The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-18

may be the desire in the breast of some to curb
the South even at the sacrifice of all filth and
honesty, yet none but mailman would be WAL
ing to admit the Delegate at the present crisis,
invested with all of the attributes of legal rep
resentative
! would here, Mr. Chairman, conclude my
remarks; but the observations made by the hon
orabie gentleman yesterday, do not allow me
mat privilege Although he did not positively
slate the fact, yet he would as an inference from
what ne did state, have the world TO believe that
y was through the medium of the pro-slayery
l'niuepce tnat this country was left without
so.ein',.enl. cannot conceive that the legis-
llllon OF 'ne country will support him in the as
sumption; on the contrary. It makes manifast
the great truth, that the slavery influences 4,
Congress has always been exercised ~ bnild mn
and establish territorial governments. and their
votes have never been otherwise given, excepting
when the aDt-slavery influence has so Centralized
the ACTON OF Congress as to incorporate in All
bills OF this character odous, obnoxious pncon-
stitutional features,-features which so cb,nrad
the character of these bills that no member
representing Southern constituency conld snn-
port them, unless he would incur the penalty If
treason to his home. Sir, there is no more
truth in the aphorism that order is Heavens
first laws, than that STAKEHOLDER is, ca necessi-
taie, an advocate Of law, order, and government.
This impression, early mbibed from precept.
duly fostered by the conservative considerations
growing out OF the institution of slavery, always
lmpel us to assist and further the organization
OF territorial governments. Sir, the true cause
why these htely-acquired countries have been.
lett without the benefit of government, is to be
found in the anti-slavery feeling Of Congress.
and so strong, powerful so irresistible. is this
has init, al A.
teman that it would be work Of snperhuman
exertion for majority on this floor, SO far to
disengagc themselves from its control rs to ex-
tend to this suffering people proper reasonable,
and Just protection The prejudice against the
South is truly omnipotent
But, Mr.. Chairman, the most prejudiced and
hostile opposition may sometime foil itself, and
we have full illustration Of the fact in the pres
ent posture OF the affairs Of our country. am
disposed to 'tread light upon the ashes of the
dead" and beg that my remarks will be applied
to the policy Of the late Administration, and not
to the individual President, for whom the coun-
try now mourns. The South had no hearing
before that Administration, and If it had contin-
ued to exist, must verify believe, that, under
the controlling impulse of Free-Soilism, not
another moon would have run its course before
our country would have been Illuminated by the
lurid glare of civil strife Of asectional war The
mandate had gone forth, that the jurisdiction of
Texas over New Mexico should be opposed and
resisted by the military authority Of the United
States. The sword, welded by the strong arm
Of this Government, was to be made the arbiter
of a civil, territorial dispute.
Sir, my heart rccoils from the contemplation
ofthe heavy affection which was about to befall
us, and pray God that he may so enlighten the
minds of those now in power, that the gravest
and heaviest misfortune that could befal the
world, "a civil war in America" may be averted
Sir, am not drawing an imaginary picture, but
feel most certainthat under the existence of the
the present gangrenous feeling between the
North and South, the first intimation of con-
lct between our troops and those Of the State
of Texas, would be far sounding tocsin, de-
claring trumpet-tongued, the dissolution of the
Union. And on whose head would this heavy
responsibility have devolved! Most pre-emi-
nenty on those whose most seduous care it has
been to destroy all good civil and social alfini-
ties between the North and the South Itwould
be a Frce-Soil anarchy.