The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-05

calm, peaceful rest which will tranquize the feyeret
members OF the confedefaey and reune the broken g
ments of our Union am alarmlst nor would vii
ngy entertain the belief that Union can be dss0ly
ed but must be evident all that many OF the bands
which united us already broken and others great,
that no single person could loosen OF the mas
sye columns which support this hall, much less those
which uphold naion yet II we are TO believe the re
port OF our Secretary OF the INTERIOR heat and cod ros
and moisture, fast sapning the foundation OF this
whole superslrucure, and unless this decay is arrested
WILL in few years, leave our splendid Capitol but one
heap Of ruins May God avert the omen as to oul
The only safeguard for our confederacy is the speedy
and entire removal of all the irritating OF agita
ton and discussion between the North and the South
II we would insure our preservation. we must never
endanger il by neglect and then trust to the strong arm
Of power for the maintenance OF institutions M,
sassd uy mind thai a iorsea unions are but con- Continued @
OF dire oppression the side with bitter hate
and bloody revenge the other We have now in The
the truth Of this assertion and they are but the exenpf
cation of truth existent with time ITSELF Unfortunate
Poland and still more unhappy Ireland have long pre-
scented to our sorrowful vision
4 The bloodiest picture in the book of time"
United BY the links Of force with their more powerful
neghbors. they have struggled for years amid famine
war, and pestlence curse to themselves and eye
sore to their oppressors. We should profit BY their ex
as those connecting individuals. must be the result o
love and interest," they will prove sources OF sorrow
and dsquie to all within their influence.
Il is matter OF astonshnient to that the wings and
democrats OF the North the members Of the true national
pares do not perceive The danger OF leaving these terri
oa questions open for another canvass before the peo
pie is clear the MONDAY sun, that unless this
agitation shall be quieted in reasonable time, they
will both be ingulied in the abyss oil abotonism That
party saggessve in its character, in its organza
lion, and resting its basis apparently religion and mo-
raty. The party questions which formerly separated
the two national pdrties have nearly spent their force
and, while in this demorazed condition the army o
ln~,
The destiny Of the old parties il certain unless they over
turn the base of abolitonism by extinction OF the
materials from which il is formed. Monrnfu, indeed
will be the prospect for the republic when these old
parties are thus overihrown, and have upreared in
our midst two gigantic sectional armies struggling foI
geographical influence and power without regard to the
duties and obligations arising from the constitution.
We eare often asked by northern brethren why II is
that excited at probable exclusion by law from
those remote Territories where slavery equally excluded
by soil and climate. They deem il passing strange that
people should be discontened statesmen
exciied even peril the harmony of confederacy
for visionary an object We might answer all such
arguments in true Yankee style by asking them the
question, why it is that they willing to endanger the
interests for the useless and supererogatoy purpose
OF restricting its area We stand merely on the defen.
sive, and they invoke the action OF the government
Surely our position is more defensible than theirs
There is, however, philosophlc answer TO these
nq and il to be found in the peculiar nature OF
our condition. and the probable effect OF any illegal inter-
ference BY The government on this subject We stand
almost alone amongst the highly civilized portion oil
mankind in the maintenance Of the institution OF domes-
tic slavery he whole of civilized Europe has been thor
oughy indoctrnated with opposition to it The thousands
and millions OF emgrans from her shores all come with
their prejudces against it, and when they arrive IN this
in possession OF the shareholders Most of the mechan-
ca trades and labor farms and public roads in our
country performed by slaves, and these foreigners are
more or less excluded from this wide field OF employment
which they had partially pre- occupied in the North In
erest is thus superadded TO the early prejudice OF educa
ton against slavery Unfortunately, the large mass
OF this class OF persons have had knowledge expe
rience Of the advantages dervable from republican inst,
tuons or the solemnity of constitutional obligations
The native citizens OF the North, although not parcpa
ting in the destuton and nexperlence OF our mmgIan
false representations OF the horrors OF slavery and exag
geraied statements Of its rgors that they too are in e
versh and excited state which frequently renders them
unmindul OF the respect due 10 constitutional rights
Under this disastrous state OF feeling IN the slave
holding States with consciousness that we are the
weaker party and becoming rapidly more so AZ eacn re
earthly means for safe removal OF slavery; That on
its continuance and the fobeaance OF foreign nerer-
depend not only our wealth. but the lives and Tor
tunes OF ourselves and familiescan be wondered at
under these circumstances that we are alarmed BY the
smallest interference with slavery by the federal govern
ment l-,hat we are continually fearful that il one bar
rier broken down, the hostile will overeap al
others l-ihat shudder with lear al the preponder
atng influence now acquired by the North, and antic
pate with dread that fatal day, when the bate-cy vii
be for an amendment alteration OF the constitution o.
the United Siates II is idle say that the people OF h'
North would never dream Of enancipatng the slaves ia
the States against the consent OF the party To-
such purpose already formed, with lis numbers rapidly
on the increase and we have the memorable examples
the emancipation by France and England OF their slaves
in the Wes India colonies, 10 convince us that such re
suit here is perfectly natural and probable. Agiiaoi
against the slave trade commenced IN England amongs
small class OF society and yet in forty years Il resulte
in the total and foTciblc abolition OF slavery Throughout
the British empire. Who calculate the expansive
force OF the same element in our own government
These, then, Mr.. Chairman, are the reasons Tor ou
fears from any interference by the genera governmen
with slavery, and the continuance OF this unonunat
agitation on that subject they also form the ground o
my opposition the delay and non-action policy OF tn
President and will forever prevent me from yielding
Withdrawing now our attention from this portion o
the subject, will proceed to'examne the second propo
si,ion and before doing so, Mr.. Chairman, permit me Z
tender to its distinguished author, Mr. McCLERsAkp,
and his associates his aud other States ~ thi
and the other end of the Capitol, ny unqualified admira
on for the beality and magnanmiiy which have char
acterzed their course towards the South u Tins Uno
is preserved and harmony restored by means oil this bill
and others now in progress, the guardian genius oil on
republic may well excaim OF them as the exuung mohe
OF the Gracch did OF her children, "These are m!
jewels." ~,
The first proposition contained in the plan TO which
have referred Is the an sson OF California State IN
70 the Union. II must be confessed that this y btle
pill TO be swallowed by southern man, and, Il not glid
ed with other and pleasant drugs, would be exceed
ngly difficult OF digestion. would never have opposes
the Immediate and unconditional admission OF California
on the ground OF her exclusion OF slavery, II did no
believe that great ireguariiy and egaty had ATTENDED
her birth as State and that these defects OF ognnza
ton had caused hasy and perhaps njudcions actoi
on this very question OF slavery II is not my purpos
IN make or ineinuae any charge OF bad faith in this mat