North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-02-12

They must continue sleeping, hesitating, doubling.
fearing until the great calamity arrives, when, like a
reeling drunkard, they will be stunned by the sud
denness and violence of the blow into sobrety, and
when it is too late find their strength has left Them
The gentleman from Rowan observed yesterday
that had thrown a irebrand into this Legislature.
Is this so, Sir! Can't discuss the best and most
efectual mode 10 protect the slave property Of the
State-a property now worth some ninety millions
of dollars, without shaking and alarming so dread
fully gentlemen's party associations How else
can it be considered firebrand? If we all will
ing defend this property to the last resort, as gen.
tlemen on all sides of the House say they are, why
this great alarm and distress at proposition to leave
it to the people themselves to decide the mode and
mearure OF redress
In order to vindicate myself from the charge of
HAVING been ndiscreet and inconsiderate in moving
this matter of the right of secession will state
the Senate why did so. L arrived in Raleigh at
the commencement of the session with no intention
of bringing forward any proposition on the subject
of slavery The scenes which were enacted here two
.re ago had convinced me of the baneful and per-
icions influence which disturbed our legislation on
this subject and was afraid that any movement,
matter what, unless 1t was of the tamest and most
Submissive character, would meet with strenuous
and active opposition. Very soon after my arrival in
the City gentlemen of both political parties, both in
and out of ihe Legislature. urged me to introduce
Resolutions on the subject Of slavery. Deeply i'm
pressed with the conviction that any movement would
be useless, i declined doing After repeated So
licitations consented to draft such Resolutions
would be willing to offer, and such alone as thought
would meet the crisis or be worthy of the Legisa-
ture. After l had drafted them, anxious
that they should not take party turn that submit
ted them the consideration of members of the Lee
gislature belonging to both parties; and Sir, they
were disapproved of by none but met the decided APP
probation of those 1 consulted. If gentlemen have
since changed their minds and voted against prin-
ciple which they had for years believed the the
ory of the government, do not complain, but hope
their conversion is the result of conviction.
tainly cannot be blamed, that old enough to be
Senators did not know their own minds
have felt myself, Mr.. Speaker, compelled to
late these transactions to vindicate myself from the
charge of the gentleman from Rowan; and l must
further say, that firmly believe the right of the peo
pie to secede from oppressive government, would
have been voted clearly and unequivocal!y by large
majority of thisi House. if it had not suited the man
ayers of the newspapers OF this City to sound the
ocsin of party and raise the absurd cry of disunon,
with view of frightening the tiniid. For these
reasons, Sir, although cannot vote for the Resolu-
lions in the shape they have now assumed, / will
not resort 10 factous opposition, too often adopted
in Legislature, in order to prevent the majority
frem expressing their own views in their own way.