The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent., 1850-12-20
Speech Of MIR. Wabors.


on the late adjustment Of the slavery question,
Mr.. MAJORS, Of Tlppah, rose and addressed
the House as follows:
Mr.. SPEAKER: We are assembled here in
obedience 10 the call Of bis Excellency the Gov
ernor, to take into consideration the late acts of
Congress-admitting California into the Union
as a State, making proposals TO Texas for the
settlement of her boundaries, abolishing The slave
trade in the District OF Columbia, providing
governments for the territories Of New Mexico
and Utah, and making further provisions for the
speedy and certain reclamation Of fugitive slaves.
do not appear, sir, as the apologist of Gen.
Foote. lie needs no defence at my hands.
The people will judge him as they viii Judge you
and me. 1t does, however. strike me as being
little singular, that gentlemen who contend
that the salvation of the South depends upon the
unity Of our people, should introduce resolutions
here, The inevitable tendency of which is still
further to distract and divide the country. The
evidences satisfy my mind that a majority of
this House are opposed to Gen. Foote; but are
gentlemen certain that their constituents are
opposed to him? Did members come here in
structed to vote for resolutions of censure against
any one? If not will they turn aside from their
regular business to put down Senator, who. in
their opinion. is very small man, but who det
me say in the opinion Of the great mass of the
people is a statesman and a patriot. If gentle
men really desire Union among the people, they
have adopted singular policy to secure it.
But proceed TO review the measures on
which it is proposed to condemn Gen. Foote-
The late compromise. am deeply sensible, Mr.
Speaker, of the vital importance of these mea-
sures, and the fearful state Of excitement under
which this body has been convened; and whilst
do not attach any blame TO the Governor for con-
vening the legislature in extraordinary session,
stili dolegret, that passion and not reason may
influence our councils. Many say that the con-
stitution has been violated, that our rights have
been sacrificed; and our honor trampled in the
dust. Can we expect gentlemen to be calm
and deliberate under the influence of suchviews?
Can we tread steadily on the surface of the
earth when her bosom is rocked with the con-
vulsive tllrobs of volcano? Wha. shall guide
us in this emergency? Shall we look to our old
party leaders? We find those leaders arrayed
in hostility; former distinctions are forgotten,
and new titles assumed Those who acquesce
in the late adjustment of the slavery question,
as an evil less destructive in its character than
secession have assumed the name Of UNION
MEN; while those who are opposed to them, are
called STATE RIGHTS MEN. Thtse are
the titles by which the respective parties are for
the time being to be designated. As member
of this House, then, favring acqniescence rath-
er than secession, / ihd my guide through this
porientons storm under the lead cf our STARS
and STRIPES, under our Eagle find guide
in that immortal lseniiment,-"UBited we stand =
The history of our race, sir, furnishes US with
some important lessons to which we may well
look in this crisis. First, disposition in us to
compel others to conform Co vie@s- Each
man iabors for supremacy and not satisfied to
cherish his own sentiments, makes war upon
others for the purpose of spreading them. The
first, reason with men-then threaten them
then make war unless they yield.
There is another thing taught by the history
of our nature worthy Of notice, and that Is the
strength of our early preiudces and associations
Look back at the past DAYS and see Hannibal at
the head of a well appointed army marching out
sfrom Carthage: Rivers are crossed Deserts ira
versed; Barbarians vanqnisned: the Alps, cloud
capped, and scaled, and like an aralanch, he
pours down upon the plains Of Italy. Why all
this? 1t was owing no doubt in part to his hat
nral love Of adventure; but You must 60 further
back to find the real cause you must look TO The
factthat atan early period of his life his sfathertook
him into the Temple and in the name OF all the
Gods swore him to cherish an eternal hatred 10
the Romans. fear, sir. there are principles OF
the sort have mentioned busiy engaged in
working mischief in our government at this
time. Some Of our Northern brethren, whose
ancestors were actively and prohtably employed
in The African Slave trade, have come 10 The
fkcfe -.
political evil and ought therefore to be extirpa-
ted from the United States. They are filed with
such horror on account OF slavery, and feel so
Eeariully contaminated by living under COM
mon government with Shareholders, that many
&c them openly advocate dissolution Of the
Union in order 10 separate themselves from this
reproach. Now il these persons were satisfied
with their own views, and would leave others to
themselves, they would be comparatively harm-
less: but others must not only know their senti-
ments, but must conform TO them candidates
for political favor are catechized upon this sub
iect; petitions remonsirances and memorials are
sent into our State and national Legislatures;
and Congress as at the last session, occupies
nearly all of its time in legslating on question
over which il has no jurisdiction. 1hIs false
Legislation has been induced by the efforts OF
Northern men: and | am not surprised that y
he's had the effect TO infamefthe passions oi their
Southern brethren. We. however. should have
some charity for these greatest Of sinners; they
have been sworn around the family altar. IN the
sanctuary. upon the Holy Bible, to chesish hos.
tiity to African Slavery. Their spiritual guides
have ssoen the livery of Heaven to serve the
Devil in,'' and have taught them that Moses
and the Prophets, Christ and bis Apostles, all,
denounced slavery Thus have we seen the
causes Of hostility among the people OF the
North. Let MS now, for moment, look to our
selves: our education, raising and associations
are all in favor of slavery: we believe It is right;
we know the condition Of the African race IS lar
better here than in their own native country, and
oppose all interference upon the part OF Congress
with the subject Do we claim too much when
we simply claim to be let alone. No. and Il we
should, we will only be driven to it by retaliation.
Upon this momentous question, then, are those
who advocate the two extremes-the one de-
manding its total abolition by Congressional en-
croachments, the other demanding that Congress
should iegislate for its establishment. But
apprehend that the true constitutional doctrine is
to be found between these two extremes-that
Congress has no power either 10 abolish or es-
tabish slavery This has always been the doc
trine of our leading statesmen of the South, the
ground assumed by our public meetings Ia Mis-
sissippi and the tenor of our Legislative resolves
have all denied to Congress jurisdiction over the
subject Of slavery.
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