Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-04-03
PLAQUEMINE:
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1850.
Speech of Daniel Webster,
ON SLAVERY.

Speech of Daniel Webster,
ON SLAVERY.
Mr.. President, wish to speak to-day, not as
a Massachusetts man, nor as Northern man,
but an American, and member of the Sen
ate of the United States 1t is fortunate that
there is Senate of the United States-a body
not yet moved from its propriety, nor lost in a
just sense of it's own dignity and its own high
responsibilities, and body to which the coun-
try looks with confidence for wise, moderate,
patriotic, and healing doctrine. 1t is not to be
denied that we live in the midst Of strong agita-
tions, and in the m DIST of very considerable dan
ger to our institutions Of government. The
imprisoned winds are let loose. The East, the
West, the North, and the stormy South, all COM
bne to throw the whole ocean into commotion
and to toss its pillows to the skies, and to dis
close its profoundest depths do not expect,
Mr. President, to hold, or to be fit to hold, the
helm in this combat of the political elements;
but havea duty to perform, and | mean to
perform it with fideity--not without sense of
lhe surrounding dangers, but not without hope
have part to act not for my own security or
safety, for am looking out for no fragment
upon which TO float away from the wreck. if
wreck there must be, but for the good of the
there is that which will keep me to my duty
during this struggle, whether the sun and the
stars Shall appear or not appear for many days.
/ speak, to-day, for the preservation of the
Union. "Hear me for my cause speak, to-
day, out of a solcitiou> and anxious hear, for
the restoration to The country OF mat Gu 1T and
that harmony which make the blessings Of ;nis
Union SO rich and so dear to us all. These are
ftbo / tn to Il,
! these are the mo ives, ard TIE sole motives, that
influence ME in the wish to communicate my
opinions to the Senate and the country: aud if
can do any thing however little, for the pro-
motion of these ends, ! shall have accomplished
all that desire. .t.'...... ...
| Mr.. President, it may not be amiss to recur
very briefly to the events which, equally suddel,
and extraordinary, have brought the political
condition of the country to what it now is In
May, 1886, the United States declared war
against Mexico. Her armies, then on the
frontiers, entered the provinces of that Repub.
her mountain passes, and occupied her capital
The marine force of the United States took
possession of her forts and her towns on the
Atlantic and the Pacific. In less than two years
treaty was segotiated, BY which Mexico cedrd
seven or eight hundred miles along the shore,
ofthe Pacific; reaching back over the mountains
and across the desert, until joined the frontier
of the State ofTexas. It SO happened that, ir
the distracted aud feeble state of the Mexican
Government, before the declaration of war b,
the United States against Mexico had become
known in California, that the people in Califor
MIA, under the lead Of American officers, perhaps
generally. overthrew the existing Provincial
Government Of California-the Mexican au
thoriles--and run up an independent flag
When the news arrived at San Francisco tina
war han been declared by the United State:
against Mexico, this independent flag was pull
ed down, and the stars and stripes this Unior
hoisted in its stead So, sir, before the war was
over, the powers of the United States, military
and naval, had possession of San Francisco ant
Upper California, and great rush Of emigrant
from various parts ofthe world took place int
California, in 1916 and l847. But now, beholt
another wonder. 5, g1assss.- g... T..
In january of l848. the Mormons, it is said
or some of them, made discovery Of an ex
traordinary rich mine OF gold--or, rather, OF I
very great quantity Of gold, hardly fit to b.
called mine, for it was spread so near tn
surface-on the lower part of the south O.
American branch Of the Sacramento They
seem to have attempted to conceal their discov
ery for some time: but soon another discovery
perhaps Of greater Importance, was made O
gold in another part Of the American branch o
the Sacramento, and near Suffers Fort, as it il
called. The fame of these discoveries spread
far and wide They excited more and NOR,
the spirit ofemigralion toward California, whci
had already taken place; and persons crowdet
in hundreds, and fiocked toward the Bay Of Sal
Francisco. This, as | have said, took place il
the winter and spring Of l8a8. The digging
commenced in the spring Of that year, and from
that time to this, the work Of searching for gole
has been prosecuted will, success not hereto
fore known in the history of this globe. We al
know, sir, how incredulous the American public
was ut the accounts wn,ch at first reached ns0
the e discoveries. bui We all know that these
/ 4crounis receive, asd continue I" receive daily
confirmation. and dow., 20 the present moment
fsuppose the ASSURANCES are az strong, after tiit
experience ofihse several months,os niue. o
gold apparently ineSiaustible in the region,
near San Francisco in California, as they wer.
at any period of the earliest dates of The &c
counts It SO happened, ir,.hat, although ir