The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-04


Sir, looking at these hipsy arguments and the
very singular attitude of the old political parties
who can wonder at this frank admission of the
gentleman from Tennessee, mfr. EWING few
days since, in speech delivered on this Aoorl
He said:
ut is matter Of establishment that the Wings and
Democrats the members national parties
perceive the danger Of leaving these Territorial questions
open for another before the people IL clear
the MONDAY sum- that unless this agitation shall be quted
In some reasonable time hey will both be ngu ed In the
ahy Of aboOnsm. That PARTY gresive In its char
acter In it's organization aid resting it's basis spps
formerly separated the natiora parties have nearly
spent their force, and while in this demordred condition.
the new army Of is eriDg the flank Of
either dysion The destiny Of the old parties Is certain
une they the base Of sb1tonism by extinc
ton the material from which 1t Is fOrmed.p
Sir, | think the gentleman very frank and
truthful in this admission that they have exhaust
ed their old issues and are now " demoralizedn
The only real party issue that have noticed du-
ring the whole session, has been the appointment
Of committees to look after each others past profit
gacy and extravaganza, although they seem to
keep up farcical line of division in name merely
1t is evident to every observant mind that in our
political affairs we are now in state Of transition.
The pressure Of the age is forcing us into new
positions. We are obliged to take sides on the
great question of questions-THE RIGHTS OF
MAN. No compromise measure even should one
J pass, can possibly prevent It'll
classes of our political opponents in this contro-
versy. Having noticed briefly the views of one
class, will now say few words of the other
These gentlemen seem to be honest and bold, and
believe that slavery is a proper Institution, not
incompatible with Christianity This sentiment,
Mr. Chairman, in my opinion, is great error
But, while say this, ! must confess that they
occupy much more consistent ground than other
gentlemen, who have seats on this floor, who ad-
nit slavery to be wrong, and charge the sin upon
our Southern brethren, while they, at the same
time offer to 60 into partnership with them under
a contract of compromise Let me ask such gen
tlemen how they expect to convince their oppo-
nents that they are wrong, when their own prac-
tice denies their sincerity? Many Southern gen.
tlemen believe the principles they contend for are
right Hence they refuse to compromise. Sir, |
admire their frmness. Ii is to the boldness of
this class and to the frmness of the Free-Soilers
the country is to look for deliverance They pos
sess individuality and frmness-essential attri-
butes for the promotion of knowledge and civili-
ration. This class Of Southerners are fair and
honorable in discussing the matter in dispute
They meet W fairly, in open debate, Rad say, if
slavery cannot bear the test of reason and argu-
ment, let IL fall
t&efo lsS me hsy tesN sssss 800 -pseuesd ,,nJ
other day. in the Senate, while listening TO Of
the Senators from Louisiana, Mr.. SoULE, who
remarked that he did not say il would be suff-
cent cause for the dissolution of the Union if the
Wilmot Proviso should be adopted but, while
he believed it wrong, he thought 1t more honora-
BILE to meet the question boldly, rather than to
shrink from the contest by entering into a COM
promise Of principles compromise full Of ambigu-
| ity and difficulty Itself; and even should he fall
in the struggle, he would fall contending for his
rights and the honor of his State - that there
would be moral grandeur in the resignation to
such fate, far higher than cooperation with the
measure then before the Senate
Here, sir, are brought to view some of the high
est attributes of the human mind individuality of
character and integrity of purpose. The absence
OF only one other cardinal principle, in my opin-
ion, mars the symmetry and perfection of charac-
ter displayed in the position occupied by that
distinguished Senator. ! look upon him. and
many other Southern members of Congress az
do on Saul of Tarsus, while he was being educated
at the feet Of Gamaliel hope to see them stand
ing hereafter, as Paul, the great Apostle of the
Gentes after he finished his collegiate studies in
the third heavens Their generous impulses and
frankness of character admirably quality them to
become pioneers in the cause Of civil liberty
throughout the world. This will be, after they
shall have made the discovery that God is no
respecter of persons, and that our highest enjoy
|
tire human race
The gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. BRowNl
thinks slavery social and religious blessing
The gentleman from Alabama Mr.. ALsToNl
quotes Scripture, under the old and new dispen-
sations to prove it. All have to say in reply to
his arguments is this: that even If the Jews did
maintain slavery, you might now with as much
propriety revive the law that required person
to be stoned to death for picking up sticks on the
Sahh atk Il. A. L.
the New Testament, where Christ enjoined SER
wants to be obedient TO their masters, taking it
for granted, for arguments sake that these SER
wants were slaves) it does not justify slavery any
more than the injunction " if you are struck on
one cheek, turn the other also" justifes the Of
fender who strikes you.
| The distinguished Senator from Massachusetts,
Mr.. WEBSTER has also volunteered with his
correspondent, the late Commodore Stockton, to
submit scriptural arguments for the justification
of slavery. He has given us what consider a
technical argument, to show that the Christian
religion fav0rs the continuance Of slavery. He
tells that at the introduction of Christianity,
the Roman world was full of slaves; and | sup
pose there il to be found no in INJUNCTION against
that relation between man and man in the teach
ings of the Gospel of Christ, or Of any of his
Apostles" Now in reply to this, it is sufficient
to say, that this argument proves too much. IL
would Justify highway robbery, arson, and great
many other crimes not specifically forbidden by
Christ. He taught by inculcating great cardinal
principles as such--Do unto others AS you would
have them do unto you be no respecter of per-
sons and, as one of the Apostles has very lacon-
cally said, the whole duty of man is expressed in
| one word, viz: Lore thy neighbor as HySeUp On
this great principle of benevolence are assured
hang the law and the prophets.
Commodore Stockton's argument Mr.. Chair
man, you have doubtless read, as il has been pub
lishcd and furnished IN pamphlet form to the
members Of this House. The substance Of II is
this. That God has abandoned Africa; and the
save-trader, being more merciful, has stepped in
to give relief since, on the whole, he says, the
slave is better off here, safer and happier, than he
would have been In his own country Again he
says: We must not do evil that good may come ;
while, in the same treatise, he quotes the conduct
Of Joseph's brethren, in selling him into Egypt, to
justify slavery! All have to say in relation to
this Commodoresn sentiment is, that think 1t
very bad theology. 1t may not be improper for
me, here, to remind the friends of this "peculiar
institution by calling it religious institution
you will be likely to defeat the passage of the BILL
now reported in the Senate, providing for the
arrest and rendition of fugitive slaves y as Con-
gress has no power to return members of any re-
ligious communion from one State to another, or
pass any law supporting religious establishments
in any respect whatever
But, Mr.. Chairman, if this be religion, it must
be the religion of the heather. In fact, there is
striking resemblance. In obedience to the one
case, the infant mind is quenched by throwing
little children into the Ganges in the other, the
mind is quenched in the turbid sea of slavery.
The Southern municipal laws forbid the educa-
ton of the slaves while their physical strength
is carefully perfected, In order to a pecuniary
profit. Sir, let me say, in all Kindness, to these
gentlemen, that think this is false religion
religion that leads down to the chambers of