The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-04-08


lofty aspirations | cannot accept from him
the distinguished position assigned me. When
those two Brigades of 10000 Massachusetts,
freemen confer upon me the baton of command,
| VII think of IT, | can assure the Senator
that it is glory enough for me TO stand in the
ranks Of these two gallant Brigades who have
broken the power, destroyed the idea Of irwin.
cibility and driven by storm the column OF
which the Senator Is one of the brilliant lead
ers. from the Capitol-aye, and when these
columns. maddcued by defeat, and confident
of success. returned to the charge flung them
back with the same GOODNESS as the squares of
the old Guard of Napoleon were wont to hurl
back the wild charges Of the Cossacks.
Having conferred upon me the leadership of
the Coalition. the Senator represents me as
claiming this measure as one Of the measures
of Reform Sir have not spoken for or
OF the Coalition. do not speak for the Demo
cratic party. That party does its own speak.
ing and its own voting. But did say, and
now repeat it. that my political friends are
generally for this great measure. With them
1t is no party shibboleth, yet think at least
nine-ten'hs of them are for it. protest, sir
against this attempt Of the Senator to identify
this measure rs party measure.
SIR the Senator charges me with denuncia
ton of the Wing party. spoke not Of tn,
Wing party think the masses Of that part,
Democratic in their sentiments and opinions
spoke, sir, OF that class of Conservative fanat
ics-men proud, bigoted intolerant-men who
have no faith in or sympathy for, Democratic
ln'htutIons-men who shrink instinctvely from
every movement at home or abroad, in favor
OF popular rights-men who distrust the people,
cling to the dead past and shrink from the
living present. This class from the day Of
the Hutchinson Addressers to the present, have
resisted the demands Of the people This is
the class of men who would combine with any
body OF men 10 push from their seats men they
cannot control
Sr. the Senator says did not take of my
spurs until had passed through the Senate
tell the Senator, | never put them on | al
ways scorned the dictaton and defed the pow
er OF this class a now do Sir, If the Senator
will search the. Journals of the Senate and
House for eigf years, he viii find my name
recorded in favor of progressive Democratic
| tell the Senator that nearly every
measure now upon the statute book placed
there during the past twenty years, was passed
by the liberal Wings and Democrats against
the hostility open or covert, of this class of
Wings who quote these acts as evidence of the
and glory of Massachusetts when
ever they wish to glorly the past in order to
defeat present reforms
But the Senator does not comprehend the
phrase Democratic Democrats Well. will
try to enllghten the Senator When | speak
Of Democratic Democrats. | mean men who !
sincerely believe that all men of every cline
and race are created free and equal-that the
humblest man who walks the earth is a man
md a brother, whom God made and for whom |
Christ dled-men who cordially accept the
sublime doctrine Of Democratic Liberty Equal
ty and Fraternity, without qualification or res
eryation-men whose sympathies are ALWAYS
with oppressed men struggling for their in
ahenable rghts-men who welcome the poor
painting bOndmcn fleeing from the lash and the
cham OF slavery with the same cordality with
which they welcome the great Hungarian from
The lost fields OF European Liberty, and loathe
lhe oppression that eXlled the one rs they do
the Austrian tyranny that imprisoned and ban
shed the other-mcn who look to the future
with trusting hope and abiding confidence in
The onward progress of the race. Does the
Senator Ike the definition
The Senator gives the party with which
act the designation of the "streaked and
speckled" party won't question the Senator's
taste As the Senator was one of the good
fathers OF the party, We must allow him to put
IN his claim TO chrsten it, In 1898 the dis
tmgulshed Senator represented Bristol in the
Senate, and many persons knowing his bril-
liant qualities, looked upon him as the sue
cessor Of John Reed, in Congress series of
resolutions was reported by the late James G.
AIyord. These resolutions declared that Con-
gress has the power to abolish slavery in the
Territories;
The power TO abolish the slave trade in the
District of Columbia, and that it ought to ex.
erclse Its power;
The power to abolish the slave trade between
the States, and that it ought to exercise it
The power to prevent the admission into the
Union of slave State, and that it ought to
exercise it and the power to abolish slavery in
the District
When those resolutions came up for con.
sderaton, the Senator would not be content
with the report Of the Committee. Such WAS
his horror of slavery that it was not enough
Tor INN to declare the power Of Congress to
abolish slavery IN the District He moved 10
amend the resolutions by adding the follow
ing:
Rc'olrcd That Congress ought to take meas
ures to effect the abolition of slavery in the
District OF Columbia
The resolution WAS adopted, and these res
buttons p!cdging Massachusetts, and the Wing
party to the agitation of the slavery question,
We're passed by the unanimous vote of the
senate. These resolutions embody the cardinal
questions OF the creed of the Free Soil party
the strcaked and speckled party the Sena-
TOT sneerS mt These resolutions were for twelve
years the cardinal principles Of the Wings of
Massachusetts. Massachusetts, thank God,
stands upon them now. and there she will con
tlnue to stand, although the Senator and other
great Wing leaders have repudated them, and
gwen IN their adhesion to the +" tnality of the
Compromise
The Senator voted that Congress ought to
abolish slavery in the Terrtories-the Com
promises say Congress shall not exclude. by
law, slavery in the Territories.
The senator voted that Congress ought to
take measures to effect the abolition of slavery
IN the D'sInct-thc Compromises consider the
slavery question finally settled and that all
agitation and discussion must cease.
Then the Senator could not be outdone in
his zeal for antislaycry agitaton-now he
embraces the Compromise, and claims com.
munty Of sentiment with my colleague (Mr.
Beardl in devotion to the support of the Com
promise, Fugitive Slave Law and all The
Senator sees nothing specked and streaked e
in the association. suppose
MIR President in the spring of 1886 spent
a few weeks in Washington !; | saw the first gag
law forced through Congress; saw that
slavery moved the public councils | saw men
chained in the capital of the Republic; saw
the slave pen where men. women aud children.
were sold 10 wear out their existence in the
lar Southwest | heard angry debate in Con-
grSs growing out Of the Texas question and |
came home determined 10 use the little in.
lluence ! possessed in favor of Liberty; and
from that day to this never saw n moment
"ncn ! would not sacrifice my own or my
party interest II by SO doing | could hasten