The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-03-23

slave states down near Its mouth! fray, /
sir, pray, sir, let me say to the people Of this
country that these things are worthy of their
bordering and of their consideration. Here,
sir, are five millions of freemen in the free
States north of the river Ohio: can any TO-
dy suppose that this population can be sever
ed by a line that divides them from the terri
tory of a foreign and an alien Government
down somewhere. the Lord knows where, up
on the lower banks of the Mississippi? What
would become of Missouri? Will she Join the
ACCOMPLISHMENT of the slave States? Shall
the man from the fellow Stone and the Mad
River be connected in the new Republic with
the man who lives on the southern extremity
of the Cape of Florida? Sir, | am ashamed
to pursue this line of remark. l dislike it
have an utter disgust for it. | would rather
hear of natural blasts and mildews, war, pes
thence. and famine. than to hear gentlemen
talk of secession. To break up to break up
this great (iovernment-to dismembrr this
great country-to astonish Europe with an
act of folly such as Europe for two centuries
has never heheId in any Government! No,
sir; no sir! There will be no secessIon.-
Gentlemen are not serious when they talk of
secession.
Sir, hear there is to be Convention held
at Nashville. l am bound to believe that if
worthy gentlemen meet at Nashville in Con-
vention, their object will be to adopt counsels
conciliatory-to advise the South to forbear-
ance and moderation, and TO advise the North
10 forbearance and moderation; and to lncul-
cate principles of brothery love and affec-
ton, and attachment to the constitution ofthe
country as 1t now is. | believe, if the Con-
vention meet at all, it will be for this purpose;
for certainly, if they meet for any purpose
hostile to the Union, they have been singular
ly inappropriate in their selection Of place.
remember, sir, that when the treaty was
concluded between France and England at
the peace of Amiens, a stern old Englishman
and an orator, who disliked the terms of the
peace as ignominious to England, said in the
House Of Commons that if King William
could know the terms of the treaty he would
turn in his coffin. Let me commend the say
ing, In all It's emphasis and in all its force, to
any body who shall meet at Nashville for the
purpose of concerning measures for the over
throw Of the Union of this country over the
bones of Andrew Jackson.
| Sir, | wish to make two remarks. and has
ten to a conclusion. | wish to say in regard
to Texas that lift should be hereafter at any
time the pleasure of the Government of Tex
as to cede to the United States portion, lar
ger or smaller, of her territory which lies adj
jacent to New Mexico and north Of the Sad
of north latitude, for a fair equivalent in mo-
ney or in the payment Of her debt. | think it
an object well worthy the consideration Of
| Congress, and shall be happy to concur in
1t myself if should be in the public councils
of the country at the time.
| have one other remark to make. In my
observations upon slavery us it has existed in
the country, and as it now exists, have ex-
pressed no opinion OF the mode of It's extIn-
guishment or amelioration. will say, how
ever, though | have nothing TO propose on
! that subject, because do not deem myself so
competent as other gentlemen to consider it,
that if any gentleman from the South shall
propose scheme of colonization, to be car
red on by this Government upon a large
scale, Tor the transportation of free colored
people to any colony or any place in the
world, | should be quite disposed TO incur al
most any degree oil expense TO accomplish
| that object. Nay. sir, following an example
set here more than twenty years ago by
great man, then a Senator from New York,
would return to Virginia-throughh her for the
benefit of the whole South-all the money
received from the lands and territories ceded
! by her to this Government, for any such pur-
pose as to relieve, in whole or in part, or in
any way to diminish or deal beneficially with
the free colored population Of the Southern
States. ! have said that honor Virginia for
her cesslon of this territory. There have
! been received into the treasury of the United
States eighty millions of dollars. the proceeds
ofthe sales Of the public lands coded by Vir-
GINA. If the residue should be sold at the
same rate, the whole aggregate will exceed
two hundred millions of dollars. If Virginia
and the South see fiji TO adopt any proposition
to relieve themselves from the free people of
color among them, they have my free con-
| hot tho oh. +b,,,,
sum of money out Of its proceeds which may
be adequate to the purpose.
And now, Mr. President draw these OBJ
servations to close. have spoken freely,
and meant to do so. have sought to make
no display ! have sought to eliven the occa-
sion by no animated discussion; have sought
only to speak my sentiments fully and at
large, being deslrous once and for all to let
the Senate know, and TO let the country
know, the opinions and sentiments which ] en-
terrain on all these subjects. These opinions
are not likely to be suddenly changed. If
there be any future service that | can render
to the country consistently with these sent-
ments and opinions, shall cheerfully render
it. If there be not, | shall still be glad to
have an opportunity to dlsburden my con-
science from the bottom Of my heart, and to
make known every political sentiment that
therein exists.
And now, Mr.. President instead of speak
ing of the possibility or utility OF secession,
instead of dwelling in these caverns of dark
ness, instead Of cropping with those ideas so
full of all that is horrid and horrible. let US
come out into the light of day; let us cherish
these hopes which belong 10 us; let US de
vote ourselves to those great objects that are
! fit for orr consideration and our action let US
raise our conceptions TO the magnitude and
the importance OF the duties that devolve up
on US; let our comprehension be as broad as