The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-01-17

nave the best possible opportunity, when the p0-
sitions upon oil sides are clearly and distinctly
understood TO compare those respective positions
and, II possible arrive at an amicable solution of
the difficulties that exist; but, sir, may be per-
mitted to s1y, that in my Judgment the path to an
amielble solution Of the difficulty does not lie
through ordinations and determinations; it does
not lie through denunciStions upon one side and
upon the other side ;and may be permitted TO sug
gest 10 my friend, the Senator from Arkansas,
whether anything Is TO be gained in a comparison
between the application Of the terms " crime and
criminals on the one side and the application
o. the epithets robber and assassin upon
the other Sir, we gain nothing in this way. Let
define our positions With cAndor, with fairness,
with clearness, and with precision and then, I'M
derstanding each other. we shall be able to deter
mine what course becomes us as Sepators, aud
what course il becomes the States, as sovereign
ties, to pursue
Mr.. President, | may be permitted to say, and
| think it due to the State which in part repre-
sent here, to say, that no menace of dsunion, no
resolves tending towards disunion no limitations
of the'prObability Of disuniOn in any form, will
move US from the path which in onr Judgment it
is due to ourselves and the people whom rep
resent TO pursue. Everything Of that sort has
ost its terror at least trust il has trust that
no man hereafter is to be moved from the course
which in his judgment and his conscience it is due
to the State and the people whom he represents
to pursues trust that no man, hereafter, is to-
be moved from that deliberate course by any
threat or by any resolye, fgoyP H,hsteyAr DSy'er
trust we shall pursue a path Of rectitude with
entire respect for all the people Of oil the States
aud for every State Of the whole Union. But
having determined upon what that path shall be, |
trust we shall not be deferred from pursuing it
by any intimidation Of any kind, or Of this char
acter, particularly.
Mr.. President, we have had it. intmsted in this
debate that the States OF the South have had some
reason to complain Of the course which has been
pursued Now, sir what is there in our past his
tory, or in our present history, which justifes
that complaint Let il be calmly considered, de-
liberately considered and then let me again press
the inquiry. what is there in past or present
history to Justify that complaint Have any
States of the South Mr.. President, lacked their
full proportion Of all the hOnOrs Of this Confed
eracy Have they not bad their full proportion
at tedS, of all the power of this COnfederacy {?
Do they not at this moment in this hall, exercise
al the power, TO say the least of il, which to
them legitimately belongs? Why, sir, who pre-
sides in the other hall? How have your commit
tees been constituted there? Under what infiu-
ence have they been constituted, and with what
purpose have the committees been constituted
here7 Have they not been so constituted, Mr..
President as to meet the claims, and the extre-
NEST claims, OF the gentlemen who represent the
Southern States of this Uuionl Has it not been
held here to ben disqualification, as chairman of
q committee, that the distinguished Senator, even
Of slave State, should maintain what in his
judgment was due to the people Of the whole Con-
federacy in reference TO this subject And has
Il not been held ALSO TO be disqualification TO
other Senator's, that they maintain sentiments
which are common to the people of their entire
States in reference to this question Of slavery
Why Mr. President for my own part, may be
permitted to say that in political sentiment accord
fully with that party which is known as the Free
Democracy of the United States party which
is sometimes sectional, but which, trust viii not
remain forever sectional and which had, during
the last canvass if | may be permitted 10 allude
TO IT, not merely friends in the nOn-slaVeholling
States in this Union, but friends in many Of the
saveholding States also-not organiEi bat
friends and in some of the States organizations
also.
l will add, further. sir. as it is known to be my
position, that stand ready and willing 10 coope-
rate with that party which is known the De-
mocracy Of this country, whenever that party
takes such ground on the subject Of slavery as
accords with the principles Of the Ordinance Of
1887.
Well, sir, now let us compare the positions
held with reference TO this very question, which
is exciting debate and attention here now Do
that they are prepared to act with the Democracy
Of this country, If the Democracy Of this country
take ground in favor of Freedom DO they not
make il the test OF their adherer CO 30 the party
that the party shall respect whist In thei' Judg-
ment are their Legitimate claimsP Me unques-
tionably that test is made. Then ar, Is IL not
legitimate that Senator, holding just strongly
opinions in favor Of freedom a. they hold in favor
of slavery that he should require that the party
which IN nd his cConeration nd
SURFACES should take the ground which in his
judgment he can reconcile TO his own conscience
If 10 be so, Mr.. President in what position do
we stand herel That tests may be made upon
one side, without exclusion from the party's con-
fdence ard the party's respect but tests shall
not be made on the other side but if made in ia
vor Of freedom, they shall be ground for such ex-
clusiun
Well Mr. President, refer to this matter SIM
ply as showing that there is nothing 10 complain
Of far as this House, so far the other House,
far as present arrangements are concerned.
What can he complained of in the future} What
is expected Why, sir, it is apprehendcd that
the Congress of the United States may adopt
the principles of the Ordinance of 1857, and con-
CURED in by the unanimous assent of all the
States represented in the Congress of the Con-
federation, in their application, not to territory
which was slave territory rs the territory north
west of the river Ohio claimed to be, but terrific
ny which is now free. That is one Of the grounds
of apprehension. Another ground of apprehen-
sion is that the Congress of the United States
may determine in their Judgment that it is proper
to apply the principles Of freedom, proper to APP
ply the principles of law, to the question Of sla-
very in the District of Columbia. IL is appTe-
hended that the influence and power of this Gov
eminent may be placed upon the side Of free
dom. Well, sir, what if il should be? Was that
not the precise o. ect which was marked out by
the trainers Of the Constitution? Was it not the
precise object which Was marked out by those
who concuTred in establishing the Ordinance Of
1871 But We are told that if that crisis arises it
must be met by the South. The Senator from
South Carolina tells us, he trusts, in the event
that Congress should adopt any measure of this
sort that the South will meet the crisis as it
ought Well, sir, | must say that concur in
that hope. And how, Mr. President, ought such a
crisis to be met 2 Ought it to be met in n spirit
Of DisunioD, or ought il to be met in the spirit
which governed the deliberations Of those who
framed the Constitution Ought il to be met in
the spirit OF those who framed the Ordinance of
l7S77-that spirit which was then universal in
this country--the spirit which animated the
breast of every gentleman who had a seat in the
Congress Of the Confederation at that time.
Mr. President | trust, for one--and il is all
that have 10 say on this subject-that whenever
this crisis arises it will be met in the spirit Of the
Fathers Of the Republic And if it be 20 met,
rely upon it, Mr. President, there will be no cause
for apprehension but, on the contrary, the Union
will be cemented and the example of this Union
will be made what the Fathers Of the Republic
designed il should be made, an example Of Free
dom 10 the nations of the earth.
He was followed by Mr.. Clemens of Alabama,
who, in long, and apparently prepared speech,
in which he denounced the North set forth at
length the grievances of the South and indicated
dissolution Of the Union as the remedy Indeed