Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-02-14

sacrifice IN order to attain tie great object
OF harmonizing this Union and of putting
ALI end forever to the question which now
agitates and alarms us. If that object could
have been attained by the sacrifice of my
public pretensions. would have considered
the object very cheapIy purchased Sir,
when gentlemen from other sections of this
Union, when gentlemen from the South will
place themselves in the gap between the
excited feelings of their constituents and
the harmony Of this Union-when they,
disregarding the excitement of the moment,
will breast themselves to the storm Of popu-
lar prejudice, hazarding their popularity
and their coed name with an excited con-
stliuency, promise those gentlemen vail
never do them the injustice to doubt the
sincerity of their professions.
will pursue this subject no farther. My
object is to satisfy the Senate, that in what
/ have said in-rela'ion to the cultivation OF
harmonious spirit, whatever professions
have made of IA disposition to harmonize
the different sections of this Union, aud set
tie forever this troublesome question, my
sincerity is proved by the course have
heretofore taken in my action on this floor.
Sir, enc object | have in addressing the
Senate on the present occasion, is 10 yindi-
cate the resolutions presented here from the
State which in pat represent. Those
resolutions have been the object of no very
comclialory comment Almost every cpl
thet IN the whole category of opprobrum
has been bestowed upon them. Sir, be-
lleye | can yiudicate those resolutions beffre
the Senate and before the world They
haze been, sir, misconcciyed here, and most
grossly misrcpreseuted elsewhere They
iare been pronounced on this floor clTen-
sive. violent, opprobriaus, l!iuperalivc, un-
just, insulting, treasauabie, and antrue Sir,
II there IS ANYTHING lell III the category Of
opPro5Elum not bestowed upon them, II may
well be regarded as surplusage.
Let Ee revert to the resolutions them
selves have SAID taat they have been
nisconstrued. Sir, if they aare not been
most egregonsly misconceiye1. | have not
the capacity to judge. They are drawn
not, perhaps, as shilllully Is they cugh, 10
b.. The language is perhaps not precisely
what others would have employ ed to express
the same sentiments. | Wi read them
Tnat slavery Is a crime against human
lily and u sore ev.l III The body polite, that
was excused by the trainers of the Federal
Constitution a. crime entaled upon the
country by their predecessors, and tolerated
as a thin. Of ineXorAbe necessity"
The other day took the liberty Of re-
marking that the sentiment here expressed
was the general sentiment Of the civilized
world. In making this remark | really re-
ally regarded 1t as rather common place.
1t seems, however, to have been received as
offensive, and was 50 considered, probably
because lie resolutions themselves were
considered to convey an offensive impnta-
ton Sir, when made the remark, con-
sdered that these resolutions cast no ImP1l-
taliun on any part OF this Union. | regard
ed the Resolutions as merely expressing an
abstract opinion, directly impicating no
body and having this view OF their purport
| felt at liberty to endorse them, although II
| had regarded the resolution as containing
an offensive impuiation on any portion Of
the Union ] should probably have avoided
the expression. But these resolutions mere
Is express Al abstract opinion. What Is ~
That slavery is crime, or if you please,
an offence against humanity Whom does
this implicated Upon whom is censure
cast Upon those, and those only, who
participate in the offence aud are response
bic FIR the crime, if there be crime If
criuiuaity is imputed t. any one IN partic-
ular, it Is By inference, and by inference
only. What, sir, have You, and what have
| heard from cur childhood on this subject!
We have al! heard and felt the free of the
9indication of the South on TINS suhlect -
Originating as it may, the continuance of
this institution has been indicated by gen
,lemen ol the South; first, On Tie ground
that they are not responsible for lis origin
and second, on the ground that is existence
benz matter e iaeyorab.e necessity, they
are net responsible Ter is coLiinuance.-
Sir, this language has beea used every
where. have not OIL, heard it, bat have
used this language myself among my own
constituents, III excuse, if You please, or IN
y!ndc4iion (f yen please to use the term
Of the people Of the South ioi their plrtici-
patton Ia this institution.
repeat, we al ielt the force of this ar
current. Let 1t be an offence if YOU please
TN Use WHO brought IL INTO lHc C0dilil dit
responsible, those who participate III 1t are
responsible for It's Continuance when It's alb
Citizen can be made consistent with their
safety. | have ever felt the force CT this
arrumeut And what say the resolutions (!
They express tine opinion that the instliu-
iion is an offence against humanity They
proceed further 10 furnish the ,rdicatIon
which The South have always urged for
themselves, the fac; that the institution vas
enialed upon them by those who had gone
before them, aud that lis continuance with
them rests upon inexorable necessity. Now,
SIR. having tins view of the resolutions, find
inr they presented at the same moment IN
which they branded the institution as 4
crime the excuse IA eXculpaton Of the South,
| could not regard The sentiment as al ln-
pItation upon them. II was with this view
that hlzasded the remark which then
consideted and now consider rather as a
common place one, without the slightest
idea It could give offence to any one.
Bat sir, does the assertion need proof
Does the opinion that the institution IS IN
consistent with the dictates of humanity