The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-03-21

m0kpe
Gus Saxon race of ours was reduced to slavery while
IL retained the courage of sembarbarism In ts own
high northern latitude, what security does climate
afford against the Transportation Oh 'ne more genie
more dOclle and already enslayed and deoased Am
can to the genial climate OF New Mexico ana Eastern
California >,
Sir, there Is no climate uncongenla TO slavery. III
is true Il is less productive than free labor In many
northern countries. But so lls less productive thah
rec white labor in even tropical climates baoo, Is
in demand quick In all new countries oave Mpoi
is cheaper than free labor and II would go hrst n'o
new regions; and wherever II goes IL brings iap9r
into dishonor and therefore free white LABOR aVods
competition with ii. Sir, might rely On Cnl'i"o
l had not been born in land where slavery eAs'eu
and this land was all of il north of the lOlh paraie
of latitude and If did not know the struggle II has
cost, and which is yet going on, to got Golnpele
relief from the institution and its baleiui conse-
quencee. desire 20 PROFOUND this quesuVn ,V.no7s
who are now in favor of dispensing win the Nlhot
Proyiso, Was the Ordinance OF ioi necessity ", VI
not? Necessary we all agree. IL has received 700
MANY eulopiums TO be now decred as an lde ana
sUperfuous thing. And yet that Ordinance eAtenu
ed the inhibition of slavery from the sun 10 INC 1Un
parallel of north latitude. And now we are 'oid
that the inhibition named is unnecessary anywhere
north of re DEGREES 30 minutes We told that we
may RELY upon the laws of God, which pTOhlblt slave
labor north of tina, line and that il is absurd TO re-
enact the laws of God. Sir there Is no human
enactment which Is Just that is not re-enactnehi
oil the law oil lIO0. lie tOHSutuiloh VI hc tht'Ni
States and the Constitutions OF all the States are lu'i
of such re- enactments Wherever find law OF God
or a law Of nature disregaded or IN danger OF Delng
disregarded there shall vote TO reafiirm II, with all
the sanction of the civil authority. But hnd no
authority for the position that climate prevents sa'
very anywhere 1t is the Incidence of mankind in
climate and not the natural necessity, That IN
uSy1ures snaVeyy l,lAaS e-AnSsNs.
shall dwell only very briefly on the argument DE-
rived from the Mexican laws The proposition, tha'
.fs,f. nnfl
of our own is satisfactory; and so is the proposition
that those Mexican laws abolished and continue to
prohibit slavery. And still deem an enactment by
ourselves wise and even necessary. Both oil the
propositions have stated are denied with Just az
much confidence by Southern statesmen and Jursts
as they are affirmed by those of the free States. The
popul tOn of the new Territories Is rapidly becom
ing an American one, to whom the Mexican code
will seem foreign one entitled 10 little Difference oil
obedience.
Slavery has never obtained anywhere by express
Legislative authority but always by tramplng down
laws higher than any mere munlcip iIaws-the laws
of nature and of nations. There can be no oppres
sion in superadding the sanction OF congress TO the
authority which is so weak and so yehemently ques
toned And there is some possibility, II not PROB
ability, that the institution may obtain foothold
surreptitiolely if il should not be absolutely forbid
den by our oEn authority.
What Is insisted upon, therefore, Is not mere alb
stractiOn or a mere sentiment, as is commended by
sve the subject il, thai 1t is cODce6rD On al
hands that the effect of insisting on IL prevents The
,Nisasion Of slavery into the region u ~tic6 4 Is
proposed to apply 1t.
II Is insisted that the diffusion of slavery will not
increase It's evils Fhc argument seems to me mare
ly specous and quite unsound. desire-to propose
two questions in reply to H. Is slavery strong
er or weaker in these United States, from its diflu
sion into Missouri? Is slavery weaker or stronger
in these United States from the exclusion of il from
questions will settle the whole controversy.
And this brings me TO the great and all-absorbing
argument that the Union is in danger OF being dis
solved and that il can only be saved by compromise
| do not know what | would not do TO save the
Union; and therefore shall bestow upon this sub
ject very deliberate consideration
do not overlook the fact that the entire delegation
from the slave States although they differ in regard
10 the details OF compromise proposed and perhaps In
regard 10 the exact circumstances of the crisis
TO concur In this IH0mentous warning Nor do
doubt ut all the patriotic devotion 10 the Union
which is expressed by those from whom this warn
ing proceeds. And yet, sir, although such warning.
have been uttered with impassioned solemniiy II
my hearing every day for near three months, n
confidence in the Union repains mistaken. thu,
they are to be received with no inconsiderable &
trust, because they are uttered under the inllue
of a controlling interest to be secured, paramfii
object to be gained and that is an equbru oil
power in the Republic. | think they are to re-
most profound respect they are uttered unf an
obviously high excitement Nor is that exciInsnt
an unnatural one. 1t Is law OF our natu that
the passions disturb the reason and udgmep ust IN
proportion to the importance Of the occasn and
the consequent necessity for calmpcss antandor.
1 think they are to be disrusod, because ere is |
diversity of opinion in regard TO the naurind ope |
ration of this excitement. The Senatorsom some |
States say that II has brought all parties heir own
region into unanimity. The honorable Sator from |
XIV Nv CT wi SavQ hiatt ho Nav4r
violence Of party spirit and refers fosroof to the
difficulties which attended the orgasa hon OF the
House of Representatives.
Sir, in my humble judgment, it is OF the fierce
conflict OF parties that we are seeinFnd herring
but, on the contrary, it is the agor OF distracted
parties-a CONFUSION resulting fromie TOO narrow
foundations of both and of all parts-ioundations
laid in compromises OF natural JUST ana OF human
liberty. question, moral questn, transcendlng
the too narrow creeds of parties h arisen: the pub
lie conscience expands with it, apthe green withes
of party associations give way "a break, and iall
of from il. No. sir il is not thota'e that Is dying
of the fever of party spirit. II hnereiy paralysis
of parties, prcmoniory howeve,f their restoration,
with new elements OF health aDvigor 10 De lmbloed
from that spirit of the age viii is so Justly called
Progress
Nor is the evil that Of unl nsed, irregular, and
! turbulent faction We arctic that twenty l'egisa-
lures are in session, burnnflke furnaces heating
and naming the popularassions. Bnt these
tweAty Legislatures are asntuuonai furnaces.
| They performing their etomary functions, I'M
parting hcathiu heat and .ality while within their
constitutional Iursdic on II they rage beyond its
| limits, the popular pasa'o oi TINS country are not
al all, | think, in DANCE being inflamed TO eN-
| cess. No sir let none ,t,cse Tires be cxtingush
| ed Forever let them tn and blaze. They are
| neither ominous mctet not baieiul comets but
| planets; and bright aRinions' as Their heat may
be, IL is their native tcrature ana they must sui
| obey the law which, bttraction toward this solar
| ccntrc, holds them in III spheres.
| see nothing of IN conflict between the South
crn and Northern Stes, or between their repre-
sentative bodies WIN seems Ia be IN all sides at
me assumed. Not Tord OF menace, not awo-d OF
nngcr not an inter rate word has b, m uttered in
the Northern IegisS,rres. They firmly hut calmly
assert their conyc ms; but at the san time they
assert their unaund consent to submit TO the com
| mon arbiier and veal or wo abide the fortunes
| OF the Union.
What If there less OF moderation in the I.egis.
| laurcs of the Sdh Ii only indicates on which
side the balances inclining and that The decision
of the moment question is near at hand. agree
with those whsay that there can be no peaceful
dssolulion-rdissolution OF the Union by the Sc
cession of S es; but that disunion, dissolution,
| happen wherr may, will and must be revolution.
| discover n, mems of revolution The predictions
of the politil astrologers do not agree TO the
time or marr In which II Is TO occur. According
to the authiy of the honorable Senator from Ala
bama Mr. LEMENs. the event has already happen
ed, and IN Union is now in ruins According to
the honor e and distinguished Senator from South
Carolina, Mr. CALHOUN, il is not to be immediate,
but to developed by time.
What the omens TO which our attention is d.
rectedl see nothing but broad difference of
opiniorere, and the excitement consequent upon IT,
| ma observed that revolutions which begin in
the pa seldom go beyond the palace walls and
they set only the dynasty which reIgns there.
This voluiion, IL | understand ii, began in this
Sem chamber year ago, when the representatives
from Ne Southern States assembled here and ad-
drosd their constituents on what were called the
aga ssions of the Northern States. No revolu
,ioyas designed al that time, and all that has hap
ped since ia the return TO Congress of legislative
rc,utions which seem to me to be conventional
!, onses to the address which emanated from the
Oitol.
Sir in any condition of society there can be no re-
luton withouta cause, ar,1adeduato cause. What