Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-01-22
SPEECH OF MR.. DICKINSON OF N. YORK,
ON THE SLAVERY CUES ZION.
In SENATE, Thursday, January Ia

the hour which is usually appropriated to morning bust
ness, was engaged in attending to my correspon-
dence, which is my custom, and therefore paid but lit
tie attention to this matter. But things have fal-
len from honorable Senators during this debate and es-
pecialy from the Junior Senator from Alabama, (Nlr.
Clemens0 which require not only to be noticed, but to
be noticed here and Sir, that Senator, when he
undertakes to characterize the sentiments OF whole COM
munltes and the opinions OF entire bodies OF men, COM
prsng large majority OF the people OF this Union, en-,
te1s upon the execution OF a work when might well
have been left to Older if not to better soldiers. In
gard to this matter, Mr. President though have done
more than others think may say without the fear
OF contradiction or of being charged with unnecessary
egotism that have stood up TO it upon all occasions
long since saw that was question fraught with pc
rllous consequences. saw that there evil spirit
of sectionalsm rising both in the North and in the
South having for its object agitation for sectional adj
vantages, and have condemned it secretly and openly
in thought, word and deed. never have lent myself
to such unhoy and wicked designs, and if God gives
that strength which he has thus far in mercy ex-
tended TO me, here declare again, where it should be
declared that will but that will lend nv best
energies to crush and destroy it, Ihave stood here
der the sanctions OF an official oath and the acquisitions
of the Constitution like Cusahianca upon this question:
which has so unfortunately to say the least agtated
the country tor the last few years. and here will stand
even though lmmolatlon be the consequence others,
too, OF my Northern Democratic brethren have shown
no less devotion 10 the Constitution they have to
support Ihave stood up, not for the South but for the
rights OF all, as guaranteed by the Constitution. have
dsregarded personal consequences and have scoed to
count the chances OF ephenera popularity and place.
have permitted reproach and oboquy to discharge
me their exhaustless quves OF poisoned arrows, that
might screen the right and when | hear myself and
those with whom have acted in rolling back the black
and bitter waters OF sectional strife, denounced
worthy OF reliance all in grand mass excommuui-
Gated from communion and fellowship with the Demo-
cratic church, in single verse; and told too, that
are less to be tolerated than our political opponents
feel inclined to repe in pointed and emphatic phrase
denuncation so wholesale and unjust.
Mr.. CLEMENS | call the honorable gentlemans at
tenon to the resolutions OF the 7th of January l847 the
10th ofJanuary, ls4s and to like resolutions Of l949 OF
his own State Legislature.
Mr.. DICKINSON. l cannot now speak of the exact i'm
port OF the resolutions They doubtless OF anti
slavery character and similar to those passed by other
Legislatures, North. 1t is well known that differed
with those who passed them upon the best mode ofdspo
sing OF the question, and this responsibility will settle
with those who have right to call me account and
not with those who have not The Legislatures hich
passed them have been sometimes considerably divided
among themselves. Sometimes they have passed with
great and sometimes with less unanimy. The Nor
thern sentiment upon the subject OF slavery is in many
respects entirely dissmilar to that of the South, but
when told that there must be sectional issue
raised because of this let the voice which so declares
come from the North or from the South | stand here
to repudiae it. The people of the North regard the
question otsavery constitutional guaranty, pre-
cisey do the people of the South and as such are
ready to respect it. 1t is the political agators in both
sections who have made all the mischief Sir, take
small number OF men out OF the Northern and also
OF the Southern sections Of this Union and this accursed
agitation could be settled in less than sing lie week.
have not stood up on this question for any particular
purpose other than to do my duty and to stand by and
sustain the constitution. L am Tor maintaining the
Union in spirit well as in form; and have depreca-
ted the assaults which have made upon the con-
stuton occasionally in the nonslavehoding States in
the refusal to deliver ugitves from service according to
solemn provision OF that instruments but this sir look
upon as matter which must be reformed at home as
it will be by sound and healthy public opinion when
it shall set just estimate upon the interference OF poll
tcal agators, and condemn a morality that is purer
than the fundamental law. desire to preserve in all
its vgor the glorious inheritance which fathers gave
u.s. to the South secure in the full possession and
oyment OF their constitutional rights. have stood up
for them when thought them right regardless of peril
and will now aid in shielding them from unjust and i'm
proper aggressions upon their institutions. In this
struggle numerically they are the weaker party and
when have the South unustly assaulted and as
sailed, my sympathies have been with them and have
exposed and denounced not only the sectional agitaors
but haye warned those against excitement whose views
and intentions are just but who have been provoked by
just such Wholesale sectional assaults now heaped
upon the North by the Senator from Alabama. Sir,
elimination begets recrmination; .snd although men
may put the garb oil philosophy Tor OCCASION they
yet too often apt to be betrayed by impulse and ex-
element; and when they hear distinguished Southern
men day after day making sectional appeals grouping all
together and condemning all in gross without stint or
exception they in their turn will make other declara-
tons, and thus the work goes One sectional ag-
ator begets anoher--a blow given brings blow in
tun and thus sectional agitation makes the it feeds
have already said regretted that this subject has
been introduced. Allow me to say, that do not regret
that it is about to reach its eliminating point Care
not how soon this may be- the case believe that the
great OF the people OF the South honest Just and
generous and that all they desire remian SCENE in
the possession oftheir rights believe too, sir that the
great mass OF the people OF the North equally Just
and equally generous, true to the constitution and that
they desire nothing than what they deem 10 be
their rights, and the rights of the whole people, and best
calculated to advance the honor of the contederacy and
will not revile again. | will by means repudiate
the Southern democracy They have too often proved
themselves worthy of the they bear. Nor, sir,
upon the question oil this Union, much and radically as
differ with them upon other questions, will Irepudate
the patriotic among our opponents. This question
shoots too deep and stretches too high to be mea-
sured by, political parties and when the day OF trial
comes, come it does, every patriotic man will breast
himself for the shock, and sectional agitaors will be
oiled The constitution throws its broad egis over this
mighty Republic and its people worship at its shrine
with more than an Eastern devotion. They have con-
empated the priceless value of the Union They have
thought of the blood and tears by which it was pur-
chased They see the proud vessel bearing maestca-
y onward and they proudly cry in the language Of the
poet
"Thou, too, sail on, o ship of State
Sail on, o Union, strong and great
Humanity with all its fears,
With all the hope OF future years.
Is hanging breathess on thy fate;
We know what master laid thy keel,
What workmen wrought thy ribs Of steel;
Who made each mast, and sail, and rope
What anvils rang, what hammers beat
In what forge and what heat
Were shaped the anchors of thy hope''
They will cheer on this noble ship; they will stand bw
this constitution they will adhere to this Union and
although the opposed the insti,u-
ton of slavery, the great mass OF them have no intention
disposition TO trench improperly upon the constitu-
ona rights of the South, and this they will prove should
the occasion arise, though they should sell their
lives in her defence Sir it should come to the worst,
ast never will, so firmly are the Northern people devoted
to the constitution, it armed ncendiarsn should push
her mad crusade against the South and she be placed
in peril, am free to declare that for one and SO be-
lleve would every patriotic of the free States who
had sword 70 draw draw in the defence of their
Southern brethren ard Of the rights guaranteed to them
by common compact, and stand by them TO the death
[Appause But, sir, they will only stand by her when
called into requistion except againsr foreign and
common foe. The very heat natural and artificial to
which sectional agitation has attained, will work its