Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-12-12
Mr. Claws Great speech.


The crowded state of columns will not permit
us to publish this speech entire This we very much
regret; for it is master production of master mind
We however make room for his concluding remarks:
The constitution is with them the right is with them
and if its execution shall be opposed attempted to be
thwartcd Ly force, that State which make such op
position will place itself clearly maniesty and ndisPu
tably IN the wrong occupying such ground that The
slayeholdng States may eares5 aud consistently await
the issue 1t be expected did expect that the
adopted the last session % Congress would
lead to immediate and general acquescc1ce the part
of the utras at the North and at the South.
They had been mpelled by such violent and extreme
passions, that it much 10 expect that they would
silently and promptly admit their errors and yield to
what had been done for the best interest OF our common
country. Accordingly perceive that at the South
that second edition OF the Hartford Convention has again
assembled and is laborng to stir up strife and conten
ton, and In several of the slavehong States the spirit
of discord and discomfort is busy engaged its unpat
riotc work, but confidently anticipate that all their
m:d efforts will be put down by the intelligence, the pat
riotsm and the love of Union of the various slave
momenary enquiry as to what would have been the con-
dition of this conederacy the subject Of slavery if
unhapply it had been severed
Assuming that the line could have been drawn be-
tween the save-holdng and the nonslavehodng States
all north Of the States of Maryland and Virginia, and
all north OF the Ohio river would have become foreign
independent sovereign power; contrast II you please,
present condition with what il would have been
der that order Of things. At present we have right If
any slave escapes, demand his surrender. We have
right take the constitution and the law in one hand
and 10 require the surrender
do not believe there will be any opcu lorcble
sstancc to the execution Of the aw-the people of the
North have strong Of the propriety OF the
obedience to the law but if there be any such resist
ance have the right to invoke the employment OF any
part OF the militia of the United States the Army
the Navy of the United States TO enforce the exception
Of the law. And. although have no power to c m
mand President Fillmore 10 any specific line OF d1-y,
i'm intimately n
tire confidence in him man of ability and honesty,
and Of patriotism, who will perform his Duty and his
whole duty, in seeing the cectual execution of the
laws of the land, which pledge the support to the
utmost, of my poor ability.
In the exciting State of things. doubtless shall not
recover all fugitive slaves that escape We shall
however, some and the Courts and ures in the
free States have demonstrated their readiness give by
their verdiets and judgments ample indemnity against
those who ence seduce away, and harbor runaway
slaves. But how would the stand in dlsmetber-
cd constitution of the confedcracy?
Then we would not have right TO demand solitary
slave that might escape beyond the Ohio, into what
would then be foreign power.
Ii all the slaves of Kentucky in that contingency
flee beyond the Ohio river, would have right
demand of them in the abexradition treaties and
such treaties wonld be concluded with respect
OF one of them. Nothing is clearer in the whole public
law of Nations than that independent Foreign pow
err is bound surrender fugitive who takes refuge
in another independent foreign power.
acted upon BY the Sultan of Turkey in the OF Kos
surh and his Hungarian companions, who took refuge in
the Sultan dominons and his reu:al to surrender them
upon the demand of Russia and Austria, enthusi
ascay admired, approved and applauded by all Of
Now Mr.. Speaker, we have the constitution. the law
and the right side. Dissolve the contederacy,
and and Independent powers the law and the
right would be transferred from us TO them / may he
asked as have been asked when would consent to
dissolution of the Union. answer, never! never!
err because can conceive OF no possible contingency
that would make it for the interest and happiness Of the
people TO break up this glorious cOncdeTacy and 10 sep
arate IL into bleeding and belligerent parts.
Show me, what believe TO be impossible to show me.
that there will be greater security for liberty life prop
erty, peace and human happiness in the midst of Earring,
jealous and warning independent North American powers
than under the eagle oil the Union, and will consent 10
its dissolution. would hold il if Congress
usurp power, which it never will, to abol-
ish slavery within the limits Of the States for in the
tngcncy OF such a usurpaiion should be in better
condition slavery, bad it would be- out of the
Union than in the Union. approximations have been
tertaned and expressed to TO the world in future time
of Territorial scope for the slave population. believe,
that very distant day. likely in the present
or next century, whenever the vast and unoccupied
wastes in Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama,
Florida and Texas shall become fully peopled, slavery
will have reached its natural termination.
The density of the population in the United States will
then be great that there will be such reduction in the
prica and value of labor render il much cheaper
employ free than slave labor aud slaves becoming bur-
den TO their owners, will be voluntarily disposed Of and
allowed to 90 free Then hope and believe under the
dspensations and blessings of Providence that the Con-
hnent OF Africa, by the system OF colonization will be
competent 10 receive from America all the descendants
of its Ii the agitation in regard the Fug
tive Slave Law should continue and increase and become
alarming II will lead to the foundation Of two par
ties for the URion and the other against the Union
Present parties have been created by the division of opn
ion to systems Of National policy; and as to finance
free trade protection the improvement of rivers and
harbors the distribution Of the proceeds of the public
lands &c but these systems oil policy sprnging out Of
the administration of the Government of the Union lose
all their interest and Importance if that Union is be
dissolved
They sink into utter nsgnicance before tie all-im-
portant pcrvasve and paramount interest of the Union
itself, and the platform Of that Union party will be the
Union the Constitution and the enforcement Of its laws
and if should be necessary form such party, and
should be accordingly formed, announce myself in
this place member Of that Union party-whatever may
be its component elements. Sir. ! 30 farther. have
bad great hopes and confidence in the principles of the
Wing party. as being most likely conduce to the hon.
Or the prosperity and the glory of my country but if il
IS to be merged into contemplate abolition party, and
abolitionism is TO be engrafted the Wing creed,
from that moment renounce the party and cease 10 be
Wing. 90 vet step farther. If l alive l will
give my honorable support for the presidency TO that
man, to whatever party he may belong who is uncon-
tamnated by fanaticsm rather than to who crying
out all the time, and aloud, that he is Wing. maintains
doctrines utterly subyersye OF the Constitution and the
Union
freedoms ii there be who treads the soil of this
broad earth that feels himself perfectly independent
am that man. have ambitious aspirations want
office, station in the gift Of man. would resign
that which hold If thought could do so at this time
with honor. | want place whatever. / beg pardon
SIR there is place only, which desire, and that
warm place in your hearts.
Out of the late heated discussions and divisions one
eeod result has been produced; the people, generally
Wings and Democrats have been more thrown together
in free and friendly intercourse both have learned ap