; have sought only 10 speak my
sentiments fully and at large, being de-
sirous once and for all to let the Senate
know, and to let the country know, the
opinions and sentiments which entertain
on all these subjects. These opinions
are not likely TO be suddenly changed
| If there be any future service that | can
render to the country consistently with
these sentiments and opinions, | shall
cheerfully render it. If there be not, /
shall still be glad to have an opportunity
10 disburden my conscience from the bot
tom of nv heart, and to make known eve
nv political sentiment that therein exists.
And now, Mr.. President, instead OF
speaking of the possibility or utility OF Sc
cession, instead of dwelling in these cav
erns of darkness, instead of cropping with
those ideas so full of all that Is horrId and
horrible, let us come out into the light OF
day; let us cherish those hopes which be-
long to us; let us devote ourselves to those
great objects that are fit for our consider
alton and our action; let us raise our con-
ceptions to the magnitude and the impor-
lance of the duties that devolve upon us;
let our comprehension be as broad as the
country for which we act, our aspirations
as high as lis certain destiny; let us not
be pigmies in the case that calls for men.
Never did there devolve on any generation
of men higher trusts than now devoIvr
upon us for the preservation OF this con-
stituton, and the harmony and peace OF
all who are destined TO live under II. j.
is a great popular Constitutional Govern
ment, guarded by legislation, by law, by
iudicature, and defended by the whole ai-
lections of the people. No mOnarchlaI
throne presses these States together; no
iron chain of despotic power encircles
them; they live and stand upon Govern
ment popular in its form, representative
in its character, founded upon principles
Of equality, and calculated, we hope, to
last forever. In all its history it has been
benefcent; it has trodden down no mans
liberty; it has crushed 10 State. 1t has
been, in all its influences, benevolent, be-
nefcent; promoting the general prosperl-
ty, the general glory, and the general re
nown, and, at last, il has received vast
addition of territory. Large before, it has
now, by recent events, become vastly lar
ger. This republic now extends, with q
vast breadth, across the whole continent.
The two great seas Of the world wash the
one and the other shore. We may real.
ze the beautiful description Of the orna-
mental edgng Of the buckIer of Achilles
" Now the broad shield complete the artist
crowned,
With his last hand, and poured the ocean ronnd;
In living silver seemed the waves 10 roll
And beat the bucklcr's verge, and bound the
whole"