The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-27

I ItBI5IatC u,
and theymust, for long time to come, continue
to be slaves. Why speak of this state Of things,
when discussing this subject. in a reproaciim man
ner to the South Why will you pursue course
that can be Of practical benefit and one, too,
| that can have no other tendency but 10 produce
sectional jealousy and sectional action MIR, Chair
man, the doctrine of non intervention in relation
to the Territories, is the only principle that can
stand the test Of public scrutiny in this free
| try. Let our brethren Of the South and the North
unite in asserting this principle, and all will yet
be well with us call upon the good and the pat
| gether upon this platform that ia common To all,
| and that is good for all. IL suits the North upon
the question of admitting California i will suit
ernments, If any should be organized u will leave
the peopeof the Territories free to determine when
| they form u constitution, and ask to be admitted
into the Union, whether involuntary slavery shall
1 be tolerated in their State. Let us who love the
Union abjure both northern and southern fanatics,
| II any such there be-
| MIR. Chairman, some gentlemen have spoken Of
the origin Of political abolition, and fixed its
/ mencement at the beginning of this controversy
| about the organization of this newly acquircd ter
ritory into territorial governments, but date it
back to 1895, when Mr.. Van Buren, was induced,
by the desire of office and the pressure OF some Of
his southern friends, to pledge himself in advance.
if he should be elected President of these United
States, to veto any bill that Congress should pass
having for its object the abolition Of slavery in this
District II was this pledge that gave vitality to
| political abolition II was this pledge that caused
| him to be designated as the northern man with
southern principles. In addition to this, southern
| editors of newspapers who favored his election
lauded him for giving this pledge, and treated
| those who would not make like pledge as unwor-
thy Of confidence and support. These the ori
ginai causes Of the introduction Of political aboli-
ton into elections; and. sir this political abo-
ltion has been nurtured and strengthened by those
editors Of political newspapers who estimated sue
cess in a party struggle for power and patronage
for their friends of more importance than they did
| he lie frlO n plrC
President making has contributed largely to
bring about the present state Of things. We have
for some years witnessed continual struggle, by
the friends of the presidential aspirants, to obtain
for their candidates the Abolition vote of the North;
and we have partisan editors in the South
joice over victory obtained in congressional cleo
| tions by the aid of Abolition votes, and we have
witnessed here this winter the bitter fruits of such
victories We have learned by the newspapers that
one of these political victories came of IN Connecti
! cut the other day; and We had demonstration,
since that victory, made by the governor Of that
| State on this floor, which southern gentlemen
not approve We shall see, however, whether he
will be denounced for his ultra abolition speech with
the same seemingly indignant feeling that has been
| manifested toward the gentleman from Pcnnsylva-
ia, (Mr. STEvENs,) by our friends on this and the
other side of this hall.
Mr.. Chairman, am sometimes led 10 believe
that this excitement and unfortunate state of things
has been partly brought about, and famed almost
into flame Of discord and disunion, for party
purposes. sometimes fear that there are those
who are looking on with intense anxiety for the
approach OF a crisis that will bring to the very
verge of revolution, and who may hope at the time
that they have partly succeeded in producing
olution and bloodshed to stand in position that
will enable them to take hold of the helm of state
and arrest the Storm and present themselves TO the
people as the deverers of the country. Sir, power
| is sweet; and men who have long been used to
think and act as though the Government was in
stuted for their especial benefit, dislike TO be de-
spoiled of what they seem to think is their pre-
scriptive right and to obtain power and place they
are willing TO risk and jeopardize our glorious
Union. IL there are any who occupy this position,
the people, who are ever watchful, will not indulge
them. No, sir; our people want good government,
and no factions; and thoy d4yoiedly attached TO
the Union. And, sir, there never a more true
remark uttered upon this floor than that uttered by
my friend from North Carolina, when he said that
! there were Virginians enough here in this city
holding Office (only about sixty,) TO defeat and
put 10 route in the battlefield all the dsunionists
now at this time in Virginia.
One word 10 the Nashville convention and
southern confederacy. | am satisfied that there is
| not sane man in northwest Virginia who desires
the people bordering upon the Ohio river and upon
the Pennsylvania line, will not only oppose a diyi
sion by Mason and Dxon's hne but they will resist
ii until their everlasting bills shall be desolated
is time TO speak out, and shall do without fear
regardless of the taunts and frowns Of any man or
set Of men. The Representative Of the fourteenth
district of Virginia and myself represent the west
1
| the Kentucky line TO the northwest corner Of the
State Of Marylan bounding on the Ohio river and
the Pennsylvania line. Our constituents would
have to do all the fighting ON the western border;
the South would have as much as they could do TO
take care Of the Atlantic coast, and protect their
| peculiar domestic property. Sir, during thc war
Of 1912 with Great Britain, western Virginians
marched to the sea board by Thousands 10 aid In
defending the property and homes Of their eastern
brethren. They did without a murnur, and
they would do so again II the necessity should arise
for they are Virginisns all over. But, sir, when
/ they shall be called upon 10 rails their hands
against our Union, which act they believe will de-
stroy, in its course their liberties and Of conse-
quence desolate the aircst portion Of Virginia. they
will cry, "Holdi hands off, gentlemen We are
| your brethren and friends, but cannot and will
not enlist in a crusade that viii, in our opinion,
destroy the Government erected BY our Washing
tons, or Jcficrsons, and our Madisons. Weere not
going 10 commit ourselves 10 suicidal policy that
is 10 lay waste in its rayagcs country, without
any hopes OF a corresponding benefit"
Sir, we do not intend 10 give up The free naVigs-
ton OF our noble river, that washes the shores OF
twelve States Of this Union. Why, Mr. Chairman,
the monongahela river, one of the main branches
Of the Ohio, nsvgable one hundred miles south Of
Mason and Dixons line there s at least one hun
| dred thousand free white people living upon its
waters in Virginia, and the trade on this river s OF
as much value and importance a. that Of any river
in the State Of Virginia. Sir, IL is not worth while
for us OF northwestern Virginia 10 speak Of our love
and feslty for good old ComnOnwealth-we all
love her, and are all ready 10 mid in advancing
her interests and her glory; but we vii not, for
any cause that now exists, engage in contest that
is to utterly destroy in opinion, the fairest por
tion Of her territory and TO bury in ie ruins her
most enterprising citizens. We have faith IN the
people Of Virginia, both east and west-we believe
that at least three fourhs Of the people of Virginia
think with ms, and that among the masses Of our
people there is no want Of loyalty 20 this Union
As TO the Nashville Convention, there will be no
representative sent there from my section OF the
State. Though gided with the profession that one
of it's objects s 10 consult about how the Union shall
be preserved, II is believed by the people 60 be con-
oeived In sin, and that the design Of its zcalous
friends and originstors and is disunion, and
they have already given II the appellation OF Hart
| ford Convention No. q
Sir. the effort to get up meetings. to send dele
gates 70 the Nashville convention has been almost
an entire failure in Virginia. The friends Of that
convention have been generally rebuked by the
people wherever they have been called iogeiher in
large numbers for the purpose Of providing ior
sending delegates 10 this convention Richmond,
Petersburg, Norfolk, and the great county OF Abe
marie, 1.-THE home Of Mr.. Jefierson,) have repudi-
ated IL. The northwest are as one man against IT.
The friends of the union Of these states need have
no fear Of Virginia; she isalways foremost in dceds
Of patriotism; she has made more sacrifices ior the