The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1850-03-16
VOL. limo. 57z

can only become dangerous by being met
by resistance instead Of argument. have
said. sir. that the southern gentlemen have
an easy task before them. They feel their
wrongs and express their feeling in 10 un-
measured terms, and they are supported
and applauded by a constituency which
feels as they do But moderate men in the
North and West are placed in very ditter-
ent circumstances. They are enLeavor-
ing to check the excitement. They arc
throwing themselves into the breach. And
yet their condition is not at all appreciated
here. nor are they spared in the general
denunciations that are used. We hear
this every day. sir, and we are becoming
very impatient. Why. SIR, the honorable
senator from Virginia. Mr. Mason. whom
this whole Senate holds IN the highest res
pect, and deservedly SO, upon the intro
duction Of bill providing more efficient
mode Of recapturing fugitive slaves. said.
and repeated. believe. many times, that
it would do no good; that he knew it
would do no good What he said thought
might be translated into this: You are
all Il set of knaves at the North and West
and. legi>late As we may, the law will
be disregarded and the slaves retained.
This was not his language. and am sure it
was not his idea, and it is perhaps an eN-
treme conclusion from what he said; but
there is still too much foundation for COM
plant at such intimatlons. They do 10
good.
Mr. MASON, (intcrposing.) In the SEN
ator's remarks upon the language which
fell from me, upon the presentation OF this
bill, must say that he does me great in
Justice. Ny declaration was, that no law
could be executed unless it was addressed
to the loyalty Of the people. by whom it
was to be executed; that they were disloyal
through their State legislatures to that pro-
vision of the constitution. Certainly moth
ing was further from the than intimating
the idea that they were parcel Of knaves
in the north. But they were disloyal
to that provision in the constitution.
Their legislation shows it; aud because ot
that disloyalty, | was afraid that no such
law could be executed there.
Mr. CASS resumed. | said that my
words were too strong. Still, sir, l will
add that these continued reprOaches, de-
nunciations | may say, will necessarily pro-
woke recrimination, and may go TAR towards
converting Just cause into An unjust one.
Why, sir, it is only day Or two since one
of the most accomplished members OF this
body told US in substance that if a dissolu-
ton of the Union should take place, the
nothern portion, containing twelve mil
lions of people of the Anglo-Saxon race,
and embracing regions among the most ter
tile on the face of the globe, would be Ut
terly destroyed; that their cities would be-
come like Tadmor, their hills like Gllboa.
their fields like the Campagna, and them
selves without prosperity, without hope;
the grass would grow in their high places;
aud that they would become like modern
Tyre, while the southern cities would be-
come like ancient Tyre, the e'atrepols of the
commerce of the world. All this CRATES
harshIy upon my ear. do not want any
man to tell me what this Union would lose
North or South by dissolution 1t is
enough for me to know, that If not fatal
to both, it would check the prosperity OF
both, and lead to consequences which no
wise man can contemplate without ti'smay.
am an American, with the most kindly
feelings to every portion ot our beloved
country. Its strength is in its union; its
prosperity in it's union; its hopes lii its
union. do not want any one to come
here to tell me the evils the North would
suffer from dissolution, or the South
would suffer from a dissolution. l need
no lesson upon that subject. Ii any one
section would gain by a separation. l might
survey such prospect with less apprehe'-
sion than | now do.
Southern gentlemen will allow me to say.
and know they will appreciate the feel
ings with which say it, for have given
proof Of my desire to do the" jus
lice by the sacrifice of my political post
ton. that they place the defence ot slave
ry upon considerations WHICH do not ouit
the spirit of the age There is no use IN
going back to the days OF the Patrarch>.
and tracing the history and condition Of
slavery from that time to our own days,
aud proving its compatibility with the
Word Of God and the wants Of man.
They have much better foundation tor
their rights to rest upon than any such pro-
cess. Slavery is an existing institution in
the South, for which no living man is re-
sponsible. 1t is interviewer into the very |
texture Of society. Between three and
four millions Of people. differing in race
and color from the predominant caste, are
he Id in bondage. | have seen good deal
uf slavery. and | believe its evils are much |
naenified, and that the slaves generally |
in our southern States are treated with as
much Kindness and consideration as are |
compatible with their relative condition Of
bond and free, and certainly as well As they
would be treated in the North II we had
slaves there. do not see myself how
such a mass Of human beings can be set
may say. Of ages-would equally destroy
he whi'es aud the blacks. God in his
providence may bring It about. / do not