The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-06-03

cmn stipulation of the privilege of making out OF
herself three more slave States. What are they,
and where are they nows They Free sellers
of the first water, [applause and they loudly de-
nounced here Is not this Syracuse? lGreat APP
plause and laughter.l ! believe they hold con-
| ventions here. ILaughter.l They denounce
Webster as the fit associate of Benedict Arnold
and Professor Stuart Dr. Spencer and DR.. Lord,
and others of that stamp. GLaughter.l would
| be glad to strike out Benedict Arnold; as for the
rest, am proud oftheir company
This is the truth, and before the throne OF God
and before the tribunal OF an intelligent people,
there is nothing valuable but truth, IA nth. truth II
ia not glossary or commentary that Is valuable; II
but il ia that which must stand the test of time and
eternity alone-irlh. Now it 10 truth, that, from
my earliest introduction into public life up to the
present time, never voted, always refused tc
VOTE for the acquisition of inch Of slave terri
tory to the United States. [Great applause.
But that goes for pothing-for nothing.
II is equally true that the Constitution of the
United States, in go many words. declares that
persons bound to service in one State under the
laws thereof escaping into another, shall not be
discharged therefrom, but shall be delivered up to
| the person TO whom such service 10 due Now,
have sworn, again and again, to support that Con-
stntion, and SO has every person, who hos held of
flee under the State government, solemniy
sworn before God to support that Government;
that is, 30 far as depends upon him, TO take care
that no fugitive from labor, coming into free
STATE, Uut DC
stored. Well, what we to do then conscienti-
Gus persons' How to treat this matter? Are
we at liberty to say that all this Is imagination, all
nonsense, and we will do as we please, Shall we
say here ia no obligation binding on our conscience!
| You might we'll say there no obligations in
domestic relations. Our political duties are equal
ly matters of conscience the duties arising out
of domestic ties and most endearing social re-
lation5. That ID my opinion.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, l would wish that
all the human race of every color were created az
happy are, and capable or self govern
ment. So far as men competent of self govern
ment-so far as they are happier by being able &c
take care OF themselves-so much the better. Blu,
we are to consider what do, and are not to rush
on under the influence of a false philanthropy and
mistaken humanity. II you satisfy me that we can
do any thing for the benefit of the southern slave,
will do it, I have said, and say again, would
vote in Congress, were in that body to restore &c
| Virginia allthe public lands the General Govern
ment has had from her. and all the proceeds OF the
same up to this time, if by that means it would
enable her TO provide some way for the cniancipa
ton of her black population. Can do more? Car
| you do noref And ii we cannot do that, can we
do more than to leave ii TO an allwlse Providence
| to bring out the result?
! At the commencement of 1850, year and hal
| ago, ! was a member Of Congress had beer
| there great while-perhaps most of you think
quite too long, (laughterl but there was We hat
acquired this new territory from Mexico, al
| against my wishes voted against every one ant
| all Of them. California had no attractions for me
| did not wish to bring into this Government the
1 agitating question about the further extension Q
| slave territory. Your Senators from New Yorl
did wish it and voted for 1t, against many votes OF
| southern gentlemen, WHO felt rs did, and VIII
wished to avoid the controversy. Such were Der
| rien and Badger, southern men. Their constitu
ents wished them to vote for bringing in Texa
and California, but they the evil of it, and the,
| said No and voted against it. Bot the northern
and Rhode Island, and one half of my owl
Massachusetts,
They said we will try an experiment Coco
God try an experiment to see whether 1t will dis
| member the Union Make acquisition whic
| may destroy it, Try experiment upon the ma
ton with as much pnconcern as we try an expert
ment in chemistry
Thought that by the law of nature, superior Il
all the Wimot provisos the world ever cav, tina
the mountains OF New Mexico must sustain a FREE
population. Therefore would not consent merely
as tainted reproach, to apply the Wilmot provis
| TO the mountains of New Mexico, any more thar
| | would apply it to the Canadas.
But there remained other matters. though
! there ought to be proper government for Utai
and New Mexico. We have in all such cases cs.
tablished territorial government We did estab
lish II, and that was ono of the measures OF thai
Congress, and in my opinion very proper one.
They say the law will not be executed. Lei
them take care, for those pretty bold assertions
The law must be executed, not only In carrying
back the slave, but against those guilty of treason
able practses in resisting its exec Ition. DEPEND
upon it, the law will be executed in its spirit
and to it's letter. [Great applause.l 1t will be
executed in all the great cites-here III Syracuse
in the midst Of the next Anti Slavery Convention
the occasion shall arise then shall see what
becomes ofther lives and their sacred honor. TIRE
mendous cheering.l Do not debauch your own
understandings, your own judgments-do not
faisify your own sympathy, humanity, and phi
| lanthropy, by any such ideas.
The course of your duty towards all that are in
bondage within your power and influence is plain.
| Happily the teaching of the sacred book, which is
our guide, insiructs US in that matter. What we
can do will do 10 let the oppressed go free, TO
succor the distressed and to visit the prisoner in
affection. We must do our duty, and we must
content ourselves with acting conscientiously in
that sphere OF life in which placed-politi-
clans in their sphere, individuals in their sphere
and all OF US under the Deep earnest of obi
| CATION that our Creator has impressed upon us.
| il is not unfrequently said, by class Of men to
whom have REFEREED that the Constitution is born
of hellthat it was the work Of the dcvil-and that
Washington was a miserable bloodhound set upon
the track of the African slave How far these words
differ from words that have saluted your with
in yonder hall you may Judge Men who utter
such sentiments are ready at any moment to de-
stroy the charter OF all your liberties, of all your
| happiness and of all your hope.
The question is, therefore, whether we will sus-
tain the Government under which we live-whe-
Their we will do justice to the southern States, that
they may have no excuse for going out of the
Union. If there Is anybody that will not consent
that the South shall have fair hearing, fair
trial, a fair decision upon what they think the
Constitution 10 them, / am not of that
number
Everybody knows that / am a northern man,
born in the extreme North, bred and brought up in
notions altogether irreconcilable to human slave
| y and why should have any thing in common
with the SOUTH But when it is put to me as a
public man, whether the people of the South, ua.
der the stpuatons of this Constitution, have not
the right of fair law from Congress for returning
to them the fugitive slave, say they have-I say
it before God, and could not say otherwise.
| Ladies and gentlemen, you will pardon me for
| the gravity of these remarks. had rather talk
with you in private public ON other subjects
upon the prosperity and happiness all enjoy
| upon the growth OF this beautiful portion OF New
fork--and in short, upon any thing rather than
| upon the Fugitive Slave law, or Texas, New
Mexico; but came here at the solicitation of the
| people Of your city to speak upon public topics.
You will accept my thanks for the kind manner in
which you have been pleased to receive me on my
coming here, and wish you, and your families, all
life, happiness, and prosperity.
NJ ~ y ~ u