Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-05-17
CALIFORNIA--THE SLAVE QUESTION.
SPEECH OF MIR, RICHARD PARKER

ihe d0use being III Committee oi the "hoie oh .c SUN
OF the Union, the Presidents Message communicating
the constitution of California;
MIR. PARKER said
here from the different portions of the Concaeracy tncr'
appeared amongst disposition 10 cut"ae KIND feelings
with each other and meet in spirit oil irankness he va
rious questions of difference amongst us. And from all
then eard from Northern gentlemen on tins side oil the
chamber, did for moment doubt that an honest ana
believed successful effort would be made to acconno
iate satisfactory ALL the dissensions existing
amongst us in reference to the slavery question.
Diversity of opinion this subject had for long time
disturbed those amicabe relations which should prevail in
Conederacy of sovereign States and threatening the
existence OF that Coniederacy and II was hoped
the country cxpcctedhat all her representatives
would unite in energetic effort to restore harmony 10
Federal councils and by removing the for dis
quiet and apprehension to place upon yet more stable
foundation the destnes of this glorious republic To effect
this great and haowed work it had the right expect that
should meet in this hail. the representatives OF indie
pendent yet united States should meet with feelings OF
fotisn in breasts, with love of country which would
enable bear with much for lis welfare with sincere
purpose deliberate calmly upon the troubles and the dam
ners which surround us-in word, in spirit of concia-
tion resolved 10 practice towards each other and
wards all portions Of the Confederacy that courtesy Il" de-
and charity of feeling necessary for the advance
ment of the public veal
Meeting in such spirit and and acting in accordance
with its demands might have drawn still more closely
together the bonds which unite might hoped
that would crown efforts, and that might
have settled and forever the only subject that could
possibly disseyer the Union
But regre, TO say it, these good feelings seem to have
been displaced by feelings of very different character And
Northern and Southern men, in appearance have
pied towards each other on this floor rather the attitude OF
The representatives OF hostile nations than that Of members
OF the same legislative council.
Tina, from The South should speak warmly, whenever
any attempt made restrict encroach upon
rights in a of such vital natural
was 10 be expected In TRUTH should be false
constituents false the feelings they entertain upon the
subject Of these attacks upon guaranteed rights if we
did speak the language OF nness aud determinations
We the South do believe that, for the last thirty Years
OF the North from feelings OF blind but not the les
hurul phianthophy with some; from anxiety for pot
cal power with others; and with others STILL from nI
proper motives have violated injury and oppression
the sacred guarantees OF the Constitution and have
assumed this Government powers which gran
and would have been granted BY that portion
of the Confederacy from which 1t is our duty,
then 10 warn you-no tones of anger defiance in
the language of fixed resolutonthat the you
pursuing may involve both you and US in common "a
lamy. Now, gentlemen from the North choose 10 consider
the language Of warning as the language oi defiance and
permit themselves be excited beyond and must
saw often the perversion of real meaning into
thing Intentionally offensive to themselves. Thus when my
colleague from the Richmond district, time since call
ed upon the President in the the State which had
given him birthof the State which had adopted him aS her
-onand of the State where he had fixed his home and
where his friends and ncighbors iyedtha he, al least
should be found using the influence OF his high position
asten upon the South terms injurious 10 her interests ana
degrading 10 her honor and To make his appeal sun more
effective reminded the President that on that battlefield
which covered him with glory and has raised him To the
highest office known laws, he was sustained by men
of all portions Of the Unonrom the South as well a from
the Nor,hby the brave Mississppans well by the
gallant have chosen not wiu!y but
under the influence OF excitement to pesert the sole ana
only object of colleague into Of vaingoyng on lS
part prowess of Southern troops when contasted Win
troops from other portions of the Conederacy And under
this impression the honorable gentleman from Illinois Mr.
Bliss INDUCED strain of remark by cacn-
lated to restore harmony this Housea strain OF remark
which grated harshly every Southern ear Himself
rallant soldier has been 10 claim for those
who on that great fought under his immediate command
the tribute of praise 10 which they are justly entitled and
which the whole country has long since awarced but 10
h;a nd tha in Nphl
yered has virtually denied that the Mississippi regiment
entitled any praise for its bearing and services in that
battle.
Mr. BISSEII expressly dsatlirm all intention, in the
remarks submitted this coraec on former occasion
Of casting any impuaiion the Mississippi regiment.
could not have been unjust that regiment 10 myself
Nv object solely erroneous impression
which had been created thought unlntentlnnhly al
course by the remarks of the gentleman from Virginia r
seddon0 in reference incidents o the battle oi
Ruena Vista. take pleasure in saying now, as have al
ways said that the Mississippi regiment bore itself as gal-
lanily on that field any other regiment there
Mr. Parker resumed and said, understood tho honor
able gentleman he explains himself. / was conf
dent Il his intention 10 deny those services They
well known 10 induce me TO hlnK Tor an lhsta
that he was denying them But STILL under the excitement
Of the moment he did not mention them; and IT should
chance that the honorable genemans speech delivered
here should be the only record Of the conflict Buena
Vista that should descend 10 future times might appear
that southern regiment had claimed the greatest honos Of
for all that he said of that regiment s that mile and
half distant from the field Now will the honorable gen
tlcman wonder that southern men manifest occasional ex
element when questions of the most vital concern To their
agated here from day 10 day when So un-
founded suspicion of wrong 10 him and Others beng IN
,.nded where none thought of caused him 10 forget
what was due gallant southern men who win hm bore
the tolls and the dangers Of the hight!
But again. the honorable gentleman has thought pro-
per to sneer nj the bravery Of the southern people
He has told us you brave men, admit ali as brave
a. your fathers--not braver-who permitted slnal,
lequipped, enervated body OF British troops not 4aou @
in number TO march to the seat OF Government burn
lis CAPITOL destroy its archives, and this almost without
blow Did that honorable gentleman this by way ol
nunt And is il his settled purpose TO arouse feeling In
This House which must necessarily preclude the hope
arranging that troublesome question: which presses 80
heavily upon usl II think he mistakes his duty as
whose leading wish should be to promote
in every proper way and all suitable OCCASIONS the pur
,oses for which the Constitution itself declares this Gov
rrnmen, was formed mean in order 10 create more
perfect unon establish justice and insure domestic iran
gty" These Objects surely not advanced by the
course which the honorable gentleman from Illinois is pu
suing. ,,, , H., .c ,h
Honse and the country that Illinois, which furnished nine
regiments for the Mexican war will furnish thry-six res-
ary movements in South. Why really sir might re-
nate on the honorable gentleman, and say OF him. what he
said of Southern that he too at times INDUCES in lit
lie gas:onade but will not do So my object beng peace
md harmony will, however advise the honorable gentle
man to reflect carefully upon the nature OF the govern
nents under which live and OF the relations OF the
If this Union towards each other and towards the Federal
Government before he again threatens to interfere ny armed
nrce with the action of independent sovereign States
Such studies NAV useu! than his enumeration oil
the cohorts the North will throw upon u.s. in the event, that
by YOUR own folly and injustice drive us to seek happ
ness apart from all connection with YOU Now sir wili
,uain saw that discussion conducted in this temper and
with such illusions is much to be deprecated The public
interests cannot be advanced by it, but the contrary
must suffer from every manifestation of bad feeling in this
m and therefore hope that we will each OF us restrict
ourselves TO fair FULL and free examination OF the various
questions of complaint before us for consideration IL
in this spirit engage in investigation of these several
questions; but before doing So would assure the honorable
gentleman from Illinois, that in what have said oil the
course OF remark adopted by him the other day. ii very
far from INV intention to wound his sensblltcs or 10 de-
any the enviabe position ne has won Tor
himself by his gallant bearing in our war win Mexico
have said that for years past we at the South nave had
many and good causes complaint for injuries inflicted by
the North.
Before however entering upon the consideration OF these
topics permit INC to aludc n the many unounded
complaints which, the commencement OF tins session.
Northern representatives have made against US OF the South
In the place. asserted that in all our former acqu
sitions OF terroryo Louisiana, of Florida and OF Texas
the South has been influenced by the most selfish motives
and has insisted additions because they would he 10
m pecuar advantages and that in each OF these instances
we have been guilty of aggressons upon the North Now
cir Louisiana was purchased TO secure 10 the whole country
and especially to the great Northwest the full and complete
control of the Mississippi river This was the necessity oF
its purchase-a necessity not originating IN any attention 10