The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1850-03-23
Extract from Mr.. Uass, speech.


may say, will necessarily provoke recrimina- a,
tim, and may 60 far towards converting just f
cause into an unjust one. Why sir, it is only d
a day or two since one Of the most accomplish Il
ed members Of this body told usIn substance Il
that if a dissolution Of the Union should take I
place, the Northern portion, containing twelve I
millions Of people of the AnglO-Saxon race, and c
embracing regions among the most fertile on I
the face of the globe,wOuld be utterly destoyed.
That their cities would become like Tadmor,
their hills like Gilboa, their fields like the Cam
Pagna,& themselves without prosperity, without
nope. The grass would grow in their high
places; and that they would become like mod
ern Tyre, while the Southern cities would be-
come the ancient Tyre, the entrePots Of the
commerce Of the world. A ii this CRATES harshly
upon my ear. ! do not want any man to tell me
! what this Union would lose, North or South,
by dissolution. 1t iS enough for me 10 know
that, if not fatal to both, it would check the
prosperity of both, and lead to consequences
, which no wise man can contemplate without
dsmly. lam merican, with the most kindly |
feelings to every portion Of our beloved coun-
a try Its strength is in its union; its prosperity
: in its union its hopes in the union. ! do not
' want any one to come here to tell me Of the
d evils the North would suffer from dissolution.
h need no lesson upon that subject. If any
:, one can explain to me what advantage either
l. section would gain by separation might survey
IS such a prospect with less apprehension than
|, now do. Southern gentleman will allow me to
i say, and know they will appreciate the feel
8 lngs with which say it, for have given proof
g fmy desire to do them justlce by the sacrifice
it Of my political position, that they place the de-
fence of slavery upon considerations which do
n, not suit the spirit Of the age. There is no use
b. in going back to the Patriarchs, and tracing the
he history and condition Of slavery from that time
it. to our own days, and proving its compatibility
bv with the word of God and the wants OF man.
of they have much better foundation Tor their
e. rights to rest upon than any such process -
lei Savety s an existing institution in the South
pi- for which no living man is responsible. 1t if
n. dtetwo9en into the Very texture Of society,"
he Between three aid four millions Of people, d't'
o. fering in race and color from the predominant
,er caste, are held In bondage. have seen goot
ed deal Of slavery, and believe lts evils are mucI
n maynfed, and that the slaves generally IN ou
nj Southern States are treated with as much klnd
- ness and consideration as are compatible viii
~ their relative condii ion of bond and tree AM
- certoinlv as we'll as they would be treated u
ma the North if we had slaves there. do not SO
"a mvselF how such mass Of human beings cal
i, be set free, Emancipation, unless the work,
- NAV say, of ages, would equally destroy tn
81. whites and the blacks God in his provdonc
ors may bring it about, do not see that man cal
hov 1t is question which concerns the Sou'heE
ors States alone They have every motive to de'
uls with it Justly and wisely, Ond every intert'
II rance from abroad but adds to the difficulty
nod the position and creates natural reaction
,,o. everv Southern mind. Unfortunately, sir, eve
obs who does not believe that slavery is the be
iii condition ofhuman society, and that comm
o.r nitv never prospered as it might do without
tis is too apt to be considered in the sou'h as
now Northern fanatic, regardless alike OF 'h'
~. rights and Of the compromises OF the consul
,end ton:
~. Now, sir; do not believe this, and no col
sidsration on earth can induce me to say So
49, believe that slavery is miSfoftdne or al
country. But the existing institution ma
80 80 neither the power nor the will to touch
the other hand, every man in the North W
dies not believe it 20 be his duty 10 enter IN
=, crusade against the South, and to cover
- ceun,ry with blood and confagratlon TO aool
!. slavery. is considered by large portion OF
,,;on fellow citizens as doughface-that the c'
,orm-sold by his hopes or his fears to
..cb sbuth. And this Is the condition Of every
no,y who avoids extremes in periods OF great
element, whether that exciteme Mt is mo
the social, political or religious. History lsnu u
,;aho most impressive lessons on this subject w
: ,,;lI the excitement continues, you may as wen
sven to the whirlwind stop, and expect to De ooe.
4onc. as to endeavor to check its progress till
.rmv and reason come to your aid.
wbo Where all this isto end am not presu
list tuous enough 10 Wy y ''''"' .f .,oso
ple?- are followed ~ na'u "o'us' ..uina =
n your not followedOy OeO%'' " w., ~ 49, ,,;sdo
aus.. moderation Of man. | will merely TeI re-,
gg'eS' N Sonclusion, thbt the Senator from Aia'
be-re- |Mr. Clemens) has alluded to peaceao'e
gs7 If solution Of the Union He w,'l pard1on bir u
them, saying that nope ,oGor w omo IF il doe
egates WIN any S.onnoin.mo6t sun" the history Of
. ,,orl o,ors haS Seen wtiuento no opurpose
ositiOn liucaI convulsion, te tha' Io..cy wn,on
ission attend the breaNng uP ."'9 is sare to "a
ID face appear ,;.h, iot" sUcceeds the day. May He
'tbitter ~n;dsd onr fathers in time Of peril direct
const- The paths Of peace and safety