Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-05-08
EXTRACT FROM THE SPEECH or
nov, ]. R, GIDDlNGS, OF OHIO,
Delirersd IN he House Of Representatives,
March l6, 1852.
on TuE COMPROMISE MEASURES.


March l6, 1852.
The House having resolved itself into
! Committee of the Whole on the state of the
! Union on the Deficiency Bill, (Mr. MEADE
OF virginia, IN the chairl-
Mr.. GlDDlNGs said:
Tic slave States early finding themselves
/ Unable 10 hold their bondmcn in suliection
called on the Federal Government 10 assist
/ them IN recovering their iugitves from tlcil
/ hcislhors, the Indians. Without discussion
| or 80 far rs VIC know without objection, the
| Executive power, then MS usual in sIavehold-
/ ing hands, effected treaty providing for the
return OF fugitive slaves To their niastcrs.-
I ibis constituted precedent Another sim
[ liar treaty followed. The Indians failed to
| live up to their stipulations. The sending
oi their fellow men back TO chains aud bon
/ tagc was bnrbarily at which they reyolicd.
( ~ length the first Seminole war cnsucd.-
! ihan the second; and untold millions of the
| peoples money was squandered in returning
them to bondage.
Slavery and the slave trade, in this Dis
irici, was established early in the present
century aud in few years thereafter, Con-
gtrss established conslwise slave trade
As the institution increased, more slave ter
Iiiory was demanded. Louisiana was pur-
chased; then flnrda. Texas was annexed.
War with MeXiro followed. aud vast territory
was acquired. Three million slaves could
not ht held ia bondage 10y the power OF tic
slave States. We wcfc called on TO permit
tie institution TO hc extended into our Ter
'linrics; wc did 50; TO pay her for territory
which our arms Ind conquered; aud we
did Il: 10 take upon tie nation the burden
OF capturing and returning fugitive slaves
to appoint officers, or slayc-catchcrs, in all
parts oi tic free States: 10 subject tic citi-
HrEs oi TIC North Ia the expenses and dis
grace Of cinsing down the hunted fugitive,
ns he flies from u lui oil claims, and sighs,
and bitter tears. Tic people Of the free
states have Witnessed these things. They
Know Item to bc unconstitutional VIOLA
lions OF their rights iuhuman, and barlnr.
ouS. They, of course, understand that the
remedy is with themselves, and they are
cmdeay0ring 10 cas-, their burdens from them.
.lnd Mey tgat do IL.
LOokug forward ns all rcilecting mell
must we geo that in sixty yours more wo
shall have 20OOO000 slaves IN tho United
States-a greater number than our present
willie population. Now, sir, if this Federal
Government is to take upon itself the bur
den aud expense of holding that vast num-
her of human beings iu bondage; il wc are
TO appoint officers to catch all who shall
hereafter attempt to regain their free dom,
and to pay the expenses of returning them
10 bondage; it we are 10 provide territory
for them, aud to maintain slave markets for
such population, we shall find ourselves
Involved ia business which may well occu-
by our whole lime at no distant day.
For three years past this body has done
very lillo except to legislatc for slavery
But what else can it do when that institution
shall he three times as great as it now So
Sir, this agitation will iucreasc as slavery
increases, unless this Government shall re-
spcct tho constitutional rights OF the FREQ
States, and relieve them from the burdens,
the disgrace aud the crimes OF that instItu-
lion.
Aud now hlr. Chairman, tho question
comes home to every elertOc OF this nation (;
10 every man, womnn,- aud Child, whether
bond or free. Wh1t DW be he effect Of m1in-
tanning the Compromise? What the effect
of sioucing further agitation of tic slave
question: These are important inquiries,
which, as yet, have never been answered (;
nor have they been discussed in this body.
The first consequences resulting from the
support of the Cumproniac will he 10 main
tain slavery and The Stare trade in ihiS District.
AS already observed, in 1901, Congress
passed law, by which the institution OF
slavery in this District, with lis attendant
commerce. in lumau flesh, was continued
and established under Congressional enact
mcnt. That law remains in force 10 this day
Here, sir, under our own observation, with
in our own jurisdiction, by virtue of our
own laws, uian is degraded, robbed OF his
intellectual enjnyments, Kept in drplorahlc
ignorance, and disrohed of lis mnnhood.-
by virtue OF those laws he is transformed
into cialiel, brutnlized, aud sold like swine.
Here, sir men and women are bred for nILr-
ket. Beings in human shape follow Tho
business OF rearing boys and girls for sale
and hy that business sustain themselves ana
families, and accumulate wealth.
To sustain the compromise is to sustain
this revolving pracIicc--to give these slave
breeders license aud encouragement to pllr-
size nm occupation Gbhorrent 10 every letiinS
of Christianity and deceucy. Yet, slr lhc
Wing members of this body, on the lrst dny
OF our session, resolved distinctly nnd en-
plinticully, to support this practice, when Is
| spurned aud held in disgust by Mollamihe-,
dan Governments. | wish TO he undorslnou
and therefore repeat, that tho support OF thG
Compromises measures is identified WIN ana
iuseparahlo from the support of slaye'hree1-
ing and slave dealing now carried on ~ lllld
District. To sustain the Compromise IS 10
sustain these practices. 10 proh'Ihl 'he
slave trade here would violate this pretend
ed Compromise. II is required ! under
stand, OF each of the Democratic condIda'e'
for President, that lie shall sustain the Com,
promise, aud thereby lend his whole oliie'a
influence 10 uphold aud encourage me Ofeeu'
Ing aud sale of sl.yes in this District. w
less pledged TO this, he cannot receive ule
support of that party; While tho wing eau
ddGte is TO say nothing about II TO express
no opinion in regard TO II, to stand heuun
upon tho subject To stand neu'rs'' 10 "