The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-12
DAILY.
SPEECH OF
MR.. T.. II. AvERETT, of
On the proposition 20 admit California as a
STATE irto he Union, delirered IN The House
of REPRESENTATIVES March Of 1880

STATE i1lo hs Union, delirered IN The House
/ of Representatives, March 81, 1850.
coNCLUDEp. ......
Sir, the history of the civilized world bears no
record of more cruel, wicked, and heartless war
fare than that now waged by the Northern against
To say TO the phiianthropic gentleman from Penn
sylvania, Mr.. STEvENs,] who preached the fune-
raj of Old Virginia the other day, in sermon
Astounding in obscene ISLANDERS, that | do not
mean TO defend the mother of States and OF
statesmen ~ against any charge which he and
others have urged against her. She needs no de-
fence. But cannot refrain from remarking, that
neither her white laborers, nor the masters of her
black aborers, have been IN the habit of beg
ging for special benefits protection at the hands
OF tins Government, and at the expense OF others;
and that, far there any truth in the picture
which he has drawn Of her impoverished con
uiton, II is owing, IN part, to the fact, that too
, many or her warm-hearted and open-handed PEG.
pie have broken down their fortunes by lavish
expenditures, which have gone into Northern
pockets and Golfers, by the special favoritism Of
this government TO Northern mendcants at its
footstool Let the archives of Congress answer
whether the masters of negroes, the master
manufacturers have been the most importunate
beggars. Why, sir floods of ink have been shed,
ana volumes written to prove that twenty, nor
even forty, per cent advantage over the rest of
the community, could save the people Of the North
from ruin. mean no disrespect to the working
men of the North. In by-gone days, they have
been considered as the "natura allies Of the
South. believe them so still. They are in
terested with us in resisting unauthorized assump-
tons of power by this Government. They are
beginning to learn that high protective tariffs like
all other systems Of monopoly, tend to enrich the
few at the expense Of the many.
But, to return from this DEPRESSION. If the gen
tleman from Pennsylvania will consult facts, in
stead of fanatical fances, he will find that the APP
parent decline in certain portions Of Virginia is not
owing TO the existence of slavery, but to the fact
before stated, and to the further fact, that our
slaves are migrating to regions where their labors
are more profitable, and that the North is not only
reapng large share ofthe proceeds Of the traffic
IN slaves sold in Virginia, but increased profits from
their more profitable labors in the States to which
1 they are migrating. He will find, furthermore,
tina, the ngess of free white labor begins to supply
the loss by the egress of slave labor and that I'M
der the united energies of both classes of labor and
under true free-soil system, Virginia may well
compare with any part of the world, in all Of the
essentials of human excellence and happiness.
Why is 1t that he cannot find it in his heart to re-
joice, instead of INDUCING in obscene Islander,
when he sees our slave population thinning, and
our free white population thickening If he con-
slider slavery curse, why cannot he rejoice at the
prospect OF diminishing it, at his very door, Sir,
tell him, as told the gentleman from Connect
cut Mr.. BUTLER the other day, his philanthropy
is like most modern philanhropy--iti is regardless
of his brother at his door, and is expended upon
far distant and almost unknown lands. If il was
true, old-fashioned philanthropy, the gentleman
4 would rejoice in the results of our free-soi system
allowing labor, whether free white or slave la
Dor, to seek employment wherever il can be most
Ijudiciously and probably employed rather than
follow the lights of anaticsm, at war with every
principle of justice and humanity, and which, if il
be successful can attain that success only through
heartless cruelty to the white and black races
ybat do hah thf
scheme ofpenning slavery up within narrow limits
and choking II out? Disguise ii as you may, tina
is the scheme of Northern philanthropsts--that il
the scheme which is swaying the minds of popu
lar masses. Now probe 1t to the bottom--trac,
il to its ultimate and inevitable results if it be no
thwarted-and it contemplates the extinction o.
either the white or the black race of the slave
holding States. And what result would follow
. such catastrophe, supposng the shareholders
annihated, and the slaves left in sole possession
of the fertile regions of the South Sir, we have
slaves, it must be admitted, who are of viciou,
and rebellious dispositions, and who, reckless o
} consequences may be melted to mischief in certain
quarters; but the great mass of our negroes know
too much of Northern cupidlty, to believe for on
? moment that they are ever to be placed upon
footing Of equality with white people, and left il
free possession Of our rich RICE sugar cotton ant
tobacco fields. They know better than that--the,
know that if they could get rid of their presen
masters, they would Instantly incur worse bond
age than that which binds them; and tel
all Northern philanthropists, that our most
rebeous slaves would prefer 10 serve their South
ern masters, rather than be placed under the con-
troll of Northern taskmasters, under the pretence
of any mere theoretical freedom. | tell Northern
4 gentlemen, that if they will look at home, they
a will see better to fear and tremble at the
prospect of strife between classes in their own
ton of the Union, than to glory, as some on this
floor have done, in the supposed weakness of the
South because ofthe tendency to mischief in our
black population. Our Northern philanthropists
have their showers ofwood and drawers of water.
We have more than once seen developments of
discomfort among them. The laborng white
man, who delves in bitches, who grovels upon the
earth and in the earth, and is, by his necessities,
compelled to perform the mental Offices incident to
every farm, household, town, village, or hamlet,
begins already to inquire what it is, in the work
ings Of Government, and the rules of society, that
dooms him to hard labor, drudgery, and poverty,
while those who "nether toll nor spin,, revel in
the luxures of the four quarters of the globe, by
4 the proceeds ofthe labor ofohers. Take care, gen.
I tlemen! Remember that il is dangerous for those
who 60 live in glass houses to throw stones"
But, sir, beg pardon for wandering from my
purpose thus widely. My main design was, to
call back this House to the line of its duty, in
I making call needful rules and regulations re-
speeding the territory Of other property of the
/ United States" Why should we wait for schemes
of compromises from political leaders in this or
the other end of the Capitol Why longer
tantalize an anxious and excited community
i Why cheat them with the idea that the fate of
this Union depends upon the movements of any
| particular leader, or attempt to compromise the
slavery question: Sir, we have, to our sorrow,
tried compromises. For the sake of peace, we
have more than once submitted to usurpations,
and we have found, that instead of getting peace,
we have got furlong of aggression for every
inch Of concession which we have ever made.
| The slave question does not belong to these halls;
| kick it out, and then let it alone. We of the
South are all ready for that. What better COM
i promise can be demanded of u.s. Can we, with
out disgracing ourselves, and degrading the peo-
pie whom we serve, sanction any other
"Agreed," say some of our northern friends
9" stick to your doctrine Of on-ntervention-let
slavery alone, the people Of California have set
tied it for themselves admit her into the Union,
and all is settled" ..a. NJ .gr ia
They must allow me to say, that this appeal is
not only disipgenuous, but the people Of the
South will look upon tas adding insult to injury,
] repeat that this House has already INTERVIEWED in
spirit of determined resistance to every eff ort to
| give government to California and New Mexico,