Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-06-29

her, though all Of us don't want to, (auahter) four
years ago, what the spectacle which the coun-
Try presented! We had, at that time. acquired by
conquest and treaty, some new terrritory--a small
patch, (aughter) and the question vas what sort Of
a government was to be organized over It. That
YOU may have some idea of the magnitude and con-
sequence of this territory, which without any Or
gained government, asking and waiting for one
at your hands--that you may rightly estimate the
consequences Of what surt Of government should be
given to it, let us examine the subject in detail
How large was 1t! We can perhaps best judge by
comparison. The State of Massachusetts compri-
ses abou, seven thousand square miles. The whole
of the old thirteen States that fought the battles Of
the revolution, and achieved our national ndepen-
dence, comprised little less than three hundred
thousand square miles. Well, my friends this ter
ritory waiting for organized government at our
hands consistedof ghteen hundred thousand square
mies six times the size of the whole United States
that fought the battles of the revolution and more
than two hunured times the size of your Common.
wealth Of Massachusetts! More than two hundred
times the size Of the State in which you live? Now,
that we may have some idea Of It's extent the next
inquiry will be, what is its character! What is its
soil? By the official accounts of those sent by our
government tn explore it, it is represented as pos
sesslng, the greater portion OF it, the most fertile
soil that the foosiep of man ever pressed since he
was expelled from the garden of Eden. As late as
burden Of their du-tropcaI fruit. Then, when
we to The mineral resources, why even Ophir
with all It's gold, was povery itself compared with
the wealth OF that country. Immense in extent,
possessing fertile soil, and rich in all the min
erals, the question arose, what sort Of government
shall it have2 Shall it have free government, or
government subseryient to slavery?
The appeal is made to you--t is made to the
Commonwealth Of Massachusetts. Well, what sort
:. n
government where the aborer shall eat the fruits
OF his own toil--uhere free schools, free churches,
and ilee institutions OF every kind shall add their
part in miniserng to he progress Of humanity in
all those that elevate and train the human race
in the practice and enjoyment of virtue and happi-
nessl Or, in other words, will you give it such
government as you enjoy yourselves? Will you let
the present and future inhabitants of this great land
experience from you a practical exemplifcation of
the Christian rule to edo unto others We would
that others should do unto yuul" Or, on the other
hand shall this vast region be cursed with the foul
stain of human slaveryl Shall the richness of that
virgin soil be drenched of il by The tears Of the
unhappy slave and It's fair fields be blasted by his
burning wrongs through all coming ages? mo! no![
Let me ask any individual present, if he can to-
day work up his imagination TO any question short
of the salvationof his immortal soul, that can
pare with the magnitude of this momentous ques-
!
be decided aud determined, and its consequences
felt only in the present generation. Its consequences
we're TO extend through all coming time away down
ascr t,ute, enc vyv-A5t.iIvpc
and of faith could penetrate.
From the manner in which this question was set
tied, what was your voice at that time? Was there
TO he found in Massachusetts solitary individual
that had bur to this question: No mat.
ter what the consequences might be upon this YOU
had 10 iofl- md 4
was, to oppose, to the last, the introduction of the
system of human bondage into free territories.
In the neighboring State of New Hampshire, both
the Wing and Democratic parties resolved that,
whatever else might betde them, they would OPP
pose the extension of the institution of slavery and
that their determination was unalterably fixed.
Well, my friends, you said the same thing. The
only conflict to who should say it the loudest
and put the most effective meaning to it. The
great question of the day was, whether Taylor,
Van Buren, OF Cass, the strongest and mosl IN
aerabIe friend of freedom in the territories There
are things that do not change but the page of
history tells us that when politicians get fixed, it
does rot take long time 10 alter them. laughier.7
Well, iour years have passed away, and this ques-
ton, so far as yon have any agency in ii, has been
determined; and how? BY what, they tell us, is a
compromise. Now gentlemen, what is Compromise?
| do not know that l can give you the dictionary
definition of it, but | understand that here two
men together and one gives and takes little,
and The other gives and takes litfe, this is com
promise. Well, this question OF slavery has been
seitled by compromise, told, and Massachu-
sets is party TO the bargain. Now | want to talk
to Massachusetts little about this compromise, as
have part Of Massachusetts before [Cheers.]
What did you get! [ A voice, 'sThe Fugitive Slave
Law All, my friend, that is what you gave, we
all know that; but what you got, nobody can tell.
[Laugher.l
The South determined to have the privilege se-
cured to them of carrying slavery into the terri
tories. You wished to exclude it. To be sure,
you had some politicians who told you that the
law Of God was against the introduction of slave
ry into these territories land where is there ter
ritory from which Gods law does not exclude sla-
very p (cheers) You meant, mean wanted, "a
laugh) to have in thd this e aass the divine law
maintenance human laws. D1u you get it,
my friends You made compromise, and have
you not surrendered the only matter in dispute?
Says the South, s'we want the whole of this
territory; 'swe don't want the Wilmot proviso
over an inch of it, ''But," says Massachu-
sets man, "ths is against my pledge. l have
avowed my determination to resist slavery and
now do you want me to give up the whole ?" "Oh,
yes,n says the South, 'tand if you do it wont be
the first time you have done it Qaughter) So,
finally you gave up, and you consented by your
own deliberate will and purpose, that, SO far as
human government is interested, slavery may go
unchecked over every foot of that territory. But
you were not content with that. You were in
such giving mood, that you were careful to put
clause into the Compromise measures, declaring
that whether slavery went there or not, they
might form new States, and you would take them
into the Union, with slavery or without.
You next declared that the attempt to bring the
subject Of liberty and slavery into politics, was TO be
dscountenanced, whether in Congress, or ont of it.
1t was matter ofindifference you, whether these
future States should come shouting Feans of liberty,
bearing aloft the banners Of human progress, or
whether they should come marking their track BY
the blood Of their Victims aud heralded by the signs
and groans Of women and children crushed beneath
their yoke of bondage; they were to be welcomed
by you. This, my friends, was compromise You
gave up the only matter in dispute, and you supposed
that this was al Tar you were called upon 70 co.
But no. Said the South. awe cannot Keep slaves