Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-06-14

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
MIR. Chairman, the whole history OF this strug-
| gle is history of high and naughty beering--of
broad and arrogant defiance on the part of slavery
while on the side of freedom there has been q
shameful exhibition Of weakness, irresolution,
and a timidity bordering on cowardice The
North has been driven from one position to an
other, until the outposts are all abandoned, and
we are now summoned to an unconditional sur
render of the citadel itself = Under the influence
OF threats, of persuasion, of tattery, and above
all, Of patronage and the, promise of political
preterment, our numbers have been reduced by
desertion, our ranks broken, our forces divided,
until there Is danger of a general rout.' In the
commencement of this struggle, the friends. Of
freedom were closely and thorough y aatea y ss
on the ground of positive Legislative prolrtftfoS
against the introduction of slaveryirto any terri
tory which we might acquire from Mexico The
constltutionality and proprilty Of this position
met Wlthsthe general and almost universal assent
of the people of the free States. Their Repre-
sentaives on this floor presented the same united
and unbroken front. Soon, however, the ranks
OF the Northern Democracy began to give way,
under the pressure and patronage of Southern
Administration. Fearing to abandon, at one
step principle which had been received with
such general favor, the allies of slavcry-exten-
sion in the North discovered that the agitation of
the subject was ''premature."
Claiming still to occupy the same high Ground, |
loud and Jealous i'll their professions of fidelity
to the principles and the cause Of freedom, they
took shelter behind the plea that the Proyiso, as
an amendmontto the three million bill, was inap
proprate both as to time and place that we should
acquire the territory before seeking to engraft
upon it the Ordinance of Freedom. Under this
spocious dsguise-this cloak of friendship
were sounded in the North the first notes of or
position to the Proyiso. Under cover of such
false and hypocrtcal professions was the cry
raised by the first deserters, "humbug," idle |
abstraction" and such like cpithets, believing
that If, for any cause, they could succeed in !
creating prejudice against the name, it would !
be easy to put down the principle itself.
To return, Mr.. Chairman, to the subject from !
which have been led by this depression. 1t |
was under pledges of fidelity and support, til at
treachery TO freedom first took shelter. This |
cloak was worn until the South denan led that it |
should be laid aside. The Territories were ac-
qultu, ana IL UcC'tIlG necessary elllGT 10 Staid
up to these professions, orto find some new COW
er behind which to shelter opposition. Pre-
sidcntial election was approaching The slave
power insJlently proclaimed its purpose to sup
port no man for that high office who should re-
gard with the least favor the Ordnance of Free |
dom. True prominent candidate had given it |
his unequiyocal endorsement-had spoken Oft as
a great measure of right which ought not and
must not be abandoned. But slavery was mex
orable. The oracle must speak, and it spake as
commanded. Sir, the oracle did speak, and we
had produced the nicholson letter." in which
for the first time, the ground was taken by
Northern man, that the "Proyiso' was unconsti-
tutlona.