The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-13

hlbltng to the full extent Of all territory owned by
the United States the introduction Of slavery into
those territories and the leaving to the States of
all power over slavery, in their own limits. And
here, sir, we may pause. We may reflect for a
moment upon the entire coincidence and concur
renee of sentiment, between the North and the
South, upon those questions at the period of the
adoption of the Constitution. But opinions, sir,
have changed, greatly changed changed North,
and changed South Slaveryis not regarded in the
South now, it was then. ! see an honorable
member OF this body paying me the honor of list
enng to my remarks; he brings to me, sir, freshly
and vvdly the sentiments of bis great ancestor, so
much distinguished in his day and generation, SO
worthy to be succeeded by 30 worthy grandson,
with all the sentiments he expressed in the Conven
ton in Philadelphia.
Here we may pause. There was, if not an entire
unanlmity, a general concurrence of sentiment,
| running through the whole community, and espe
cialy entertained by the eminent men of all parts
| OF the country. But soon change began, at the
North and the South and severance of opinion
| showed it itself, the North growing much more
warm and strong against slavery, and the South
growing much more warm and strong in its sup
port Sir, there is no generation of mankind whose
opinions are not subject 30 be influenced by what
appears to them to be their present. emcrgent and
exigent interest. impute to the South no parti-
cularly selfish view in the change which has come
over her. impute to her certainly no dishonest
view. All that has happened has been natural. 1t
has followed those causes which always influence
the human mind and operate upon it. What, then,
feeling in favor of slavery in the South, which have
changed the whole nomenclature of the South on
that subject, that, from being thought and de-
scribed in the terms have mentioned and will not
repeat, 1t has now become an institution, cher
ished institution, in that quarter; no evil, no
| scourge, but great religious, social, and moral
blessing think have heard it latterly spoken?
suppose this, sir, is owing to the sudden uprising
| and rapid growth of the cotton plantations Of
| the South. So far as any motive consistent with
| honor, justice, and general judgment could act,
| 1t was the cotton interest that gave desire
TO promote slavery to spread it and to its labor.
l again say that that was produced by causes
which we must always expect TO produce like ef-
fects; the whole interest of the South became
connected, more or less connected, with it.
five look back to the history of the commerce of
what were our exportsf Cotton was hardly, or but
to very limited extent, known. The tables will
show that the exports OF cotton for the years 1870
and '9l were not more than forty fifty thousand
dollars year. 1t has gone on increasing rapidly,
until it may now, perhaps, in season of great
product and high prices, amount to hundred mil
lions of dollars. In the years have mentioned,
there was more OF wax, more of indigo, of rice,
more OF almost every article of export from the
South, than of cotton. think have heard il said
when Mr.. Jay negotiated the treaty Of 1894 with
England, that he did not know that cotton was ex-
ported at all from the United States; and have
heard it said ALSO that, after the treaty which gave
to the United States the right to carry their own
| commodities to England in their own ships, the
custom house in London refused to admit cotton,
upon an allegation that il could not be American
production, there being, as they supposed, cot
ton raised in America. They would hardly think
now.
Well, sir, we know what followed. The age of
cotton became the golden age for Southern breth
rem; Ii gratihed their desire for improvement and
accumulation, at the same time that it excited it,
The desire grew by what fed upon, and there
came to be eagerness for other territory, a new
area or new areas for the cultivation of the cotton
crop; and measures leading to this result were
brought about rapidly, after another under the
lead Of Southern men the head ofthe Government,
they having majority in both branches to accom-
plish their ends. The honorable member from South
Carolina observed that there has been majority all
along IN favor OF the North IL that be true, sir the
North has acted either very literally and kindly or
very weakly; for they never exercised that major
ity efficiently five times in the history of the Gov
ernment Never. Whether they were out gene
raled, or whether il owing TO other causes, |
shall not stop to consider, but no man acquainted
with the history of the country deny, that the
general lead in the politics Of the country for three
fourths of the period that has elapsed since the adop
ton OF the Constitution, has been a Southern lead.
In 1902, in pursuit OF the idea of opening new cot
ton region, the United States obtained a cession
from Georgia Of the whole of her western territory
now embracing the rich and growing State Of
Alabama. In 1903, Louisiana purchased from
France, out of which the States Of louisiana Ar
| kansas, and Missouri have been framed, as slave
holding States. In lsl9 the cession of Florida was
mado, bringing anotncr ceee10n oil slavehOldlng
property and territory. Sir, the honorable mem
Der from South Carolina thought he saw in certain
operations Of the Government, such the manner
OF collecting the and the tendency Of those
measures TO promote emigration into the country
what accounts for the more rapid growth Of the
North than the South He ascribes that more rapid
growth, not 10 the operation Of time but to the sys
tenn Of government administration established un-
der this Constitution. That is matter Of opin-
ion. To a certain extent IL may be but IL does
seem to me that if any operation of the Govern
ment could be shown in any degree 10 have pro-
motcd the population, and growth, and wealth Of
the North, 1t Is much more sure that there
dry important and distinct operations of the Gov
ernment, about which no man can doubt, tending
10 promote, and which absolutely have promoted,
the increase Of the slave interest and the slave ter
ritory Of the South. Allow me 10 say that il
not time that brought in louisiana Il was the act
of men. IL was not time that brought in Florida;
il was the act of men. And lastly sir 10 complete
those acts Of men which have contributed 30 much
to enlarge the and the sphere Of the institution
OF slavery, Texas, great and vast and illimitable
Texas, was added TO the Uniop a slave State in
l545; and that, sir, pretty much closed the whole
chapter, and settled the whole account. That
closed the whole chapter, that settled the whole
count, because the annexation Of Texas, upon the
conditions and under the guarantees upon which
she was admitted did not leave within the control
Of this Government an acre Of land, capable Of be-
ing cultivated by slave labor between this Capitol
and the Rio Grande or the Nucces, or whatever is
that moment the whole country from this place TO
the western boundary Of Texas, was fixed pledged,
fastened, decided, 10 be slave territory for ever,
by the solemn guarantees of law. And now say,
sir, as the proposition upon which stand this day,
and upon the truth and frmness of which intend
to act until IL s overthrown that there s not at this
moment within the United States, any territory
of the United States, single foot Of land the cha
raser Of which, in regard 10 ts being free soil ter
ritory or slave territory, is not fixed by some law
and some irrepealabe law, beyond the power Of the
action Of the Government. Now, s II not 30 with
respect TO Texas? Why, il is most manifestly so.
The honorable member from South Carolina, at the
time Of the admission Of Texas, held an important
post in the Executive Department Of the Govern
ment; he was Secretary Of State. Another emi-
nent person Of great activity and adrotness in af-
iairs, mean the late Secretary Of the Treasury
(Mr. WALKER,) was an eminent member OF this
body, and took the lead in the business Of annexa'
ton; and must say that they did their business
faithfully and thoroughly, there NO botch LETT IN
IT. They rounded IL of, and made as close joiner
work as ever was put together. Resolutions OF an,
nesation we're brought into Congress htly joined
together, compact, firm, efficient, conclusive upon
the great object which they had in view, and those
resolutions passed
Allow me TO read part of these resolutions. II is
the third clause Of the second section OF the resolu
ton OF the lst March, lSi5, for the admission Of
vrh hsrh mill a., olf fbc raa hat