The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-06-27


the purpose of extending that institution per Sc,
but ii was grasp for power-power In the fed-
eral Government, which they have controlled Tor
half a century None know better than southern
men that slavery is wrong; none know better
than they that 1t Is at war with those principles
of justice upon which our Government is found.
ed, and which have Judgment in the breast OF
every man none know better than they that II IS
merely the question of power which now seems
rocking the Union to its centre. Ii was IN this
view that the language of my colleague Mr.
STEvEss was so strongly excepted to by South
ern gentlemen. They are fearful that the con-
viction will grow up in the popular mind, that
slavery as a political power should. be destroyed,
as it is at with the whole spirit of free instr
tutions, and is checking their advancement at
every step.
Mr.. Stevens said
q" opposed to the diffusion slavery because confn.
ing within it's present limits will bring the States them,
selves to it's gradual sboton Let this disease spread and
although will render the whole body leprous and oah
some yet 1t will long survive CoDfne it, and Ike the can
that tending the heart must be eradicsted or
win eat out the vtas The the patient Is convinced
Of this the sooner he will procure the healing operation
"Yes sir this admitted result is 20 my mind one Of the
most agreeable consequences Of the legitimate restriction Of
slavery COnnns this malady within its present limits sur
round by Gordon Of reemen that cannot spread ana IN
less than years every sayeholdng state IN TINS
summsted the fondss wishes Of every patriots heart
will fair country be glorious indeed and be to pOstery
bright example Of the true principles of government-Of
universal freedom
My colleague has been subjected to not little
severe criticism from Southern gentlemen for the
expression of these sentiments | can tell gentle
men from the South, that this language is by no
means peculiar to my colleague They are as far
as | know, the sentiments of the entire North
-. L.c -. klsak
ed both in English and German, and circulated
by thousands. This sentiment is of no new
growth. | doubt not that my colleague himself
learned it at his mothers knee, and these lessons
are seldom forgotten.
II is this fear that slavery, being surrounded by
Gordon of free States, will ultimately adopt
remedies for the evils which provoke the demon
STATIONS that we daily witness in this Hall Prov
idence has pointed out to us this remedy for the
evils Of the common veal under which we are
suffering. Surround this arrogant and aristo-
cratic slave power, which is now impeding all
legislation, obstructing the wheels of Government,
in hopes Of carrying out its dark designs-sur
round it with a Gordon Of freemen, and we shall
then have prospect Of peace, Of a return to law
and order, to good and regular government.
We do not ask to interfere with slavery in the
States where it exists under their own municfpaf'
reenjstioDs The responsibility of its existence is
with them. We do not ask TO interfere with it,
and the Constitution gives us no right to do so.
But we have right to ask that it shall not usurp
all authority and control of the Federal Govern
ment and subject the North to state of political
vassalagel We have right to ask that it shall
not be made the basis of power which subjects
the North to species of political slavery, which
is but the counterpart of that domestic slavery in
which they hold the tawny race of Africa and
mixed breed of American and African blood of all
shades and hues, from ebony black to almost lily
white.
Were the slaves of the Barbary States of Az
RIGA compared to-day with those who are held in
human bondage in this country, we should find
but little difference in complexion Their slaves
are ostensibly white, as ours are black, but they
gradually change their hue to darker shade, as
ours do to lighter, more delicate complexion,
and European features Why, there are slaves in
Washington, which we meet at almost every corner
of the street. with straight hair European features
and skin almost as white as our own and this
is the class which give so much trouble as r,nra-
wavs There is ON instinct in them which gene
rates q struggle for freedom and that struggle is
sometimes lifelong struggle. AS this class in
creases, as it is increasing every year, new laws
are found to he necessary for their recapture
The old law Of 1893, stringent as 1t is is found
Intellectual, as we are now told by our Southern
friends.
Sir, as / have said, California is the first item
in this +" COMPROMISED which is to heal up all the
old sores. do not know whether it is intended
that California shall come into the Union or not.
know that she ought to come in, and 90 for her
unconditional admission, without making her
pack-horse, upon which to lug in other matters
pertaining to the security Of property in their
black people, and the extension of slavery.
When slave States to be admitted, we
do it by wholesale, and Texas Is showed in with
an arrangement for FIVE slave States without
scarcely 80 much rs saying to the North, "by
your leave, sir.n But when a free State knocks
for admission, she is kept here months, compelled
to listen to frOthy speeches upon that everlasting
theme, I" dissolution of the Union u and the
country is kept in a state of revolutionary excite
ment The appropriation bills are kept back, and
the Government menaced with refusal of the
supplies, not by a majority, but by miserable
factious minority. But those terrific speeches
about dissolution of the Union, &c, like an Oft
told tale, are really becoming wearisome and we
are ready to excaim with Job, our affections are
greater than we can bear"
The next feature in this Compromise is Gov
ernments for the Territories, without restrc-
ton of slavery, and annulling the Mexican law,
which abolshes slavery, by extending the Consti-
tuition over them-thus yielding the whole of the
territory to slavery.
The next is, buying of Texas large portion
of territory which she claims, and paying her ten
or twelve millions, probably, in addition to what
these territories have already cost, which is about
Sl25 100000.
IL New Mexico is to be secured to slavery
why is the North called upon for this vast sum
The public lands are worth nothing, according to
the showing of New Mexico herself, in the repre-
sentation she has officially made to this Govern
ment, pending her application for admission, and
1n l,oh 10 10
Texas. We have yielded her boon enjoyed by no
other State in the Union, the possession Of all
the public lands within her borders Where is
this demand to end? We shall next be called
upon personally to pay tribute to this slavery
propaganda, and perhaps to furnish white slaves,
if they cannot get black ones-and ire ran do II.
They next call upon US to stife our opinions
with regard to slavery. They tell us that we of
the North have no business to have opinions upon
this subject-it is aggressive; and they modestly
ask us to organize ourselves into one vast police
corps, and emulate each other in a display of our
dexterty in catching their runaway negroes
The fugitive slave bill which forms part Of this
famous was about to say m5amous-oompro
mise, as il is called, details about ten thousand
Northern postmssters to perform this degrading
office Of catching runaway negroes - perhaps
they will next propose that the North shall fur"
nish, under the authority Of the Federal Govern
ment, q supply Of those interesting individuals
who perform the Office of Jack Ketcb, to be in
readiness whenever the South shall need them.
Such a proposition would be fitting amendment
to this fugitive slave bill.
Sir, the postmasters of our Northern cities
tswns ard -i,ns.lscyes Ire gartAs@ss They woufd
not suffer such degradation this You talk Of IN
suits and aggressions upon the South. Nosuch in
suit as this was ever offered to any single Southern
man and yet you coOlly put 1t upon ten thousand
Northern postmasters, gentleman of standing and
respectability in the communities where they
live (not by virtue of their Offices for none other
than respectable men are appointed to these places
of trust and responsibility IL this bill shall
oovra hafora thia Hama I bava an, nj ma IN