The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-20

opinion of that law as soon General Taylor was
elected President And would ask, why legisate
further, if that law is sufficient? We cannot create
"good faith'' by act of Congress. admit, MIR.
Chairman that Virginia is still great and glori-
GUS Commonwealth. She has much TO be proud OF
in the past history OF this country She needs no
eulogy from Inc; and, though must censure and
shall ridicue the conduct of some OF her public
men, shall speak respectfully Of the State. Many
Of my dearest friends and nearest relatives reside
within her borders, and they have, believe, done
no discredit to her, in peace in war. But, SIR,
the Old Dominion is too much in the habit OF taking
care of the affairs of the General Government, and
the debates in her Legislature not as important
in the eyes of the country they are to the Chair
man of Ways and Means, (Mr. BAyLY.) And
should be glad TO know why, if the representatives
from Virginia thought the law of 1893 sufficient,
did the gentleman from Virginia. (Mr MEADE,)
introduce his resolution alter General Taylors
election, proposing TO instruct the Committee on
the Judiciary to report bill providing for the ap-
prehenson Of fugitive slaves?
So repeat, from 1886 to lo4S, until December,
ls4s, when the gentleman from Virginia Mr.
MEADE) offered his resolution, all the southern
Democracy, now crying out at this dreadful ag-
gression, never moved finger to procure any law
relative to fugitive slaves! No. sir; they were Gas
mute mouse in cheese" Yes, sir, as a first
| family Virginia mouse in English cheese. The
reason was as my colleague (Mr. vENABLE) said
in some poor verses quoted by him in his speech
"Thc laurels fairly portioned.
The spoils were fairly sold"
Mr.. VENABLE. The "lands,"I said.
Mr.. STANLY. accept the correction: il was
printed "laurels," but my colleague is right; the
southern Democracy, whatever OF "spoils' they
| got, won no "laurels during the last ten years
with their northern allies.
! No, sir, the truth is, CAss was ''used up man."
TAYLOR was elected; the "spoils" were gone; the
cohesive power was lost
| Truly, as we are told in the book of Job, "Doth
the wild ass bray when he hath grass: or loweth the
| OK over his fodder"
| have watched the progress of the debate in the
Senate, and from the published speeches in the
newspapers, see respectable Senator from Vir-
gina Mr.. MAsoN) said he wanted the bill acted
on ''as practicable" but had ''little hope
it would afford the remedy il is intended to aford;"
.it depends upon the loyalty OF the people to whom
/ it is Directed
Another Senator (from South Carolina--Mr Bur
LER) said she had no very great confidence that
this bill will subserve the ends which seem TO be
contemplated by it," Why then, ask, 80 zeal
ousy urge the passage Of ii? One OF these Senators
! (Mr. MAsos) also intimated that il might become
necessary for the States whose citizens lost negroes
'to make reprisals the citizens Of the State Of
fending!" Now this, it seems TO me, would be but
poor way Of doing justice TO our citizens II one
| rogue in Ohio or Pennsylvania steals negro, we
| are to take the wagon horse of some honest old
farmer, who lived hundreds of miles from the thief
Will not this produce civil war! Will 1t enable us
TO recover fugitive slaves?
/ Now sir / think have proved that this
born zeal for legislation to enable us TO recover
fugitive slaves is all owing to the defeat of General
! CAss.
X
should think Of dissolution, is the fact that the south
ern States annoyed by the "agitation of Aboli-
tioniss." The southern address says, think, II
commenced about the year 1895. Ii commenced,
sir before the year 1851. The Quakcrs have for
more than hundred years been opposed TO sla-
very. In 1911, George Fox advocated cmancipa-
ton; But the aggressive agitation consisted IN
sending abolition petitions. And remember well
before the repeal of the twenty first rule, southern
gentlemen said if that rule should be repealed, and
these petitions received, the Union would be dis
~. .~1N had shs
boldness 70 vote against the twenty first rule.
commend him for il. But he denounced by
various southern gentlemen-by Mr.. A. V. BRows
afterwards governor of Tennessee; MIR. CoBB, o.
Georgia, our Speaker Mr. STILES, of Georgia, and
! by Mr.. X. NJ. SAUNDERS, Of North Carolina. Some
extracts Of their speeches are before me, and viii
, print them, TO show them how much mistaken they
were. Mr. BRowN, of Tennessee, was arg ulng against
making the petitions the subject of reference, re-
port, and debate in this hail.. Our safety" said
be- depends upon it," He begged the " rea
friends Of the South if they could altogether
exclude those petitions, not TO refer them for de
, bate, &c. And he added
''The South will hold no guiltess who shal
go one inch beyond the right of petition He mus
answer for every FIRE that may be kindled, anc
for every drop of blood that may be shed. Yes
sir will say TO the gentlemen from New Yorl
c and from North Carolina, (Mr. CLINeMAs,) i
o { this House shall go one inch beyond that, they
q may have 70 stand answerabe for the shattered
and broken fragments Of the Union itself"-tsc'
Append. Cong. Globe, 2sth Congress, lst Session.
> Mr.. CoBB, Of Georgia, after complmenting the
northern Democracy for their devotion 10 the inter
ests Of the South, Tor their "sincere friendship,
referred 20 the fact that some OF the northern De
c nocracy were abandoning the rule, ON account o
the opposition Of some few southern members TO IL
n and he said
Thus IL il that the detection Of northern
friends il attributable our own divisions. Let thu
fact then be published 20 the country, that th'
responsibility Of this measure may rest upon thos'
; . who justly deserve IL, upon whom an indignan
(. and outraged people may place tho seal OF thei
condemnation. | trust, however, that no suci
division will be found 10 exist; southern Demo
crst, am sure, will abandon has post and but few
. IL any, Of the southern Wings will be found fol
lowing in the wake Of the gentleman from Nortl
Carolina. Happen. Cong. Globe, 2sth Cong
y Let Session.
= Ihaye an extract before me from the speech o
. Mr.. sTILEs, Of Georgia, which will print. Mr.
STILEs spoke under excitement, and very wildly.
Extract from the speech Of Mr.. STILES, Of Geor
: gia, House Of Representatives, January % and 30
is44 on the twenty fifth rule relating 10 abolition
d petitions. In replying 70 the remarks Of Mr.
}, CLTsonAS-ApPendiK 10 Congressional Globe, 2sti
Congress 1st session. pal 262-he spoke Of the Con
}. sttution as a citadel, fortress; and his rule wa
ga barrier, )" and he said:
y whilst that remains, the fortress stands; whei
!, il is gone, The fortress falls That barrier can b
n removed only by some one within. The fortres
can be taken The citadel lost, only bg eachsrv q,
Ds camp will pursue the simile mo- farther. Bu
j. let me toll The member from North Carolina, tina
J. n this rule ~ lost from the reiatlOn IN winch ~
stands TO- and thepsrt which he has borne, in thi
transaction, he may go home to his constituent
}. and 70 his grave covered with the unenvable i'm
mortality OF having betrayed the interests Of tn
), South, in having surrendered the Constitution
= his country"
Mr.. sAUspEas. Of North Carolina, thought viii
y others whose remarks have just quoted
Mr.. ". NJ. SAUNDERS, arguing against the argu
II ment that TO receive petitions would silence tn
!, ''clamor about the right Of petition" said: "Thel
q might soon expect TO eStinguish the confagra
. ton by adding fuel to the flames. repeat, then
there is but alternative rejection without &C
r ton, or reception and action. There is mid
u die ground can satisfy those who resolved u
press this matter whatever its conscquences.''-
. tAppendix To Cong Globe, 2sth Cong, lst Session
|" January, lS44, page s5.l
How much mistaken Since the repeal Of tn
= rule, how seldom we see an abolition petitionl
= Mr.. Saunders appeared to have been sincerely
!. Distressed. Hc appealed to the doughfaoes in al
extract before me
"Mr. sAUNDERs said ask the gentlemen from
4 Maine IL there be any here who have hitherto
!, stood by us, why they should now give wayS
turn TO our friends from Connecticut, and ssl
Il them why they should yield' II appeal in vain