The Madisonian. (Canton, Miss.) 1850-1855, 1850-07-25

our common propertyl Are we, indeed
such disreputable members of your
community that we cannot be admitted
into equal association with youl tits
this injustice, this attempted discrim
ination, this stigma to be affixed upon us
which has deeply moved the heart and
mind Of the southern people; and if
they were not deeply moved, they
would deserve the inequality in which
you have placed them, and the degras
dation 10 which you have doomed them.
1 trust that the Senate will pardon
the desultory character Of these res
marks, as until very recently my pur-
suits have been entierly removed from
any active participation in political af-
fairs. hI
But to proceed. When the citizens
Of the slaveholding States claim the
right ofadmission with their property,
upon terms of perfect equality with
other citizens into the Territory recent-
ly acquired, they are met by the difficult
ty that foreign laws prevail there, by
which their rights Of property are ems
daugered. Such is not my opinion,
on the contrary, it seems to me that if
under the Constitution you can make
no law prohibiting slavery in the Ter
ritories, preventing me from taking my
property into them, so neither by trea :
" can you subject my proPery or my
self TO restrictions which you could not
impose by your own authority. Whilst
however, entertain this opinion and
would certainly act upon it without
hesitation in politics, | cannot but re,
collect that many very eminent states
men and lawyers have expressed their
judgmentagajnst these views. know
how sensitive Is property to risk, and
think, therefore, that as we have the
right, SO we ought to demand that the
authority ofthose adverse laws pretend
ed, as Judge it to be) should be for
mally abrogated, and all impediments
removed from the free admission and
entire enjoyment of our properly.
Ii is important for a true estimation
Of the great issues which depend upon
our right decision Of those questions
which have relation to the institution
Of slavery. properly TO appreciate the
feelings and the opinions of the slave
holding peopeein reference to it. The
Senator from Massachusetts,; in that
great speech which we have read with
/ admiration, refers to this subject, and
expresses his surprise atthe very mark
ed change which has taken place in the
Southern mind with respect to this ln-
stitution Of slavery. II Istoo marked
not to have attracted the attention of
observers much less acute than the dis
lingushed Senator, The time was we
seek not to deny or extenuate the fact
when very many Of the leading aud
distinguished statesmen. Of the South
looked with dislike and distrust upon
the institution Of slavery, regarding il
as a moral, social and political evil, and
anxously sought for the means Of re-
moving 1t from tile community Of which
they were members. Bu! there has
undoubtedly come about great revo-
luton in the public judgmentu upon this
subject. The Senator refers it chiefly
to the enhanced value of the products
of slave labor; and / doubt not that
this had its influence. We are none of
us insensible to considerations Of this
kind, and when the Importance Of the
product Of slave labor to the comfort,
industry, and commerce Of the world
were considered, doubtless the sense
Of its value was enhanced. But lnau
ences lying much deeperi and far more
powerful, have been at work to pro-
duce this change. There has been
great change in the religious sentiment.
La every condition of society, much
that is annoying, ,lnuch that is eyilSpres-
ses close around US, and we naturally
look upon the evil that is near with the
eyes whichamaguify its Importance. II
All others, too, censured, Il IS not sur
pnsing that consciences, rendered SEN
sislve by religion, sunk under the cen.
sure. But, driven BY the bitter and
unsparing yitupefation Of those who
assailed them without discrimination,
the religious portion Of the public
were compelledto lnvestigate, and have
been very generally brought to the con-
clusion that there is nothing ID the
word Of God which forbids or con-
demns this relation, but on the contraS
ry mnch thatjustiies and sustains it,
So that they may, with all good couscio
ence. hold and govern as slaves thei
people committed to their charge
|. This | believe TO be the delibyate
judgement Of by far the larger part OIL
the religious community Of the South.
But there has, | may say, recently
grown up anew yet strong conyictlonl
that slave labor is cheaper than free not
| nneral v in. the cultivation Of our great