The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-22

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utter unwelcOme truths in the ears of lordly mas
tiers, to expose the schemes of unchastened am
bitten to labor earnestly to bring back this Gov
eminent to the policy of its founders, to insist
that the policy Of Jefferson and the fathers Of the
Republic, should be applied to the Territories of
this Union.
He tMr w could tell the gentleman from ILL.,
nois MIR McCLERNANDl how this agitation, which
he so much deprecates, might have been avoided.
Had Representatives faithfully carried ont the will
of their constituents, the question of slavery in
our Territories would have been settled three
years ago, by the extension to them of that pro-
vision of the Ordinance Of 1887 which prohibits
slavery except for crime. Ofthis there can be no
doubt
He MIR w has said before, and he repeated
now, that when the ProvisO was first introduced,
there were but two Northern votes against it in this
House. One was that Of the gentleman from ILL.,
nois, and the other that of his hen colleague now
a member Of the Senate, Mr.. DoUGLAs That
provision, which the gentleman has learned from
his Southern allies to denounce most infamous,
siJ2 Sa2y reoei,eo ,so f proSai5f he &e
tives from the free States, but the unanimous and
spontaneous approval Of the people throughout
every free State in this UHiOn. The people by
every form OF exbsessioR endorsed it, Legisa-
lures by unanimous resolutions endorsed it. Had
the public voice then been faithfully obeyed In
this and the other wing Of the Capitol, all that
excitement and agitation about which the gentle
man declsims with such genuine Southern feeling,
would have been avoided. The question would
have been settled without agitation, without ex-
citement and in my judgment, without leaving
behind any very serious beart-burniDgs upon the
feelings of our Southern friends. True, sir, they
might have been ignorant Of the merits Of their
distinguished champion, the gentleman from llli-
nois. The country might have never known that
il held within its bosom one Of such broad, such
comprehensive, such exalted patriotism. This, he
(Mr. W. confessed, would have been a serious
loss 70 the country, and great personal sacrifice
to the gentleman from Illinois but one which, he
trusted, would have been cheerfuly made, TO avoid
that agitation which so alarms and disturbs the
gentleman.
Mr.. Chairman, It has become quite common for
certain gentlemen, distinguished alike for their
patriotism and mOdesty to claim for themselves
that they stand upon broad and national plat
form; and TO denounce all who do not take posi-
tion with them, as narrow minded, sectional, and
fanatioal Is slavery national and freedom Sec
tionsl2 He mir w had been taught by the
fathers Of the republican school, that freedom was
broad and national and slavery local and section
al For this great doctrine he had struggled
here, and for this he should continue to struggle,
with all the feeble powers God had given him.
This great doctrine of the universally Of free
dom, as one the inalienable rights of man, and of
the local character of slavery, a State and
tiona institution, constituted in the early days of
the Republic an established article In the repub-
lican creed Hence, the efforts Of Jefferson to
circumscribe the limits Of slavery-etforts go-
rioasy successful in the establishment Of the Or
dinance Of 17S7-by which freedom was secured
to the State which the gentleman from Illinois
[Mr. MoCLERNAND in part represents. But for
this Ordinance, which the gentleman now denoun-
ces as infamous, the curse of slavery would have
rested like an incubus upon his own State. IL
would have gone there in defiance Of the Ordi-
nance, had Illinois, at the time of the adop-
ton of the Constitution been blessed, or cursed,
(her people will Judge which,) with superabun-
dance of that broad and comprehensive patriotism
Of which the gentleman boasts. Instead of that
free labor which is fast giving to Illinois pros
perity and greatness, the negro slave would have
ioitered in idleness upon her fertile fields, or
been driven by the lash to his thriftless and I'M
willing toll.
He (Mr. W. had followed in the footsteps of
Jefferson he had travelled in the beaten tracks of
the fathers of the republican party. His efforts
had been to circumscribe slavery within State lin
its-not to interfere with il there but to resist its
spread over the free Territories of the nation-to
relieve the General Government from all respon-
sibiity for its existence support leaving it to
rest, where alone it should rest, upon State SOW
ereingty and State laws
This question of slavery extension is great
pecuniary question: question Of capital-of
money. The immense capital invested in slaves,
as effectualy controls this Government az does
the capital invested in the funded debt of Great
Britain control that. The old proverb, that
money rules the world" is as true in political
as in social affairs. The money invested in slaves
Yields the destines Of this boosted free Republic
1t shapes its policy to its own ends, il elects its
Presidents and dspenses its vast patronage /; il
proscribes its enemies and exalts its friends So
far az legislation and all the machinery of Gov
eminent is concerned, it in truth and fact con-
stitutes the Republic itself Well-informed
Southern men in this and in the other branch Of
Congress have estimated the amount of money
invested in slaves at srteen hundred millions of
dollars. He thought the estimate a large one,
but that the sum is large almost beyond computa-
ton, is certain. This vast money power, extend
ing over half Of the Confederacy, and binding
together in the bonds of common pecuniary
interest half the States, dictates law TO this Re-
public, and rules with despotism unrelenting as
death. Asa Democrat, he had ever been opposed
to great moneyed interests The instincts Of money
are the same the world over--the same here as in
the most grinding despotism Of Europe. Money
is cold, selfish heartless. Ii has no pulse of hu-
manity, no feelings of pity or Of love. Interest,
gain, accumulation, are the sole instincts of its
nature and IL is the same, whether invested In
manufacturing stock, bank stock, or the black
stock of the South. Intent on it's own interest
it is utterly regardless of the rights of humanity
Il would coin dividends out Of the destruction
Of souls Here, then, sir, we have sirtsea hundred
millions of c0pial-heartless, uufeeliug capital
intent on its own pecuniary advancement. II is
here sir in these halls in desperate conflict with
the rights of humanity and OF free labor Ii is
struggling to clutch in its iron grasp the soil of
the oountry-that soil which is mans inherit.
ance and which Of right should belong to him
who labors upon IT, SiTteeH hundred millions OF
dollars demands the soil of our territories in per-
petuty for its human chattels-to drive back the
free laborer from his rghtful field Of enterprise
from his lawful and God.given inheritance. Sa-
very must have wider field, or the money value
Of flesh and blood will deteriorate. Additional
security and strength must be given TO the hold
ers of human stock. What though humanity
should shrek and wall? Money is insatiate-
capital is deaf TO the voice OF its pleadipgs. To
oppose the extension Of slavery--to resist in the
councils Of the nation the demands of this huge
money power-to advocate the rights Of human
ity and of free labor is, in the estimation Of the
gentleman from Illinois, 10 be sectional and fa-
natical To bow down 10 this money power-to
% do its bldding--to be its instrument and its
tools doubtless, in the esteem Of the gentleman
TO stand upon broad aud national platform"
Freedom and humanity, truth and justice is
platform too narrow for his enlarged and compre.
hensive mind-the universally Of slavery can
alone Gil its capacioqs powers Slavery is Demo
cratic-freedom fsnstiosli Sir, the gentleman
no doubt sees fanaticism in bold and fearless
advocacy Of the right With some minds, moth
ing Is rational and practical except that which
paws well That slavery has heretofore paid
well 10 those who labored in its service, he (Mr
W. was prepared to believe. The history Of
this Government proves this. It's bills, however,
haua ham ~ hiaconnI ainee iha Presidential |