Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-04-11

i
all Of them must stand or fall, ana that
master is their constituents. l wish
these sentiments could become more COM
mon, great deal more common. / nave
never entered into the question, and new
er shall, about the binding force OF instruc-
tons. l will, however, simply say this
If there be any matter Of interest pending
in this body, while ain member of it,
in which Massachusetts has an interest Of
her own not adverse TO the general inter-
est Of the country, shall pursue her in
structions with gladness of heart, and with
all the efficiency which can bring it,
But if the question be one which affects
her interest, and at the same time affects
the interests Of all other States, shall 10
segard her political wishes or in
structlons than would regard the wishes
of man who might appoin, me an arbiter
or referee to decide some question of i'm
portsnt private right, and " ho might in
struct me to decide in his favor. Ii ever
there was Government upon earth, il is
this Government; if ever there was a
body upon earth, it is this body, which
should consider itself as composed by
agreement Of all, appointed by some, bu,
organized by the general consent Of all,
sitting hete under the solemn obligations
of oath and conscience to do that whicl,
they think is best for the good Of the whole.
Then, sir, there are these abolition So
cieties, Of which ain unwilling 10 speak,
but in regard TO which have very clear
notions and opinions. do not think them
useful. l think their operations for the
last twenty years have produced nothing
good or valuable. At the same time,
know thousands Of them are honest and
good men; perfectly well meaning men.
They have excited feelings, theythink they
must do something for the cause Of liberty,
and in their sphere of action they do moi
see what else they can do, than to contrib
ute to an abolition press or an abolition
society, or to pagan abolition lecturer. | dc
do no, mean 10 impute gross motives even
the leaders OF these societies, but ain moi
blind to the consequences. cannot but
see what mischiefs their interference with
the South has produced. And is it moi
plain to every man? Let any gentleman
who doubts of that, recur TO the debates
in the Virginia House Of Delegates in
1882, and he will see with what freedom
proposition made by MIR Randolph for
the gradual abolition of slavery was dis
cussed in that body. Every one spoke ol
slavery as he thought; very ignominious
and disparaging names and epithets were
applied to il. The debates in the House
Of Delegates on that occasion, believe
were all published. They were read by
every colored man who could read, and il
-t'u'u~-srTc a',y.rr~tr~ cpuis' raas -sea .hoss
debates were read them by others. At,ha
time Virginia was not unwilling nor afrsis
TO discuss this question, and 10 let that par
Of her population know as much OF it a,
they could learn. Tha, was in 1882
A, has been said, by the honorable mem
Der from Carolina. these abolition societie.
commenced their course of action in 1885
II is said--I do not know how true it may
be-that they sen, incendiary publications
into slave states; at any event, they at
tempted to arouse, and did arouse,a a very
strong feeling; in other words, they crea
tel. great agitation in the North agains
Southern slavery. Well, what was the
result? The bonds Of the slaves were
bound more firmly than before; their riv.
els were more strongly fastened. Public
opinion, which in Virginia had begun ,e
be exhibited against slavery, and was
opening out for the discussion of the ques-
ton, drew back and shut itself up in its
castle. wish to know whether any bodyir
Virginia can, now, talk as Mr. Randolph
Gov. Mcdowell, and others talked there,
openly, and sent their remarks TO the
press, in 1892. We all know the fact, and
we all know the cause, and every thing
that this agitains people have done has
been, not TO enlarge but to restrain, not to
set free, but to bind faster the slave pop
ula,ion of the South. That is my iudg
men Sir, as have sail, know many
aboliionists in my own neig ighborhoo very
honest good people, m:sled, as think, by
strange enthusiasm; bm they wish TO do
something, and they are called on to con-
tribute, and they do contribute; and it is
my firm opinion this day, that within
the last twenty years as much money
has been collected and paid to the ablition
societies, abolition presses, and abolition
lecturers, as would purchase the freedom
of every slave man, woman, and child in
the State Of Mary land, and send them all
TO Liberia. have no doubt oil it. Blu,
have vet to learn tha. the 6enevolence OF
these abolition societies has al any time
taken that particular turn. Laughter.
Again, sir, the violence of the press is complain
ed Of. The press violeDtt Why, sir, the press is
violent every where. There outrageous re.
proaches in the North against the South, and there
reproaches in not much better taste In the South
against the North. Sir, the extremists in both
parts Of this country are violent they mistake
loud and violent talk for eloquence and for
They think tina. he who talks loudest reasons the
best. And this we must expect. when the press
is free, as il is here, and trust always will be
for, with all its centiousness and all its evil, the
entire and absolute freedom Of the press is es sem
ta to the preservation Of ernment on the basis
Of free Constitution. Wherever 1t exists, there
will be foolish paragraphs and violent paragraphs
in the press, there are, am sorry to say, fool
ish speeches and violent speeches in both Houses
of Congress. In truth, sir, must say that, In my
opinions the vernacular tongue Of the country has S
become greatly vitated, depraved, and corrupted by
the style Of our congressional debates tlanghter]
And il it were possible for debates in Congress
to vitiate the principles of the people as much as
they have dspraved their taste, should cry out,
s.God save the Repullicn'
Well, in all this / no solid grievance, no
grievance presented by the South, within the re-
dress of the Government, but the single one to
which have referred; and that is, the want Of a
proper regard to the Injunction Of the Constitution