The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-22
THE NATIONAL ERA WASHINGTON, D. c., AUGUST %, 1850

TO retard their operation-to save the institution
Of slavery from their influence by an extension o.
its area Gentlemen Of the South see that the
field of labor Is fast filing up that the laborerl
are increasing, and that, unless the field is en-
larged labor will cheaper, and the laborer him
self become worthless as an element of property
They see clearly that at no distant day they will
be compelled, by the force Of natural laws TO com
mence the work Of emancipation, unless that day
is put off by the opening of new fields for slave
labor. Sir, would not obstruct the operation
of Gods laws ! certainly would not interfere to
save slavery from their influence. Looking, as
do to the day of our ultimate redemption from
this curse wish il to come before the evil shall
have grown to such giant proper ions as to defy
our efforts for peaceful deliveraDce. | do not
wish the evil to grow beyond our control. We
might, by mighty effort, solve peacefully, and
without blood, the problem of slavery, with ten
millions of blacks. No human power can solve 1t
with fifty or hundred millions IL would break
in fragments the strongest Government on earth
it would produce scenes OF commotion, strife, ana
blood such as the world never saw. why will
gentlemen bring certain and widespread ruin
upon the country? IL is the spirit of self
ishness that invokes this destruction upon our
land-the selfshness of great interests the selfish
ness of capital blind to everything but its imme-
date and proximate interest. For resistance
to this spirit of selfshness, for seeking to overt
from my country this terrible doom, am assailed
by the gentle man from Illinois in borrowed wit
,.a3 studied denunciation.
MIR. Chairman, talk as gentlemen may, there is
~e>,J~ end od determination on the part OF the
people in the free States TO resst bS eSerS iawfui
and constitutional MEANS the extension Of slavery.
They may be betrayed by their representative
| fear they will be; they may, for time, be mis-
IL A. L.. thau hov p1a 0nnf1
dence-party leaders may lick the dust at the bid.
ding of slavery, may kiss its bloody hands-party
organization may be used to crush the advocates
of liberty-yet, sir, the great heart of the people
beats for freedom. Gentlemen will learn that a
cheat is no settlement-that betrayal of trust
is no adjustment of difhculties-that the arrange
ments of Presidential aspirants is no compromise
Agitation is not to be quieted by the preparation
of wrong The friends of freedom will counsel
no resistance to established law but they will
not cease to appeal to the judgments and the
hearts of men, in behalf of righteousness and
truth. Gentlemen want peace, quiet Cease to
urge wrong, and you will have peace What
is the quiet they want? Freedom from agitation
on the subject of slavery. will tell gentlemen
how they can have quiet on this subject Separate
the General Government from all responsibility
for the existence or support of slavery Keep
your institutions within your States and you will
Isw 10 agitation. Cease to eSozs sAs SysSNy
Of slavery in this Observation-Disclosures no more
Northern men You provoke agitation by the in
justice Of your demands. You declare your pur-
pose 10 extend slavery unto free territory, and
when we offer resistance when we demand for
freedom the protection and security of law, you
cry out against agitation. You ask us to reverse
the policy of the Government in behalf of slavery
and its interests, and because refuse, you COM
plain Of injustice and wrong. Weare struggling
to maintain, against your encroachments, the
early and settled policy of the Government. |
stand upon ths question of slavery extension,
where Jefferson, and Madison and Henry, stood
sixty years ago. Were they now living, they
would advocate the policy have advocated. They
did so, in their day and generation. They would
do 80 now
lie is the vast increase of this slave capital which
has taken place in the last half century, that Gre
ates all our present difficulties. From two hun
dred millions Of dollars it has grown to sixteen
hundred millions. This immense capital is strug-
Cling for perpetuity and power. 1t wishes to
make slavery eternal. This is your fanaticism
gentlemen Of the South--the fanaticism of sla-
very-of sixteen hundred millions of dollars! II
is a cold, calculating fansticsm. II feeds on the
souls and blood of men. Talk to me about fanat-
icisml May God preserve me from the fanati
gets humanity and it's rights in the pursuit of an
sll-absorbing selfshness
Mr. Chairman, have been led almost uncon.
sciously into these protracted remarks | con.
templated but few words when | arose. My
object more particularly was to address myself 20
the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. McCLERNANp,
and to repel the charge brought by him against
the friends of freedom, of a desire to defeat the
appropriation bills They have never entertain
ed such a thought They are loyal to the Con-
stitution and to the Government of their coun-
try-Ioyai, BIT, and true. They desire action on
California-that great question: which, more than
any other, epgrosses the mind of the nation. II
is shame--a personal dishonor to Northern
men-that California 10 not yet admitted into the
Union. Why this protracted delayl Why tbii
continual postpouement Of a measure which they
all profess to favor? Are gentlemen afraid t
act Are we towards, that we dare not perform
our constitutional duty2 DO we fear to tax,
hold of the work which we came here to do Sir
let US have done with this timid, this cowardly
policy. Let us act. There is honor and safety
in action-dishonor and danger in further delay
The gentleman from Illinois is waiting the action
of the Senate on the Omnibus billo After
eight months of the session is exhausted he il
for giving time for slavery to mature its plans
When slavery is in danger, the gentleman is ever
very was ever delayed an hour for want of the
gentleman's aid Freedom must stand back, and
only enter these Halls in the manner and at the
hour slavery shall dictate.
wish that the vote Of to-day should arrest
the attention of the country. Let it be known
throughout the length and breadth of the land
that the consideration of California was post
poned to make way for an appropriation bill for
the support of the Military Academy at West
Point--a bill which there was no occasion for
pressing upon our attention, and which could
have been acted upon a fortnight OF month
hence, without any detriment to the public SER
vice. This was done by the votes of the South,
united with the great body of Northern Wings,
and few Northern Democrats. California post
poned, after eight months delay, by the strong
vote Of nine'y-three 10 srty, Yet, in the face of
this vote, men will go home and try to make their
constituents believe that they were friendly to
the early and unconditional admission of Cali
fornia.
DEBATE ON THE "IIIGHER POWER
III