Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-06-14

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in it. 1t could be clearly seen and understood
and being seen, the people of the free States, al
one man, revolted at the proposition and many
of the most ultra men of the South shrunk bach
from the ground their great leader had fearless
y taken. 1t was too bold. 1t stripped slavery
of its disguise, and exposed the length ant
breadth of its demands. Dangerous as was this
proposition, il was harmless compared with the
c0rert demands made upon us by the less coura-
geous advocates of slavery. They seek, by in
direct means, more than MIR Calhoun ever de-
manded by change of the Constitution. They
require that Congress and the country shall ac-
quleSce in the construction of the Constitution,
and make the overthrow of our institutions the
penalty of disobedience Sir if the North, I'M
der tie influence of threats and the seductons
of patronage, can be brought to this it is better
for the arstocracy of slavery than any written
constitutional amendment. 1t is an eyer-ehang-
ing amendment, adapted to all emergencies, and
equal to every necessity. Ipreler any change Of
the constitution to this. 1.-THE great principles of
our Government are to be subverted, and All aris-
tocracy established upon its ruins let it be done
by change in our organic law; let it be written
down, so that the people of this country may
see 1t. Let the powers and privileges of our
masters be distinctly defined, and such rights as
written law. OF all tyrannies, save me from
that unlimited and underlined tyranny which
acknowledges no restraint except the will OF ca
price of the tyrant--whch demands control over
my Judgment and conscience, and enlorces ODE
dience by threats if not of life Of all that makes
life valuable.
Mr.. Chairman, this lis no picture Of the imag-
nation, but sober reality. How stand the facts?
We of the non-slavehodng States believe that
Congress has power under the Constitution to
prohibit slavery in the national Territories. We
have read the instrument ourselves. We have
carefully studied its provisions. We have cal
led to our aid the lights of history and the expe-
rlence of the past, and we find our opinions for
titled by the unbroken action of this Govern
mcnt, throughout all its departments for the en-
tire period of its existence. We believe, furth-
er, that it is our bounden duty to God and the
country to exercise this power, and to give the
principle of the non-eXtension of slavery the
authority and force of positive law. How are
we met? We are told that if we, being in
minority, dare to act upon this, our understand
ing of the Constitutional we shall dare to car
ry out our deep and solemn convictions Of public
duty-that the Union shall be dissolved, and our
country involved in anarchy and the horrors of
civil war. Gentlemen representing the slave
States tell us that they have different reading
of the constitution. Designating all precedonts
rejecting all contemporaneous construction.
they arrOgate 10 themselves niaIhbllty as the
eXpounders Of that instrument; and if we shall
dare act counter to their exposition, they notify
US by the most solemn warnings, that the govern
mGnt shall be overthrown, and our glorious in
situations of liberty and law buried in the abyss
of irretrievabe ruin. Sir, no dangers threaten
the Republic so imminent as the assaults made
by slavery upon the constitution and powers of
this government. Submission to its threats and
demands is the most direful calamity that can be-
fal us. What more fatal to liberty? What more
subverslVe of our institutions than a surrender
of the Constitution and the rights of u majority
under it, and the adoption, as the law of our gui
dance, of the arbitrary behests of slavery, enlor-
ced by threats of violence and blood?
Again, Mr.. Chairman, we propose to admit
California into the Union. Oar right TO do 50 is
Here there is no dispute of our
constitutional power; yet, here again we are
warned not to proceed, at the hazard of the I'm
ion. We are told that California shall not be
admitted, except upon such terms as slavery shall
prescribe. That lis admission must be purchased
by the substantial concession of opening wide the
door for the Introduction of slavery into our Oder
territories Yes, sir; upon the question OF the
the plain and open highway of our duty, slavery
hurls its defiance in our teeth. We are hidden to
stand at our peril Shall we here, too, purchase
peace by submission? Shall we 'Sare The Union
by standing, like trembling towards, in our
tracks? Those can obey the mandate who
choose. | shall not. To my ear it sounds like
the crack of the whip: and he who covers un-
der is better fitted for the service of the pIa lta
ton than for the performance Of those response
bic duties which belong TO the repre- sentative OF
free people.
Upon the question of the admission of Calilor-
MA as Seperaie and independent measure, there
is but one sentiment among the people of the
free States. 1t is demanded by the general and
unanimous voice of all parties. The most SER
vile of the pro-slavery press of the North has
never presumed so far to outrage public feeling
as to advocate the connection OF any other mea-
sure with the admission of California. Upon
this point even the Pennsylvania has been silent
while upon all others it has kept neck with the
Washington Union and Charleston Mercury in
its advocacy of the most extravagant demands OF
the South, and is Justly entitled to pre-eminence
over both in the bitterness and magnlty Of lis
assaults upon the principles and friends OF free
dom. 1t has been forced, by the strong public
sentiment at home, to conceal It's opposition to
the unconditional admission of Calltornla-to
disguise its hostility under cover of general
compromise"
When we assembled in this hall in December
last, there could not have been found five Rep
resentatives from the free States who were not
opposed to mixing up California with other sub
iects of controversy and strife. Here, at lastthe
North was to take a firm stand-one from which
she was not to &c seduced by promises or driven
bv threats How stands this House to-day upon
the question of the unconditional admission of
California! God, sir, only knows; but if rei-
ance can be placed upon the confident assor-
tons of the friends of slavery, the friends of Cal
ifornia are in minority upon the floor. The
great measure of her admission with a free Con-
stitution is TO be embarrassed by questions of
Territorial Governments for New Mexico and
Utah, and the settlement OF the boundaries of
Texas. California is to be compromised into the
Union, and the price other admissioni the extern
sion of slavery Sir trust in God that this will
not be- 1.-THE North prove recreant R0.c, and up
on this question: when and where can we hope
for manful and successful resistance against the
aggres8ions and threats of slavery? trust that
the Representatives from the north will never
consent that California shall be made the
make-weight for the extension of slavery
that they will save themselves and the honest
constituencies they represent from this deep
! humiliation. California abandoned as an 'ndg-