The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-05-16
THE NATIONAL ERA. WASHINGTON, D. c., MAY IT, 1850.

intensity until limits are fixed TO the possessions
of slavery-until the aristocracy Of the South
shall abandon its alarming pretensions, and resi-
| content with that share Of political influence 10
which II is Justly entitled under the Constitution
| Agitation will continue until there is freedom
upon this floor, and the rights Of majority nc.
kpowledged and respected Sir, these threats OF
disunion-this bold defiance of the rightful and
constitutional authority of this Government
must cease before peace and fraternal concord
will be restored to the country. A stop must De
put to this prescription Of Northern men who do
not acknowledge the divine character and inesti
mable blessings of slavery In short, this struggle
between the opposing principles OF freedom and
slavery will 90 on until that day shall arise when
the child that is nursed by white mother shall
stand an equal chance in this Government with
one nursed in the lap Of a slave We claim for
the men Of the North an equality in this Govern
ment. 1t is ours by right OF inheritance; and,
with the blessing OF God, we mean 70 nave IL
We wage no warfare upon the South. Their
system Of slavery is their own, as is the arstocracy
il sustains. Their rights under the Constitution
we pledge ourselves TO respect sacred and invi-
olate bat it is the Constitution as it shall be in
terpreted by the high powers of this Government,
and not as it shall be construed by their imperial
fat, by which we agree to abide.
The true ground of the present controversy is
not that slavery is assailed, or even threatened,
within its lawful limits the States where IL exists
but that resistance is offered to its extension into
the free Territories of the nation. This is the
true and real ground of the present controversy
The shareholders are alarmed lest the sceptre OF
political power shall be taken fSSn .hss1 bands,
and they demand an enlargement Of the area OF
slavery, as Q means Of increasing the value OF
slave property, and of securing to them the per-
manent control over the Government of the Union.
True to the instincts and passions of an aristoc-
racy they threaten to ruin when they can no
longer rule. II the shareholders Of the South
would rest satisfied with their aristocratc position
and dominion in the slave States, and be content
to share with the freemen of the North the politi
cal power of this Government upon the terms and
conditions prescribed in the Constitution, we
should have no agitation, strife, connected with
the subject of slavery. We claim no right TO
interfere with slavery or any Of the prerogatives
it confers in the Southern States Of this Union.
1t nay stand there for centuries to come if it can
so stand, as it has stood for centuries that have
passed, without let, hindrance, or molestatioD,
on the part of this Government. But when it at
tempts TO pass beyond State limits, and plant itself
upon our national Territories, and puts forth de-
mands subversive of our institutions of Govern
ment, then slavery loses its local and domestic
character, and becomes subject OF vital concern
to the people Of the whole Union.
Mr. Chairman some gentlemen, apparently
with view to excuse their conduct, and to
| lull the free States into fatal sense Of secu-
rity confidently assume that slavery can never
EXIST IN Nay sJst sS.saS ,tgriscry =<a2;sst<s-.
Mexico This assumption, it is worthy Of note,
comes exclusively from Northern men, and from
that class of Northern men who reconcile 1t with
their duty TO act upon all occasions in harmony
with the interest and policy of slavery. IL is d.
rectly and fatty contradicted, by almost every
Southern man who has spoken upon the subject,
and is in the face of every fact connected with
the history and progress Of slavery upon this con-
tinent Of all our vast possessions, owned at the
time of the organization OF the Government, to-
gether with those acquired from France and
Spain and by the annexation of Texas, not one
foot can be found to-day, free from the institution
of slavery that was not secured to freedom by
the positive law of this Government The eris-
eace on non-eristeace of slavery in country does
not depend upon soil, or climate, or production.
| IL is regulated by pecuniary considerations and
the demand for labor. The nxurbsr of slaves that
can be pro6tably employed upon given extent
of territory will depend much upon the charac-
ter of its productions but wherever labor is in
demand. wherever there is work to do, there the
slave ia valuable, and there he will be taken, I'M
less legal barriers are interposed to prevent it.
This is proved by the whole history Of the set
Element of this continent There is no branch
of labor in which slaves can be more probably
employed than in mining the precious metals 1t
was for this purpose that slaves were first en-
| pOyed in America
II is mockery, Mr.. Chairman, topretend that
slavery cannot exist in the territories acquired
| from Mexico Il can and il surely will 60 there,
unless prevented by the action Of this Govern
ment, or the early organization of those terrific
RES as States, before slavery has time TO difuse
| itself over them Let action in these halls
be controlled by the threats and policy of slave
holding aristocracy-organize Territorial Gov
ernments without any prohibition of slavery
break down all barriers against its introduction
by a submission on our part TO the constitutional
dogmas of the South, and slavery will as certainly
overrun those Territories as that it has spread
from the Potomac, south and west, to the Gulf Of
Mexico and the banks Of the Rio Grande. This
result is not only admitted by the South, but it
is openly and boldly proclaimed as her settled and
fixed policy policy necessary, as she AYERS, to
her own safety, and from which, sooner than de-
part, she is willing to dissolve the Union. Yet, in
the face of all this, we are Knocked with the idle
assurances of Northern men, that there is
no danger that slavery will be extended. Sir,
what is this controversy about2 For what is
this protracted and exciting struggle? 1t has but
one foundation. II grows out Of the declared,
undisguised policy Of the South to extend and
perpetuate the system Of human slavery. The
issue is upon us Ii cannot be evaded. Its
responsibilities are ours--let us meet them like
men. The Judgment of posterity and the tribu-
nal of just God will hold us accountable for the
issues of this great question of FREEDOM or sLA-
VERY.
The hammer fell.