The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-29
WHOLE NO. 1911.


the United States. We wish TO bold her to that
contract Texas Is reported AZ having one ha1q-
dred and eghy,fOuT millions Of acres Of vacant and
unappropriated land One Of her honorable
members Mr.. Kaufman thinks that too high an
estimate. Grant that il is so reduce it as YOU
please, there Is still large residue beyond the
payment Of her debt
object to the payment Of that debt on account
Of les character IL is her revolutionary debt
We have not yet paid our own. The payment Of
that will be standing invitation 10 revolt in the
provinces of a neighboring Government, urging
them to cut loose from their present connection,
and fight their way into this Union, and all their
expenses will be paid. What other proof will
be asked, than that we have twice paid the reVo-
lutionary debt Of Texasl | do not propose to
offer any such pcsES<sss. "a eeisiiioh.
have now called your attention to all the sub
jects in this bill ! have few moments for
brief alusion to other subjects deemed proper for
| general discussion. Additional security Is de-
handed for the recapture offugtive slaves because
of alleged injustice and hostility at the North
Allow me TO give you one cause not yet assigned,
/ for the existence Of that feeling. You may be
startled when tell you most decidedly that men
from the South, in attempts TO take those who ara
not slaves more responsible than all others for
! its existence Understand that | do not charge
this upon Southern men as a body. | believe
every man here, and ninety nine hundredths Of
| your constituents would reprobate and punish il
as severely as any one else Still, there are men
who seek to do it and they have aroused that
| feeling Some have doubted whether this is ever
attempted; but does not every lawyer know that
the existing law grew out Of case Of this kind
In 1921, the Governor Of Pennsylvania demanded
Of the Governor Of Virginia the Surrender Of
three men indicted In Pennsylvania for kidnap-
ping negro, and carrying him TO Virginia. The
demand was refused, and the matter was In con-
troyersy between those States aud The General
Government rin it was settled by the passage OF
the present law. February ~, 1893. (PaerJs
Rep, vol 10, D. 56t) Such Gases have often 90
Cured An. Siempt or this kind has been made
since we have been in session. IL is reported in
the Baltimore Sun, February9 believe IL hap
pened just at the time when an honorable member
was giving US severe lecture for the existence Of
Northern prejudice
| "SUsPIcIoN OF KIDNAPPNe.-Wm. H. Lamb
din, captain and owner of the schooner General
Jackson, Of Wilmington, Delaware, was brought
before the Mayor, at Norfolk on Wednesday, for
having attempted to sell three free negroes, COM
prising the crew Of his vessel He sailed from
| Philadelphia last month on an oyster expedition,
as he alleged and arrived at Norfolk on Tues
day. On his arrival he represented to the poor
fellows that the popular prejudice there was very
| strong and the laws very strict against negroes
from the North, and advised them to remain on
board He then came ashore and offered to sell
them to several persons at great sacrifice. Some
Of the persons applied to went on board the
| schooner to examine the negroes, who on discoy-
ering the object Of their visit, protested loudly
against the right Of ownership on the part Of the
captain, declaring that they were free gentle
| men from Philadelphia. These, in connection
with several other suspicious circumstances, led
tSPthe arrest of Captain Lambdin, who was for
mally committed for further examination
As reasoning man, what do you expect will
be the result of such attempts Sir, man ap-
pears in Northern city or town, and claims as a
slave one who is known to be free. He may as
in this case, be foiled in his design; or he may
succeed and carry his victim to slavery. In Ell
Their case the tidings will be borne on the wings
Of the wind the lightning will tell of 1t and
"the thunder that deep aud dreadful organ pipe,
| will bass the trsspdss to the worldn That negro
may be worthless creature, the scourge Of the
society which he infests, but he is freeman.
You may snatch Girard, or Astor, or a Law
renee, from their boarded wealth, aad 1t will not
create mere excitement thnn when you have seized
the lowest and meanest hireling in the land His
very misery
VIII plead like angels trumpet tongued against
| The deep dannation Of his taking OF"
The next month"; or the next year another man
appears in pursuit Of q real fugitive Who will
show the distinction between the second and the
| frst2 The people will ask for Northern secu-
rity, trial by jury. The provision of the Con-
sttution and the law stand now as they were
made by our fathers We have never asked for
their repeal trust the bill (Niason's) first in
troduced and amended In the Senate will not be
| pressed. Such are present indications. ID can do
no good 1t will be only "as the cbaf on the noun
tain, and as rolling thing before a whirlwndp
IL additional security is asked for the execution Of
that clause must insist security for the exc
cution Of one other, that the citizens of each
State shall be entitled to all the privileges and
immunities of the several S.a.esn TART L. Sec
81 When you haul up old lronsides, and oareen
her for caulkng, you must not apply all the labor
to one side Of her keel
cannot see why there should be such perpet-
ual threats Of dissolution over that subject nor
over any subject. have no power in my COM
mission for any such work | presume Il Is so
with others. Congress was In session when the
Constitution and Union were formed, but the
people did not trust Congress with that work
they selected another body Of men for the bust
ness. IL the people wish this Government dis
solved, they will elect their own agents to exc
cute their purpose II we do not redeem our
character, doubt whether we shall have the APP
pointment. Those threats Of dissolution have
lost their moral power by incessapt repetition for
thirty years. They have not been reserved for
great occasions but have been brought into SER
vice in every little sectional skirmish
rejoice that the free States have never made
such threats They have had provocation through
the action Of the Government against their own
wishes They have had II in the ipcessant and
wasting changes Of the tariff laws. They had II
in the embargo, which proved paralysis Of their
whole commercial interests. The wrecks Of that
disastrous measure are floating over New Eng
land, settling down IN paupcr houses, on their
way to pauPer graves. The changes against the
wishes Of the North have sunk we'll nigh enough
money to buy all the negroes south Of the line.
We have perpetually yielded, and still hear the
incessant cry OF dissolution. The time may
come when outworn patience will say, We have
heard that long enough. Here are two broth
ers-the Siamese twlns-held together by bond
OF flesh. No human sagacity can foretel the re.
suit OF separation. II may be prosperity, or IL
may be instant death. The only security Is in
maintaining the union which Providence has Or
dained In order to this there must be brotherly
kindness and charity; but the one is perpetualiy
threatening to sunder the bond, II his own bebests
are not obsyed. The time may come when Self
respect will compel the tainted brother TO bay,
have never threatened you. wish TO live In
union and harmony. ] have never given you Just
provocation, and have no design TO do II. II you
are determined on dissolution, take the response
bility, and bide your time Take the responsible
lily Of the set and the consequences Of that act,
and do II when you will tomorrow or to-day, for
II this Is bravado have had enough; II threat
eping, have had too much.
have heard with regret the warlike language
introduced into these debates. With entire
respect to others, must say, that whether coming
from North or South, this seems out Of place, and
out OF taste for the free discussions OF free and
peaceful Republic,
III the General Government shall make demands
upon my people for any constitutional purpose,
those dfafts will be promptly honored But as a