The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-28

4 as shall keep you and the South, and the Yves
and all the country together, as far as II IS JUS
and right, and as far as the Constitution
demands. say, that what is demanded of us ID
to be IN to our Constitutional duties-to do fol
| the South what the South have right to de-
| mand. Gentlemen, have been some time be-
| fore the public. My character is known, my life
/ is before the country. Iprofess to love liberty
as much as any man living; but Iprofess to love
| American liberty, that liberty which is secured
to the country by the Constitution under which
we live and have no great opinion of that liber-
| ty which goes ovor the restraints of law or OF
| the Constitution | hold the Constitution OF
the United States to be the bulwark, the only
bulwark of our liberties, ard our national
chart don't mean that you should become
slaves under the Constitution. That is not
American liberty; that is not the liberty OF the
Union for which our fathers fought--that
liberty which has given US a right to be
known and respected all over the world
Gentlemen, let me say to you that as much as
| admire the character of the people of Western
New York, SIS much as wish to retain your
good opinion, if you would ever place me
hereafter in any connection with public life, let
me tell you now that you must not expect from
me the slightest variation, even OF hairs
breadth, from the Constitution of the United
States. Cries of +" Good Good Good"l
am Northern man. 1 ,cas born at the
North-educated at the Norlh-hare hped all nny
days at the North. Iknow fpe hundred Northern
men 10 one Southern man. My sympathies-aA
my sympathies- lore Of R6ery for all man
kind, Of erery color, are the same as yours My
affections and hopes in that respect are eractly
Ike yours ioish 10 see all men tree--aH men
happy hare no associations out Of The North
ern States. My people are your people. And
yet am told some times that am not a liberty
man, because lam moi Free-soil man Laugh
ter What am what was ever? what shall
be hereafter, if [ would sacrifice, for any con-
sideration, that love of American liberty which
has gowed in my breast since my infancy, and
which hope will never leave me till | expire |?
Applause Gentlemen, Iregret extremely that
slavery exists in the Southern States, and that
Congress has not po,Oer to act upon ii. But ii
may be IN The dispensation of Proridence--some
remedy may be found for IL. But, in the mean
time, | hold on to the Constitution of the United
States; and you need never expect from me,
under any circumstances that shall falter from
it-that shall be otherwise than frank and de-
csive. would no part with my character as a
man of firmness and decision, and honor and
principle, for all that the world holds. You
,oiH find me true 10 The North, because all mn
Sympahies are ,cith The North NJ affections,
my children, my hopes, my ererything, is Nth the
Nmth But when ] stand up before my coun-
try as one appointed TO administer the Constitu-
ton of the country, by the blasting of God, |
will he just. Great appliances Gentlemen, I
expect to be libeled and abusga. Yes! libeled
and abused. But il don't disturb me. ! have
not lost nights sleep for a great many years.
I 4 nave some talent for sleepng- Laughter1
And why should we not expect to be libeled
Is not the Constitution of the United States IL
beled and abused! Don't some people call it
the production of hell Is not Washington IL
beled and abused Is he not called blood
bound on the track Of the African negro! Are
not our fathers libeled and abused BY their own
children! And ungratefu children they are
and / am afraid, in some cases. their mothers
played false. Laughterl How, then, shall
escapel don't expect to escape, but knowing
these things impute no bad motive to any one
The great settlement measures Of the last
/ Congress are laws. Many respectable men,
representatives from your own State and from
other States, did not concur in them. don't
impute any bad motive to them. lam ready to
believe they are Americans all. They may not
/
thought these laws would be passed without
their concurrence. Let all that pass away. If
they are now men who will stand by what is
done, and stand up for their country, and say
that these laws were passed by a majority Of
the whole country--we must stand by them and
live by them, will respect them all az friends.
Gentlemen, allow me TO ask of you to-day. what
do you think would have been the situation of
the country at this time, in your judgment, If
these laws had not been passed by Congress
If the question Of the Texan boundary had not
been settled, New Mexico and Utah had been
left as desert places, and no government had
been provided for them; and il the other great
measures, to which State laws had opposed so
many obstacles in the restoration Of fugitives,
had not been settled, ! ask what would have
been the state Of this country now! You men
of Erie county-you men Of New York; ad.
jure you to go home tonight and mediate on
these subjects What would have been the
state of this eountry-now-at this moment
If these laws had not been passed. ! have
given my opinion that we should have had
civil war. / refer il 10 you, therefore, for yonr
consideration; mediate on 10 do not be carried
away by notions or ideas of metaphysics I; think
practically on the great question of what would
have been the condition Of the United States at
this momentif we had not settled these agitating
questions. ! have stated that, in my opinion
there would have been civil war.
Gentlemen, will you allow me for moment
to advert to myselfl ] have been long time
in public life; Of course, not many years remain
to me. AT the commencement Of 1850, ! W
something Of the condition Of the country and
thought the inevitable consequence would be
civil war; | saw danger in leaving Utah and
New Mexico without any government prey
to the power of Texas. / saw this condition Of
things arising from the interference Of some Of
the States, in defeating some of the operations
of the Constitution in respect TO the restoration
Of fugitive slaves; and, gentlemen, made up
my mind to encounter whatever might betide
me, and allow me to Say, something which was
not entirely unexpected. A member of the
House Of Representatives told me that he had
made list Of lao speeches which had been
madein Congress on the slavery question. That
is very large number, my friend, said, but
haxv IL that7 Nhv said ha Norfhern man