Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-06-14
, c. OIL e M B u S;
Senator Foote'S Consistency Exposed from the
Records,


Senator Foote while here boosted of Lis social re-
lations with Clay, Cass and Webster. Holding his
present opinions necessasally throws him in close
cia and political relationship with men utterly hostile
to slavery. Here is Mr.. Websters opinion, given on
y twenty days ago. He is the friend and fellow labor
er of Senator Foote.
"I am a northern man. l was born at the
north, educated at the north, have lived all my
days at the north. | know FIVE hundred northern
men to one southern man. Ny sympathies all
nv sympathies-my love of liberty for all man
kind, of every color, the same as yours. NY
affections and hopes in that respect are exactly
like yours. | wish to all men free-a men
happy. | have no association out of the northern
States Ny people your people. And yet
am told sometimes that am not liberty man.
(Laughter) What am ? What was | ever
What shall | be hereafter, if could sacrifice for
any consideration, that love of American liberty
which has glowed in my breast since my infancy,
and which, hope, [ will never leave me until | ex-
pire (Applause.)
% Gentlemen, [ regret extremely that slavery
exists in the southern states and that Congress has
not power to act upon it. But it may be, in the
dispenSatiOn of Providence, some remedy NAV be
found for it. 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-thaL shall be otherwise
than frank and decisive | would not part with
my character as man of firmness and decision
and honor and principle, for all that the world
holds You will lind me true to the north, because
all my sympathies are with the north. My atfec-
tions, my children, my hopes, nv everything, is
with the north. But, when | stand up before nv
country appointed to administer the consti-
tuition of the country, by the blessing of God, l
will be just [Great applausel
ar The Honorable gentleman's remarks were
confined chiefly to topics relating to his course on
the slavery question, though he gave a rapid his
tory of the question itself down to the present dav
He defended his own the compromise
measures. He could not act otherwise he said
and be true to his OATH to the Constitution and the
country. He read from the Constitution the clause
relating to the fugitive slave law, and pointed to
its explicit, imperative requirements and added If
the sworn officers of the government were to exc
cute them or not We have taken our oath to sup
port the constitution. Are we to tamper with Mdk
are We to falter? He spoke of no concessions
# the south WlShed any concession from him, they
aCOuldent get Il, not a hairs breadth. If they
came to his house for it they wouldn't get it. He
conceded nothing, and God forsake me and my
children, said he, if l ever be found to faulter-
He had s!Tavs conteaded that any measure, cal
calated 70 add TO tbs slave territory of the United
States was unconstitutional, and lie never would
consent that there should be one foot of slave ter
ritory beyond what the old thirteen States had at
the formation of the Union never, never. He
was in Congress when the Texas annexation ques-
ton came up, and he fou9h against it. holding up
both hands and procaiming with a voice stronger
than it now is, against the whole of it, but annex
alton was carried, and let them answer for it who
did the deed. Mr.. Webster then alluded to the
New MEXICO question and to the course of the Ad-
ministration on that subject, which he defended.
He glanced again at the fugitive slave law and de-
clare1 that it favorable to the free States
than the law passed under Gen. Washington S ad-
ministratioD."
Giddings, Hale, Seward, nor any ultra ever uttered
fouler abolition sentiments than the above and vet
Senator Foote boasts of bis alliance with him.
Foote's C)nSiStenCy--IIiS political honesty.
On former occasions we have spoken of the law "a
polishing the slave trade in the District of Columbia
but in giving it to the public did not state Senator
Foote'S connection with it. We will now do so, for
he announced here that he might be considered
ting for it. Here is part of the bill this contains
the Objectionable feature, to wit iberatng giving
the slave his freedom.
"Be II enacted by the Senate end House of Rep
resentatipes Of tie United States IN Congress as
Sen6Led, That from and after the first day of Jan
uary, eighteen hundred and iftyo it shall not
be lawful to bring into the District of Columbia,
an SldNc dte'tt iol CHC Pun pOSc VI DclhS SOiu,
for the purpose of being placed in depot to be
subsequently, transferred any other State OF pace
to be sold as merchandise And if any slave shall
be brought into said District by its owner or by
the authority consent Of its owner, contrary to
the provisions of this act sach slave shall, there
upon become liberated
We give a running debate that sprung up in the
Senate while this bill pending, and Senator Foote
will be perceived, took part.
Mr. CHASE. We have bill before us which pro
District. 1t has been correctly said by the Sena
tor next me, from Virginia Mr.. Mason) that is
step towards the abolition of Slavery itself; qnO
gentlemen deceiUe themselves If they suppose Il Il
the last step. For one Mr.. President, | am pre-
pared to act upon the principles I avow. l an
prepared to act now well as at aAy other time
| shall not seek to myself from voting for
proposition, which eommends itself to my judg
ment, on the ground of time, or place, or circum
stances. Gentlemen tell US, if we a
dopt this substitute, it will dissolve the Unon.--
Sir, the Union has stood many Shocks and will,
believe, stand this, if this be a shock at ALL
After some remarks in reply to Mr.. Butler
Mr. Foote, said, 'Sr, l should be very mucl
pleased, indeed, to vote for this bill. | was ex
ceedingly anxious to vote for it. Accordingly,
proposed various amendments with the view O
enabling me to do SO. believe that the bill IN it
present form, without any amendment, was not on
ly well intended, but well conceived. But per
ceive, and others, | think, will perceive, that In