The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-02-05
SPEECH OF MIR. PHELPS,
OF VERMONT,
In Senate of the United States,
JANUARY 20, 1850.

The Senate having resumed the considers
ton of the motion to print the resolutions of tn
General Assembly Of the State Of Vermont Of
the subject Of Slavery, which were some im
since presented by MIR. UPHAM-
MIR. PHELPS. After the few remarks
which made the other day, entertaine,
the hope that should not find myself un
der the necessity at present of partcipa.
ting any further in Il e debate on this ques
ton. But, sir, after what has fallen fro 7
the other side of this Chamber, felt il
due to myself, and due to the State which
| in part represent to offer some further
remarks in vind'cation of my course and
their course.
Sir. have been called upon to " face
the music.r have no dispos tion, Mr.
President, to avoid the facing of any
b" music;" but | must be allowed to say,
sir, that think we have some very bad
Emusic " On this floor. have been cal
led upon, sir, to meet the issue. make
no issue here which ! am not prepared to
meet, and trust that my constituents will
make no issue here which | am not pres
pared to meet. Nay, sir, am prepared
to meet the approaching issue, pregnant
as it is with consequences to this country.
Sir, it has been said by gentlemen on
the other side of this Chamber that this
great issue was forced upon them. 1t
has not, however, been forced upon
| them by the officiousness of any portion
of this country it is an issue which has
forced itself upon us, an issne which has
come here uninvited and unwelcome
1t presents itself as one of that train of
consequences which many of us forcsaw
and resisted. it comes here as the conse>
quence-the necessary ccnsequcnce--of
train of mea surcs which for one have
resisted from the outset 1t is one of the
fruits OF that spirit faggrandizement, and
conquest, and military acquisition, which
seems to have infected aud infatuated ev-
cry republican Government. Sir, it is
one of The fruits of the Mexican war
the fruits of that policy which originate ed
in the disposition to extend the area of
out power, but which carries in its train
the element which may in the end dissolve
this Repablc. Sir, am not surprised at
this issue. 1t is what ! have long antici,
pated it is an issue which we cannot Il.
void; aud here, sir, lies its difficulty and
ITS danger-t is II question to he settled !;
Dut HOW stttieu HO nidu OH tnIs uOOT uON
can amir ipaie.
Sir, in approaching this question, | am
not forgetlul of the pledge which gave
the Senate on n former occasion, that
should approach it cooly. deliberately,
and with fee .ings of conciliatioh &; that |
should approach it with an ardent attach
ment to the Constitution and to he Union.
Sir, shall not be diverted from this de-
termination, whatever may be the tenor
or temper ofthe debate. 1t is true there
are many considerations, some Of them of
great magnitude, pressing upon me not
to depart in the least from what con-
slider cool, and dispassiona,e, and ra-
tional consideration of this question.
Sir, we are all attached to the Union;
we all value the harmony and stabi iiy of
that Union and no topic which tends to
endanger either, should. in my judgment
be di cussed here in anger.
Sir. these professions may he doubted
My professions the other day seem not to
have carried with them the most implic-
it confidence on the part of some gentle
men. Sir, if proof was wanting of the
sincerity ofmy professions OIL this subject,
it is TO be found in the histsry Of my pub
lie life. There are passages, MIR. Presi-
dent, in that life here which Senators
ought not to have forgotten.
Il is but a few months since, in the sit
uatiOn where now stand, advocated
the measure alluded to hy the honorable
Senator from South Carolina. alude
TO the territorial bill reported by the se>
lect committee commonly called the Clay
ton compromise. The honorable Sem
ator from South Carolina the other day
pronounced that bill satisfactory to the
South. His expression was. that it WINS
"framed to save the honor of the South"
| sustained that bill and under what cir
cumstances D.? Sir, knew from the out
set the position | was about to take in
conseniins to he member of that COM
mittce. | knew that was no euviable, but
a perlous position. knew well the diff
Guilty of reconciling the excited feelings
Of different sections of this country was
not ignorant of the danger al any conces-
sion with II view to compromise. knew,
sir, the temper of tie people Of different
sections of this Union, and that every con.
cession on either side, however small,
would he viewed with extreme jealousy.
Sir, might have avoided this position ;
| might have gone further, aud when the
bill was reported might have consulted
my own popularity by going with my
friends of the North, and in following the
crowd in denouncing the creature of our
own creation. Sir, it was not unanticipa.
ted that, in consequence of my course up
on that bill, my name should he associa-
ted with terms of reproach; that oppro-
brium, personality, and, sir, ! may add
personal insult should he cast upon me.
But, sir, trust was influenced by high
or and better motives than The mere love
of popularity. | had a duty TO perform
here desired 10 see this troublesome
and dangerous question settled and, in
the discharge of that duty, came bo 'dIy
TO the vindication OF that bill, while it was
denounced by the almost unanimous voice
of the North, and, may add, by the al
most unanimous voice Of my own constit-
uency. stood a'one Of all the people of
the North /; followed the dictates of my
own Judgment and can say in ell sin
cerity thai judgment is now what il was
then.
Sir, regret that the bin did not pass,
and believe the country will yet regret il.
was willing, if necessary, to make myself
a sucrifice, in order to attain the great OBJ
ject of harmonizns this Union, and of
putting an end forever TO the question
which now agiiates and alarms us. II
that object could have been attained by
the sacrifice of my public pretensions, !
would have considered the object very
cheaply purchased. Sir, when gentlemen
from other sections of this Union when
gentlemen from from the South will place
themselves in the gap between the excl
ted feelings of their constituents and the
harmony of this Union when they, dis
regarding the excitement of the moment,
will breast themselves TO the storm of pep