The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-05-16

have read that instrument for ourselves We have
carefully studied its provisions. We have called
to our aid the lights of history and the experience
OF the past, and we find our opinions fortified by
the unbroken action Of this Government, through
out all its departments for the entire period OF
lite existence We believe, further, that it is our
bounden duty to God and the country to exercise
this power, and to give to the principle of the
non-extensiOn Of slavery the authority and force
| Of positive law How are we metz We are told
that il We, being in a majority, dare to act upon
| this our understanding OF the constitutional
we shall dare TO carry out our deep aud solemn
convictions of public duty-that the Union shall
be dissolved, and our country involved in anarchy
and the horrors of civil war Gentlemen repre-
senting the slave States tell us that they have a
different reading of the Constitution. Disregard
ing all precedents-rejecting all contemporaneous
construction they arrogate to themselves inf'lli-
bility as the expounders Of that instrument; and
il we shall dare act counter to their exposition,
they notify us by the most emn warnings that
the Government shall be overthrow, and our
glorious institutions of liberty and law buried in
the abyss of irretrievabe ruin. Sir, no dangers
threaten the Republic so imminent as the assaults
made by slavery upon the Constitution and pow
ers of this Government Submission TO its threats
and demands is the most direful calamity that can
befall u.s. What more fatal to liberty What
| more subversve Of our institutions than surren-
der of the Constitution, and the rights Of ma
0rity under it, and the adoption, as the Law OF our
guidance, of the arbitrary behests of slavery, en-
forced by threats of violence and blood!
Again. MIR. Chairman, we propose to admit
California into the Union. Our righ TO do 30 Is
| acknowledged. Here there is no dispute OF our
constitutional power; yet here again we are
warned not to proceed, at the hazard oil the Unlon
We are told that California shall not be admit
| oh "a
scribe That its admission must be purchased
hy the substantial concession Of opening wide the
door for the introduction of slavery into our other
| Territories Yes sir; upon the question Of the
unconditional admission Of California, here in the
plain and open highway of our duty, slavery
! hurls its defiance in our teeth. we are bidden
10 stand at our peril Shall we here, too, pur-
! chase peace by submission Shall we "wre ne
| Ugious by standing, like trembling towards, in
! our tracks Those can obey the mandate who
choose | shall not To my it sounds like
the crack of the whip; and he who covers under
1t ia better cited for the service Of the plantation
than Tor the performance trUso rcsponsIOIv
ties which belong to the representative Of a free
people. .-..-.,,
Upon the question question or the samissiOn Of cAiSf-
MIA as a separate and independent medsure, there is
but one sentiment among the people of the free
States. 1t is demanded by the general and unani-
nous voice Of all parties. The most servile Of
the pro-slavery press Of the North has never pre-
sumed far to outrage public feeling as to advo-
cate the connection of any other measure with the
admission of California. Upon this point even
the Pennsylvania has been silent, while upon all
others it has kept neck and neck with the Wash
ington Union and Charleston Mercury in its advo-
cacy of the most extravagant demands Of the
South, and is justly entitled to prominence over
both in the bitterness and malgnty of its assaults
upon the principles and friends of freedom. II
has been forced, by the strong public sentiment at
home to conceal it's opposition to the unconditional
admission of California-to disguise its hostility
under cover of O general compromise"
When we assembled in this hall in December
last, there could not have been found five Repre-
sentatives from the free States who were not OPP
posed to mixing up California with other subjects
of controversy and strife Here at last, the North
was to take frm stand-one from which she was
not to be seduoed by promises or driven by threats
How stands this House to-day upon the ques-
ton Of the unconditional admission of California
God sir, only knows but if reliance can be placed
upon the confident assertions Of the friends of
slavery the friends of California are ia minority
upon this floor. The great measure of her admis
sion with free Constitution is to be embarrassed
by questions of Territorial Governments for New
Mexico and Utah, and the settlement of the bound
| into the Union, and the price of her admission is
the extension of slavery. Sir, trust in God that
this will not be- If the North prove recreant nom,
and upon this question, when and where can we
hope for upnful and successful resistance against
the aggressions and threats of slavery? trust
that the Representatives from the North will never
consent that California shall be made the make
weight for the extension Of slavery-tbat they
will save themselves and the honest constituencies
~. A. 1.,t.n Cali
fornia abandoned as an mdependsat and separate
measure and there is no ground upon which the
friends of freedom stand and maintain this an
equal struggle. This browning act of treachery
! TO Northern interests and Northern rights would
strike chill upon the hearts of the freemen OF
: this land / should myself feel as if the chains
were clanking upon my own limbs. | pray Heaven
that it may not be; yet ! fear the arrangements
and corruptions of this political mart where prin'
cpes and the highest interests of humanity are
mere commodities, that are bought and sold for
offce-where the question Of the Presidency is
made to override the great issue Of freedom or
slavery. Would to God that the men who are at
the plough and in the workshops could be here to
speak and vote upon these momentous questions
They sir could not be seduced by fattery, nor
awed by threats nor corrupted by office With
them the love of truth is stronger than the love OF
gold
Mr. Chairman, the whole history Of this strug-
gle is a history Of high and naughty bearing-oi
proud and arrogant defiance on the part Of sa-
very while on the side of freedom there has been
q shameful exhibition of weakness, irresolutiOn,
and a tmdty bordering on cowardice. The
North has been driven from one position to anoth-
err until the outposts are all abandoned, and We
are now summoned 10 an unconditional surrender
| of the citadel itself Under the influence of
threats Of persuasion OF hattery, and, above all
of patronage and the promise of political prefer
ment, our numbers have been reduced by deser-
ton, our ranks broken, our forces divided, until
there is danger of general rout. In the COM
mencement of this struggle, the friends of free
dom were closely and thoroughly united upon the
ground of positive Legislature prohibition against the
| introduction Of slavery into any territory which
we might acquire from Mexico. The constitu-
tionality and propriety Of this position met with
the general and almost universal assent of the
people Of the free States, Their Representatives
on this floor presented the same united and un-
broken front. Soon, however, the ranks OF the
Northern Democracy began to give way, under
the pressure and patronage of Southern Admin
istration. Fearing to abandon, at one step,
principle which had been received with such gen.
eral favor, the allies Of slavery-extension in the
North discovered that the agitation Of the sub
ject was pr,ma,nrep Claiming still to occupy
the same high ground, loud and realous in their
professions Of fidelity to the principles and the
cause of freedom they took shelter behind the
plea, that the Proviso, as an amendment to the
three million bill, was Inappropriate, both as to
time and place; that we should acquire the terri
tory before seeking to ingraft upon it the Orii'
nance of Freedom. Under this specious Disguise
this cloak of friemdship-were sounded in the
North the first notes Of opposition to the Proviso
Under cover of such false and hypocritical pro-
fessions was the cry raised by the first deserters
"hwabug,n IDLE abstraction" and such like
epithets, believepg that If, for any cause, they
could succeed in creating prejudice against the