Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-03-11


heartily; but do not like TO have it come in quite too
imperative a shape | took notice, with pleasure, of
remarks upon this 40 jec, made the other day in
the Senate eft Massachusetts, by young o! talent
and character from whom the best hopes may be enter
tanned. mean Mr. billiard. He tod the Senate OF
Massachusetts that he would for no instructions
whatever to BE- forwarded 10 members of Congress nor
for any resolutions to be offered expressive OF the
oil Massachusetts as to what their members of Congress
ought to do. He said that he proprety in one
set oil public servants giving instructions and reading
lectures to another set OF public servants To their own
master all OF hemmust stand fall! and that master is
their constituents ] wish these sentiments could be-
come more common great deal more common. L
have never entered into the question: and never shall,
about the binding force OF instructions. will however,
simply say this there be any matter OF interest pend
ing in this body, while am member OF it, in which
Massachusetts, has an interest OF her not adverse
to the general interest Of the country, shall pursue her
instructions with gadness OF hear, and with all the
efficiency which can bring here. But if the question
be which affects her interest," and at the time
affects the interests OF all other States shall no more
regard her political wishes instructions than would
regard the wishes Of man who might appoint
arbitrator referee to decide some question of impor-
tant private right. 1t ever there a Government
upon earth, it is this Government; if there
body upon EARTH it is this body which should consider
itself as composed by agreement of ALL appointed by
sone but organized by the general consent Of ALL sit
ting here under the solemn obligations Of oath and con-
science to do that which they think best for the good
of the whole.
Them sir there those abolition societies. of which
| am unwilling to speak, but in regard to which have
very clear notions and opinions | do not think them
useful think their operations for the last twenty years
have produced nothing good or valuable AT the same
time, know thousands of them are honest and good
men; perfectly well meaning men. They have excited
feelings they think they must do something for the
fberty and in their sphere of action they do not
what else they can do than to contribute to an abolition
press an abolition society, orto pay abolition lee
turer. l do not impute gross motives to
the leaders of these societies. but not blind to the
consequences cannot but see what mischefs their in
reference with the South has produced And is it not
plain to every man! Let any gentleman who doubts OF
that to the debates in the Virginia House of Dele
gates in 1882 aud he will see with what freedom propo
stion made by Mr. Rando phi for the gradual abolition OF
slavery discussed in that body Every spoke Of
slavery as he thought very ignominous and dsparagng
and epthets applied to it. The debates in
the House of Delegates that OCCASION believe were
all published. They read by every colored man
who could read and if there were any who could not
read, those debates read to them by white At
that time Virginia was not unwilling nor afraid to discuss
this question: and to let that part OF her population know
much Oft as they could learn. That was in 1872
AS has been said by the honorable member from Carroll
these abolition societies commenced their course OF
action in 1885. 1t is sad-l do not know how true it
may be-,ha they sent ncendiary publications into the
slave Staes at any event. they attempted to arouse and
did arouse, very strong teeng In other words, they
created great agitation in the North against Southern
very. Well what was the RESULT The bonds OF the
slaves bound firmly than before; their rivets
were more strongly fastened. Public opinion, which in
Virginia had begun 10 be exhibited against slavery, and
opening out tor the discussion OF the question: drew
back and shut itself up in its castle ! wish to know
whether any body in Virginia can now talk Mr.. Ran
dolph Gov Mcdowell, and Others talked there, openly,
and sent their remarks to the press in 1882. We all
know the fact, and all know the cause and every
thing that this agtatng people have done has heen not
to enlarge but to restrain mol to set ree but to bind faster
the slave population tthe South That my Judgment
Sir, as have said, know many OF them my
neghborhood, very honest good people, mised as |
think, by strange enthusiasm; but they wish to do
thing, and they called on to contribute and they do
contributes and it is my firm opinion this day that within
the last twenty years much money has been collected
and paid to the abolition societies. abolition presses and
abolition lecturers would purchase the freedom of
every slave man. woman and child in the State OF Ma
ryand and send them all to Liberia. Ihave no doubt
OF it. But have yet to learn that the beneyolence of
these abolition societies has at any time taken that par
tcuar turn. [Laughter]
Again, sir the yloe OF the press is complained Of
The press violent Why sir, the press violent every
where There are outrageous reproaches in the North
against the South and there are reproaches in not much
better taste the South against the North Sir, the
extremists of both parts of this county volent they
mistake loud and violent talk Tor eloquence and Tor
reason They think that he who talks loudest reasons
the best And this we must expect, when the press is
free, as it is here and trust always will be-tor with
all its RIGHTEOUSNESS and all It's evil tho entire and abso
lutte freedom 1.-THE press is essential TO the preservation
OF government on the basis Ola free constitution
Wherever exists there will be foolish paragraphs and
violent paragraphs in the press there are, am sorry
say foolish speect and violent speeches in both
Houses OF Congress. In short sir, must say that in
my opinion, the vernacuar tongue OF the country has
become greatly ytaed depraved, and corrupted by the
style ofour congressional debates. Laughterl And
fit possible for debates in congress to vtae
the principles OF the people as much as they have de-
PRAYED their taste should cry out God save the Re-
publ c."
Vel in all this see no solid grievance, no grievance
produced by the South within the redress Of the Gov
eminent, but the single one to which have referred
and that is the want OF proper regard to the inunc
ton OF the constitution for the delivery otfugtivc slaves
Ri There is also complaints of the North against the
South. / need not go over them particularly. The
first and graves is that the orth adopted the Const
tuition, recognising the existence slavery in the States
and recognising the right to certain extent, OF repre-
sentaton of the slaves in Congress. under state of
timent and expectation which do not now exist and
that by events by circumstances by the OF
the South to acquire territory and extend their slave po
pulation the North finds ITSELF regard the ntiu
the Slave States, where never did expect to lind itself
when they entered the compact OF the Constitution
Trey complain, therefore, that instead OF slavery being
regarded evil as it was then, an evil which all
hoped would be extngushed gradually, itis now re-
gaded by the South institution to be cherished and
preserved and extended an institution which the South
sition OF new territory Well then, passing iom that
every body in the North reads and every body reads
whasoeverthe newspapers cGain and the newspapers,
some of them, especially those presses to which have
alluded, are careful to spread about among the people
every reproachto sentiment uttered by any Southe
bearing at all against the North; every hing that
calculated to exasperate, TO ALLEVIATE and there are
many such things, every body will admit, from the
South, some portion oil it, which are spread abroad
among the reading people, and they do exasperate and
ALLEVIATE, and produce most mschievous effect upon
the public mind at the North. Sir, would not notice
things of this sort appearing in obscure quarters; but
one thing has occurred in this debate which struck me
very forcibly.
An honorable member from Louisiana addressed us
the other day this subject. suppose there is not
more amabe and worthy gentleman in this chamber
gentleman who would be more slow to give offence
to any body and he did in his remarks to give
offence But what did he say! Why, SIR he took
pains to run contrast between the slaves OF the South
and the laborng people OF the North, giving the pre-
ference in all points Of condition, and comfort and hap
piness, to the slaves Of the South The Senator doubt
less did not suppose that he gave any offence or did any
injustice He was merely expressing his opinion But
does he know how remarks OF that sort w be received
by the laborng people of the Northl Why, vino are
the Iaborng people of the North? They are the North
They are the people Who cultivate their own farms with
their hands, freeholders. educated men. ndepen-