The southern press., 1851-08-02

he allowed 70 60 above oertsin line with tn
privileges M uIeir property, but shall disposse
them$elvaAfOf the m1st valuable part Of t',a
propssty hakose they can claim equslty, Ia psiv
liges, with the citizens of Ohio or Massachusetts,
they MAKE compromise In Of 80 deg. 81
min. when It suits them N Sc half the terri
tory OF 10 usisana, and then, lead of carrying
out that line in good faith, as it was intended
in spirit and substance to the Pacific, when i
suits them to seize territory below it, they dc
80 without remorse and without shame.
Where is their compromise! Where is theil
plighted faith Are we TO be crcumscrbed al
their pleasure? Are we to be encircled IN
great pententiary walls by our masters and ou'
Keepers
Merciful God are we born slaves, or are we
born freemen! Are the descendants OF caya-
liers to let the swords of their forefathers hang
around them, in their halls, to rust forever!
Do they dread to draw them, because forsooth a
nation of Yankee shoe-makers may let drive at
them with their avis, or a nation of weavers
may threaten to raise their shuttes and spin
dies
Mr.. Chairman. The final result Of all these
measures is to abolish slavery 10 the States, or
to render it valueless, and thus TO force those
who own them to abandon the country or perish
in its ruins TO establish the truth of this
bear with me while go back and trace the his
tory Of events, particularly for the last twenty
five years. Look first at its rise and progress
in England. When Wilberforce first proclaimed
his doctrines of emancipation for the British
West India Islands, he had few or no followers,
and believe he was mobbed in the streets of
Liverpool, or at least treated with great indig-
nifty. The productions OF those islands and
slave labor were then of great Importance to
England, and the movement was looked upon
as direct blow at her prosperity and CONNER
cial wealth. The proposition for emancipation
was secuted, and received but slender support
in the Britt Parliament for years. And yet
| Wherefore lived to see the day when he borne
down the common sense and talent of England
by mad fanaticsm and viii philanthropy. The
deed was consummated against the judgment of
the thinking classes. And the prime minister
Of England, in the same speech, by which he
carried the emancipation bill, congratulated the
country that he would thereby finally be ena-
bled to withdraw troops from these West India
stations and station them in Ireland !! Eman-
cipate the black man of the West Indies and
station, British bayonets to keep in slavery the
white man Of Ireland. Whit comment upon
result Ireland under the British bayonet-in
chains and perishing with starvaticn.--The West
Indies free, yet miserable--wretohed, in
degradation and ruin. And this is what the
world called humanity
The movements for emancipation in France
and England were then transferred to the United
States. And as short time ago, as 1894 and '35,
when first entered Congress, it was talked of
as belonging to a few obscure fanatics who were
considered madmen and utterly unworthy of all
kind Of notice They were merely laughed at.
In 1886 they began to send in petitions quite
frequently to abolish slavery in the District of
Columbia &C. Gen. Hammond and myself, al
though very young members, at that time, made
the question of reception on those petitions. II
produced great excitement, and it was thought
even by Southern members that we were ultra
and extravngant in our views. recollect well,
in speech then delivered, denying the const-
tutional right Of the government to abolish slav-
cry in the District of Columbia without the con-
sent of Virginia and Maryland. | said that there
was danger from this party of abolitionism, and
that the day would come when they would hold
the balance of power, and overrun both parties
at the North and endanger the existence of this
Union. ! was pronounced a madman, and it
was gravely put forth in New York paper that
ought to be expelled the Hou.e Of Represen-
tatives for such sentiments A large majority
cHcu VI A'OuNsCsu suEuluoTS huN ucCiutu lcclItIS
against me on these points. Things went on
rapidly growing worse and worse until in 1897,
Mr. O. Adams presented petition from twen-
ty-three slaves of Fredericksburg, Virginia,
ing Congress to abolish slavery, &c. This pro-
duced great excitement, and, after much discus
sion, it ended finally in the House passing re-
solution which was equivalent to affirming that
slaves had a right to petition. The Southern
members called meeting and proposed that
we would not again take our seats until the Oh
noxious resolution were repealed by the nom
sIaveholding members themselves. After sew
eral days of excitement, my proposition was
voted down and the resolution was repealed by
the assistance Of Southern votes. | refused to
vote at all, and never afterwards attended any
caucus Of Southern members on the subject of
slavery. was rebuked as an agitator, and. in
circular addressed by the delegation from Mis-
sissippi to their constituents, was openly de-
nounccd as n traitor to the Union, while others
we're praised for saving the Union. | merely
mention these things now, to show the rapid
progress of events, and not TO show the humble
part may have had in them for only happened
to be put in that position from the deep interest
] then felt in the u after
1t was about this period that Mr.. Adams be-
gan to assume the doctrine that Congress might
nave power over tne Wnole SUBJECT OF slavery In
the States--and used the remarkable language
upon the floor, when asked by gentleman from
Alabama, what he would do if abolition pro-
duced suices of blood, he exclaimed in great
excitement, "Let il foro Let ii for -" men,
tion Mr.. Adams merely, because be was the
great leader of agitation-and gave form and
consistency to fanaticsm. His high position
and eminent abilities gave dignity and power to
all those movements which were started under
his advice, and which will end where sincere
ly believed he desired them to end, in dissou
ton of this Union. Then came on the excite
ment as to recognition of independence and an
nexation ofTexas A large portion Of the North
were enlisted against Texns, simply on the
ground that it might increase the power of the
slave States. They declared often and over in
their resolutions and through their papers that
Of Texas would be dissolution OF
the Union. This has been their feeling ever
since the purchase of Louisiana. Mr.. Josiah
Quincy, an able and leading member of Con-
gress, from Massachusetts,, when the bill fyr the
admission of Louisiana was before Congress,