The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-11

lOr VINO Woulu De the yoke-IellOW OF u
slavel New slave States have been added to the
Confederacy and new territory acquired, political
power has thereby been obtained, and ambition
has been gratifed. The Senator from Massa-
chusets attributes this sudden change-by which,
instead Of considering slavery can evil blight,
a blast, mildew, scourge, and curse, it has
become cherished institution no evil, no
scourge, but great religious, social, and moral
blessing to the sudden uprising and rapid
growth Of the cotton plantations of the South
Whatever the cause may be it is certain that the
change has taken place and for the purpose of
letting my constituents see what the sentiments
of members Of this House are, | append few
extracts from their speeches delivered the present
session:
1t has been said that slavery is doomed iasi-
tuition : and 80 believe doomed to exist for
ever. IL is one Of the oldest institutions among
men. In every age, in every cline, it has been
practiced and sanctioned by mankind, whether
acting upon the light Of nature or Of revelation.
Indeed, among men, Christianity itself has not so
many evidences in its favor--a small part of man.
kind have been Christians, while the practice of
slavery has been universal Scion and Lycurgus
are known to us by the fame of their legislation :;
they made no laws against slavery. Greece and
Rome, the most distinguished and civilized of
. --~-,<ssssns..ss '>"r E"''s's-
r.InOn, uUr> OI our INNers, recognises II.
Our Saviour stood upon the world amid slaves,
where the master had power over the life Of the
servant-he did not rebuke it or denoupce it as
crime. And | trust that will he pardoned for
resting my conscience upon these high authorities,
and for declining to commit it to the keeping of
these modern free-soil saints, who have 30 much
trouble in keeping Meir Onn"-Speeeh Of Hon. J.
Ii. SAVAGE, of Tennessee, May Is.
But, sir, slavery is not only justified, but 1t is
| wa tha of he frau of
the Constitution to extend and perpetuate it. |
will read another extract:
| "To ertend the institution indefinitely it 1.-THE
Constitution prohibited the passage of any law
| to stop the importation of slaves from frca and
elsewhere, prior to the year 1908. Another
| clause, with view to its perpetuatOn forever
provides for the recapture of fugitives who escape
TO non-slaveholding States. Notwithstanding
these plain stipulations between the slaveholding
and non-slaveholding States, constituting the e9
sental, vital provisions of the Constitution with
out which all admit the Confederation could not
have been formed, we are cantingly told that
slavery is sin, and the North is opposed to its
extension I'VE, the philanthropists of this day,
are better than the sages and heroes, purified by
the trials OF sne Revolution and covered WITH its
glories, who assembled in the old hall of the Con-
federation In, 17s7'sI heye netss,y tz zsa.aS7 =
these pharisaical pretensions; they are beneath
contempt. am content with the religion of the
Bible, and the Constitution Of our fathers uncor-
rupted by the comments of the pseudo moralists
and statesmen who now shed their coruscltions
upon u.s. | shall certainly not condescend to re-
ply to the pulling sophstry upon this subject, so
often heard in this House. Were | disposed to
argue the question of slavery, without reference
to the Constitution, in all its relations religious
moral, social and POLITICAL no fear of its success
full vindication would restrain me. 1t would seem
to be proclamation to call an institution of society
irreligious or immoral, which is expressly and re-
peatedly sanctioned by the word of God which
existed in the tents of the patriarchs; and in the
households OF His own chosen peopleo-Speech NJ
Hon. Mr. Iage, Of alabama.
An honorable gentleman from Mississippi Mr.
FEATHERsToN says,
" That slavery is the natural, the proper con-
dition Of the African-one that is advantageous
to his master, and great blessing to him.
An honorable gentleman from Virginia, mr.
BococK from the land of Washington and Jetfer-
son, says:
"lt is now asserted that slavery Is "a moral era'
in other words Sin, and consequently that those
who hold slaves are guilty therefor Sir, when
look to those enduring precepts of moral conduct
which, hooking all change, and defying all fight
of years shall be made more and more ilustri-
Gus as eternal ages shall crown them with the
tolerated, had almost said inculcated
Satisfied ourselves that there is no immortality in
it, we have very slight opinion of those who are
so egregiously wounded in conscience for usn
And the honorable gentleman from Mississippi
| Mr. Brown says:
"You think that slavery is great evil Very
well, think So but keep your thoughts 10 yourselves.
For myself, regard slavery as a great moral,
social, and religious blessng-a blessing to the
slave, and blessing to his MASTER
An honorable gentleman from Alabama, { Mr.
ASTON In reply to an honorable member from
| New York, who had stated that the South &C.
knowledged the SIN and evil of the institution,
and yet sought to extend that evil to Others said
" that the South entertained no such opinions
and added, "Weare told by St Paul that if there
bad been no law there would have been no sin
then sin must be violation of divine law; and |
shall proceed to show that slavery is not viola
ton Of that law, and therefore no SIM The re-
mander of his hour was devoted to the proof that
slavery was dirine institution, established by the
law of God that the public wealth and happiness
were promoted by it, and that it was our duty to
perpetuate and extend it, ! leave the question
Of its origin, Mr. Chairman, TO be settled by the
ologians with that have, at present, nothing to
do; my only object in making these quotations il |
to show, that while the statesmen and people of
the North have consistently and uniformly regard |
ed slavery as an evil that the sentiment and action
of the South has undergone change, and that
from unanimous desire which they once enter
tanned to restrict its limits, and to gradually but
finally exterminate it from the land they have
put forth their mightiest efforts to strengthen,
extend, and perpetuate it. This desire on the
part of Southern statesmen was first exhibited |
in the celebrated Missouri controversy. They |
were unwilling to reinquish single acre of that
immense Louisiana purchase from the grasp Of
the slave power. Then, as now the stability of
the Union was menaced and the North was taunt-
ed with the threat of Southern confederacy; but
in the settlement Of the controversy, Southern
President, with Southern Cabinet, Of which Mr..
Calhoun was one, distinctly acknowledged the
power of Congress over slavery in the territories.
The same spirit was manifested in the Florida
purchase. But 1t was never so boldly and shame
lessly exhibited as In the negotiations for the
nexation Of Texas. propose, Mr. Chairman, to
make some quotations from the celebrated cores
pondence which preceded the treaty, under Mr..
Tyler's administration, that my constituents may
see the motive which prompted Southern states
men to enter into that negotiation, and also TO
convince them of the propriety, nay absolute ne
cessiy of migrating the anti-slavery restriction
into the two and three million bills which after
wards proposed the acquisition Of Mexican terri
tory, aud into territorial governments now that
the country is acquired. These negotiations were
based upon the assumption that the British Gov
eminent was exerting its influence to obtain from
Mexico the recognition of Texan independence,
condition Of which was, that slavery was to be
abolished in Texas This excited in the minds
of the Southern shareholders in the Cabinet the
greatest alarm, ana the powers of the Govern
ment were put forth to prevent 1t. In dispatch
to Mr.. Murphy, the Secretary Of State, MIR, Up
shur says
"A movement Of this sort cannot be contem-
plated by us In silence. Such an attempt upon
any neighboring country would necessarily be
viewed by this Government with very deep con-
Germ, but where it is made upon nation whose