The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-03-21

bravery of words except II be corroborated by Gus
TOM" Do the aarmists remember that this Govern
ment has stood sixty years already without exacuns
| one drop of blood that this Government has st0o'
sixty years and treason is an obsolete crimel Ina
| day, / trust Is far off when the fountains OF popuia
| conientment shall be broken up; but, whenever !
shall come, II will bring forth higher Illustration
than has ever yet been given OF The excellence o
the Democratic system; for then IL will DO seer
how calmly how firmly, how nobly great PEG
pie can act in preserving their Constitution: whom
Glove of country moveth, example teacheth com
pany comforteih, emulation quickeneth, and gior,
exalteth."
When the founders of the new Republic of tn,
South come 10 draw over the face of this empire
along or between its para.lels of latitude or long
tude their ominous lines Of dismembernent, soon e
be broadly and deeply shaded with fraternal blood
they may come TO the discovery then if not before
that the natural and even the political connection:
of the region embraced forbid such partition; tina
its possible divisions not Northern and Southern
at all, but Eastern and Western, Atlantic and Pa
cific and that Nature and Commerce have slied
indissoluby for veal and wo the seceders and rose
from whom they arc TO be separated; that, "hiie
they would rush into civil war ~ restore an magl-
nary equilibrium between the Northern Sres ana
the Southern States new equilibrium has aken It's
place, in which all those States on the one side,
| and the boundless West is on the other.
Sir, when the founders Of the new Reuolic OF the
South come t. draw those fearful lines, hey viii in
dicate what portions of the continent fe % be bro
| ken oil from their connection witt the Atianuc,
| through the st. Lawrence, the Hps0n the Dela-
ware the Potomac and the Mississippi; what por-
ton OF this people are be dered the use OF the
| lakes, the railroads. and the cnals, now consti-
tuting common and CUSTOMARY avenues OF travel,
trade and social intercourse wat families and Kin
dred TO be separated and cSiverted into enemies
| and what States are 10 be ~ scenes OF perpetual
border warfare aggravated Y lnterminable horrors
of servile instruction Wkn those portentous lines
shall be drawn, they will lsclose what portion OF
this people is 10 retain thearmy and the navy, and
] the flag of so many worries; and, on the other
hand what portion of thfpeople Is to be subjected
to new and ominous imysts, direct taxes and fore
cd loans, and conscrpnhs, to maintain N opposing
army, an opposing nay and the new and hateful
| banner of sedtion Ten the projectors oil the new
Republic of the Soutiwill meet the question and
| they may well prepa, now 10 answer it-What is
all this for? What ltolerabe wrong what unfra-
lernal injustice hav rendered these caamiiies I'M
avoidable? What gn will This unnatural revolution
bring TO us? The nswer will be- All this is done
to secure the nsti, ton CT African slavery.
And then if nooefore the question will be dis
cusscd What is his institution of slavery that it
should cause IN unparalleled sacrifices and these
disastrous aiiiieons! And this will be the answer
When the Spafards, few In number, discovered the
Western Indk and adjacent continental Ameri-
ca they needf labor TO draw forth from its virgin
stores some Jeedy return TO the cupidty of the
court and \ bankers of Madrid. They enslaved
the indolent noffensive. and cOnidina natives who
persisted BY Thousands, and even bymillions, under
that new al unnatural bondage. A humane eccle-
siasiic adsed iksrsRas,tutlon Of Afrscygq 7xS(cci
to captivif In their native wars and pous princess
adopted y suggestion with dspensaton from the
| head ofse church, granted on the ground Of the
prescrip,e right Of the Christian TO ensiave the
heather 10 effect his conversion. The colonsts of
| North merca, innocent in their unconsciousness
of wros encouraged the slave traffic. and thus the
labor snbdning their territory devolved chiefly
| upon he African race. A happy conjunctnre
| brouct on an awakening of the conscience of man.
| kind the injustice of slavery, simultaneously
witfhe independence Of the Colonies. Massachu-
| sett Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire,
| Veiont New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylya
nil welcomed and embraced the spirit of universal
| erncipaton. Henouncing luxury they secured
| huenee and empire. But the States of the South
rsled by new and profitable culture elected to
antain and perpetuate slavery, and thus, choos-
luxury, they lost power and empire.
When this answer shall be given, il will appear that
The question OF dissolving the Union is complex
question that il embraces the fearful issue whether
the Union shall stand and slavery, under the steady
peaceful action of moral social and political causes
be removed by gradual voluntary effort and with
compensation, or whether the Union shall be dis
solved, and civil wars ensue, bringing violent but
complete and immediate emancipation. We are now
arrived at that stage of our national progress when
that crisis can be foreseen, when must foresce IT,
1t is directly before Its shadow is upon u.s. 1t
dakens the legislative halls the temples of worship
and the home and the hearth. Every question, po-
litica CIVIL ecclesiastical however foreign 10 the
subject of slavery, brings up slavery an incident
and the incident supplants the principal question
We hear of nothing but slavery, and we can talk of
nothing but slavery. And now, it seems to me that
all our difficulties, embarrassments, and dangers,
arise, not out of unlawful perversions of the ques-
ton of slavery a. some suppose but from the want
of moral courage to meet this question of emancpa-
ton as we ought Consequently, we hear one
side demands--absurd indeed, but yet unceasing--
for an immediate and unconditional abolition of sa
very, as fany power except the people of the slave
States could abolish it, and if they could be moved
to abolish il by merely sounding the trumpet vio-
lenty and prOcaiming emancipation, while the in
sttution is interviewer with all their social and
political interests, constitutions, and customs.
On the other hand, our statesmen say that "sla
very has always existed and for aught they know
can do, il always must exist. God permitted it,
and he alone can indicate the way remove it," As
If the Supreme Creator after giving us the insruc
tons of his providence and revelation for the ilum
nation of our minds and consciences did not leave
us in all human transactions, with due invocations
OF his Holy Spirit, to seek out his will and execute
ii for ourselves.
Here, then, is the point of my separation from
both of these parties / feel assured that slavery
must give way, and will give way, to the sautary
instructions OF economy, and to the ripenng inlu
of humanity; that emancipation is inevitable
and is near, that il may be FASTENED or hindered ;
and that whether il be peaceful or violent depends
on the question whether IT be FASTENED or hinder
ed that all measures which iOriiiy slavery rextend
il, tend to the contamination Of violence all that
check its extension and abate its strength, tend to
its peaceful extirpatiOn. But will adopt none but
lawful, constitutional, and peaceful means, to
even that end and none such can | or will | forego
Nor do | know any important or responsible body
that proposes 10 do more than this. No free State
claims 10 extend its legislation into n slave State
None claims that Congress shall usurp power TO
abolish slavery in the slave States None claims
that any violent, unconstitutional or unlawful meas
ure shall be embraced. And on the other hand if
we offer no scheme or plan for the adoption of the
slave States with the assent and cooperation of
Congress it is only because the slave States
willing yet to receive such suggestions or even
TO entertain the question of emancipation in any
form.
But, sir, l will take this occasion to say that,
while | cannot agree with the honorable Senator
from Massachusetts in proposing to devote eighty
millions of dollars remove the free cdored popu-
ation from the slave States and thus as II appears
10 me- fortiiy slavery there is reasonable limit TO
which am not willing to 90 in applying the ma
tonal treasures TO effect the peaceful, voluntary
removal of slavery ITSELF
have thus endeavored to show that there is not
now, and there is net likely TO occur any adequate
cause for revelation In regard to slavery But you
reply that nevertheless You must have guarantees :;
and the first one is for the surrender of fngtves
from labor. That guaranty you cannot have, as
have already shown, because you cannot roll back
the tide oi social progress on must be content
WI" "'" Nou hhNt' IL you WdSe war upaIust us
you cam al most, only conquer us, and then all you
can get viii be treaty, and that you have already.
But you insist on guaranty against the abolition
OF slavery in the District of Columbia, or war.
Well, when you shall have declared war against ms,
what shall hinder from Immediately decreeng
that slavery shall cease Within the NATIONAL capital
iou say that you wilknot submit to the exclusion
of slaves frem the new Territories. What will you
gain by resistance ? Liberty follows Inc sword, al
though her sway is bne of peace and benefcence.
Can propagate slavery then by the sword
You insist that you caanot submit 10 the freedom
with which slavery is discussed In the free States
VIII war-a war Tor sayery--arrost even moderate
that discussion No sir that discussion will not
cease; war would only name il to greater height
Ii is part of the eternal conflict between truth and
hsisEaeI ail .si hisl 49,.