The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-22
T H E r E ? UBLI G.
SPEECH

HON. VIM. III. BIssELL, OF ILLINOIS,
In the House Of Representatives., February
81, 1850, in Committee Of the Whole on
the state of the Union, on the Resolution
referring the Presidents Message TO the
appropriate Standing Committees.
Mr.. BissELL said:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: Our discussions in this commit
tee have already produced profound and painful
sensation throughout the Union. The public mind
has become agitated and anxious, and oppressed
with approximations of impending calamity. This
state of things, sir, ought not to continue; or, at any
rate that uncertainty which makes the future more
terrible than would perhaps the realization Of
worst fears, ought TO be removed. II this Govern
ment OF ours is really near its end gentlemen
here declare II TO be, if its longer continuance
depends upon contingencies uncertain, 1t were
well that we knew it now, that we might make
timely preparation If, on the other hand, the ap-
prebensons have spoken Of are groundless, the
people ought, in mercy, to be undeccived. They
ought to be undeceived at once, sir in order that
they may have that repose and conscious security
to which they are entitled under a government
created and sustained by their own hands.
Reluctant as am to add TO the public anxiety,
yet do not feel at liberty to withhold the expression
of my own opinion upon the absorbing topic of this
discussion, and of the day. And do not hesitate
to declare, my settled conviction, that, unless
representatives who have assumed to speak for the
slaveholding States have greatly mistaken the pur
poses and intentions of the people of those States,
war and bloodshed, consequent upon attempt to
overthrow this Government, are inevitable This
declaration desire should go forth TO the country
and with it the reasons upon which my opinion is
based These reasons found in the extracts
which shall quote first, from the speech of the hon.
orable member from Mississippi, (Mr. BRowN.)
Here are the extracts
"Whilst you have been heaping outrage upon
outrage, adding insult to insult, people have
been calmly calculating the value of the Union.
The question has been considered in all its bear
iuU5. and minds al ma de m
''We owe it To you, to ourselves, to common
country, to the friends of freedom throughout the
world, to warn you that we intend to submit no
longer
"Long years of outrage upon feelings and dis
regard of our rights have awakened in every south
crn heart feeling of stern resistance. Think what
you will, say what you WILL perpetrate again and
again, if you will, these acts of lawless tyranny;
the day and the hour is at hand when every south
ern son will rise in rebellion, when every tongue
will say, give us justice or give US death"
"Go home and tell your people the issue is made
up; they must now choose between non -interfer-
ence with southern rights on the one side, and
dissolution Of the Union on the other"
elf you fancy that devotion TO the Union will
keep us in the Union. you are mistaken. Our love
for the Union ceases with the justice of the Union.
We cannot love oppression. nor hug tyranny to our
bosoms."
81 tell you candidly, we have calculated the
value of the Union. Your injustice has driven
TO it. Your oppression justifes me to- day in dis
cussing the value of the Union, and do so freely
ana iearlessly- fOur press, your people, ana your
pulpit, may denounce this treason be il
You may sing hosannns to the Union--it is well.
British lords called it treason in fathers when
they resisted British tyranny British orators
eloquent in their eulogiums on the British crown
Our fathers felt the oppression, they the hand
that aimed the blow, and resolved TO resist The
result is before the world We will resist and trust
TO God and our own stout hearts for the conse-
quences."
"The South afraid of dissolving the Union why
should we feari What is there TO alarm or
awaken our apprehensions Are we not able to
maintain ourselves Shall eight millions Of free
men, with more than one hundred millions of an
nual experts fear 20 take their position among the
nations of the earth With cotton, sugar, rice,
and tobacco, products of southern soil, yielding
lis annually more than a hundred millions Of dol
lars, need we fear the frowns Of the world 20
" Have we any reason 10 fear dissolution of the
Union! Look at the question dispassonately,
and answer TO yourselves the important inquiry,
Can any thing be expected from the fears Of the
southern people? Do not deceive yourseNes-look
at things as they really For myself. | say
with a clear conscience, we do not fear II; are
not appalled, at the prospect before U.s. deprecate
dsunion, but do not fear il; we know our posi-
ton too well for that
"Have any thing to fear from you in the event
of dissolution little gasconade, and sometimes
a threat or two"
GAS to there being any conflict of arms growing
out ola dissolution, have not thought it all proba
| BILE. You complain of your association with slaves
in the Union. We propose TO take them out Of the
Union-to dissolve the Unpleasant association Will
you seek battle field 10 renew, amid blood and
carnage, this loathsome association take il for
granted that you will not. But If you should, we
point you 10 the record Of the past, and you,
by ts bloodstaincd pages that shall be ready TO
meet you"
These extracts from tho speech of the gentleman
from Mississippi (Mr. BRowS) are sufficient for
our present purpose
TIE gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Cling
NAM tells "iohaf the presented IN prospect
10 many Of he highest irfeiects Of The South J" and
il Is substantially this that, a separate confede
| racy, the slaveholdipg States "might expend as
much the United States did in time of peace
| up to the beginning Of General Jackson's admins
tration, and still have hand twenty five millions
Of dollars to devote to the making railroads, open
ing harbors and rivers, and for other domestic pur
poses" The same gentleman has thus disposed,
in advance, OF some little matters pertaining To the
interior regulations Of the southern confederacy"
TO be- "The northern tier of counties in Kentucky"
says he, would perhaps be obliged to remove their
slaves 10 the South. But there would be to her adj
vantages in the change similar to those Of Mary
land. Kentucky supplies the South with live stock
70 great extent; but she has TO encounter the
petition OF Ohio an other northwestern States. H
The production of dsse States ,cere subject 10 duty
she might for time have monopoly in the trade
doubt not sir, that IL will astonsh the people Of
the great West and Northwest to find that the ia
theirs Of the southern confederacyv have disposed
of the navigation Of the Mississippi with such ce-
lerity, as much as il will the people of Kentucky
TO learn that their slaves henceforth to be re-
moved South--instead Of North The same gen.
tleman (Mr. CLIsemAs) has divulgcd his plan for
removing-though not quite 80 gently--all those in
Kentucky and other saveholding States who hesi-
tate about swearing allegiance 20 this southern
confederacy." He intimates that il will not take
as long to hang them it did the Tories in the
revolution"
think, Mr.. Chairman, that have now given
extracts enough to justify the opinion ] expressed
at the outset Of my remarks. We cannot fail 20
see that II the feelings purposes, and intentions Of
the people Of the slaveholding States correctly
represented in these speeches, our countrymcn may
well apprehend the most fearful calamities. The
subject has been calmly considered in all ts aspects
by tho highest feiiecfs Of the South. IL has been
asccrtaned by calculation that if the southern
States were separated from the northern, not only
would they escape from "northern aggression" in
future, but they would also derive direct pecuni-
airy advantage Of $4,000 900 per annum And
though Il does not appear that the amount of duty
TO be paid by the people Of the West and North.
west to the southern confcderacy," for the privi-
lege Of navigating the Mississippi river has yet
been fixed, IL nevertheless does appear that such
duty is to be exactcd. aflude to these hngs, sir.
TO show the minute calculations that have been
tered into in reference TO the altered condition of
things consequent upon the mcdtated dissolution
of the Union. They show an advanced stage in
the prOQrces of tbia which in m fudor.