The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-03

laws have yielded to public feeling. Honorable
gentlemen declare all this TO be wrong; denounce
all this as violation Of the Constitution, and an
outrage upon the South. Will they tell me, sir,
how they keep in South Carolina that command Of
the Constitution OF the nation which 10 conveyed in
the following words: "The citizens of each State
shall be entitled to all the privileges and mmuni-
ties of citizens in the several statesl" This il
part aud an antecedent part, of the same section
which the South charges the North with violating;
and the South knows that il does not allow to the
citizens OF the free States the immunies which they
have right to demand. This 10 recrimination, sir,
confess; but ii is just in its application and serves
to show at least that public feeling sometimes blinds
men to constitutional right.
At this moment, sir the South points to the ad-
vantage which the North enjoys in her commerce
and manufactures. Sir, there has never been any
prohibition OF commerce at the South, excepting
such nature gave in the character of the country
and such as convenience introduced and main
tanned, in the condition Of her institutions.
The North was commercial--the wealth Of the
people was acquired by, and vested in, commerce;
and in the midst Of the activity and enterprise
which created and kept up commercial marine
unequailed in the history OF business, (all circum
stances considered the legislature of the nation,
moved and influenced by the South, paralyzed the
arm Of commerce, wasted the wealth Of the ner-
chant, and made the seaports monuments OF the in
huence ofoppressive laws
What did the North then, sir3 Did she add to her
lamentations for losses threats Of, and movements
toward, disunons No, sir. She felt that MAORI
affective severity-but still it the Constitution
She kissed the rod, and placed the remnant of her
capital saved from the wreck of commerce in
manufactures, and used the arguments of the
southern orators to have their new investment pro-
iccted. twas occasionally protected, and it occa-
sionaly hourished. That protection, however, was
never felt, in any one particular OF its effect more
than in the reduction of the prices of its produce,
which followed its continuance. Still, sir. the pro-
lection has been insufficient, because ii has been
only temporary-it has been spasmodic, and yet the
South complains of that.
Why, Mr.. Chairman, while the North came
ate-nearly thirty years after the adoption of the
Constitution-to have small share in protection,
and that share often rendered more injurious than
profitable, by the want Of permanency; the South,
sir has had her products sustained by continual,
unwavering protection from the moment the Con-
stitution was adopted. Yes, sir; rice and cotton
have had constant, Interchangeable, complete, suffi-
cient protection, and the producers have enjoyed
the advantages of their condition.
fit should be demanded where and how rice and
cotton have been protected, l answer, that in al
most every article Of trade in this country, (saves
perhaps, excepted,) the ingredient which is most
costly, and which gives value thereto, Is labor:
Coal and iron feel this, and every fabric of the loom
and produce of the field confesses the truth of the
axiom, that it is the amount of labor that gives it
value. Well, sir, cotton and rice are produced by
the labor of slaves, and the Constitution of this
country has protected that species of labor that
free labor can enter into no competition with 1t.
The great ingredient, then, of cotton and rice is
amply, fully protected by the Constitution and
sugar sir, another produce of the South, has, be-
sides the constitutional protection upon its prodc
ing power, the additional advantage Of import du-
ties upon the same product of rival countries.
Why should the South complain?
la the course of this debate, it has been openly
asserted that slavery is a blessng-a domestic, so
cial moral and political bessing-a blessing to the
servant we'll as the master. lam no abolltonist,
no fanatc--have no prejudices beyond a fixed opin-
ion upon the subject OF slavery; but hope shall
Offend when point to the opinion thus uttered,
painful, mournfu proof of the evils Of that in
stitution. Nothing but its injurious effect could
have brought the minds OF republicans to such 8
state.
| IL was the remark of Mr.. jefferson, sir, ! believe
q have heard it quoted his,) that " so true a,
there is God in heaven, true will this nation BIZ
punished for the sin OF slavery" And shall take
the libertysof adding, 80 true there is a God in
heaven" and that there is all nature cries aloud
through all her work"-so true there 10 a God in
heaven the nation is now afflicted and being pun
ished for slavery-punished, sir, in the consequen-
ces. What else has alienated the feelings OF the
South from the Norths What else has brought dis
cord into the councils of the nation! What else
has led TO the feelings manifested and language
used here, indicative Of divided interests and hostile
| resolves,
If the institution of slavery is really good-so.
cially and politically good-why has not some
State that has abolished IL within its limits invited
il back? None have-not one. Not one could be
hired 20 do IL. There has certainly been some little
appearance Of affection toward the institution BY
States which were losing tbs distinction Of slavery;
but this 10 evidently the result OF PRIDE and not OF
fondness for il. Maryland, for example, has more
than once here, upon this ioor-and her Legsla.
| ture has recently-shown sensitiveness upon the
subject, and Maryland is fast becoming n free
State. This scnsitiveness Is prde-it must be ex.
cused-it will not retard the emancipation, nor
keep back the exodus of the institution. And
| Maryland, sir, venture 10 say, would not have
il kept back; she loves TO talk OF her consttu
~. A.
It back, If il had gone An honora bic member from
the South recently mentioned TO me that some
time since, one Of his servants-of whom he has a
large number-expressed wish TO marry the fe-
male slave Of another planter; the master repre-
sented the possibility Of the departure of the other
person, and the consequent rupture ofiorcgn relt
tions-but the black man ventured few years
after that the colored husband felt that he course
OF true love never did run smooth" The owner Of
his wife resolved TO move to Mississippi. The hus
band was afflicted His master bade him go and
inquire what the owner Of the wife would take for
the servant, and, II the price fair, he would
purchase her The next day the liberal master
asked the slave what demanded for bis WIFE
o, replied the husband, he asks twice as much a.
che Is worth; let her g., would not buy her. And
sir, freed States say Of slavcry-it costs more
than what IL IL worth-let IL 90.
The honorable gentleman from Florida (Mr.
CABELL) read TO us, come time since, portion Of
Scripture, in which God commanded Hagar TO re-
turn 10 her masters house, (which" said the hon
CRADLE gentleman, was n comma nd TO return into
slavery" and Of course il 10 be Inferred an APP
prevail Of m Jdern slavery. Sir, Il IL an axiOm Of
law, that "wbst proves too much, proves nothing;'
and the command Of God, IL il expressed approval
Of the institution Of modern domestic slavery, ex-
pressed equal approval of another domestic institu-
ton which existed in the family Of Abraham, but
which am sure the honorable gentleman does not
mean 10 applaud.
The honorable gentleman from Alabama (sfr.
HrLLLARp) was carried by his fine classical taste
and attainment TO Athens, for proof Of the conser.
vatve power Of slavery, that State survived all
others Of ancient Greece, and was equally distin.
guisbcd for her institution Of HeotisTn. And the
honorable gentleman remarked, that as the travel.
Ter approached the shores of the country, bis eye
rested with peculiar qualification upon the tomb Of
Themistocles, as the great object for delightful
"reminiscences. Did not the classical enthusiasm of
the honorable gentleman get the better Of his re-
publican instincts, when the great object for his adj
mirstion in that land Of fading glories was the
tomb Of the rat who unable TO submit 10 the
decision Of the people, shunk away into suicidel
will not say that the peculiar institute Ms among
which the gentleman reared, had an v infiue
on his classical taste; bot would seem 10 me- that
the true American would have raked the soil of
Athens for the ashes Of the republican Aristides-
he ,ha