Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-09-18
Extracts from Thad. stephens, SDeecb.


September Cd, 1852.
Extracts from Thad. stephens Speech.
Now. sir, | intend to be frank upon this subject.
So far enforcing the provisions of the Consttu-
ton, with regard to slavery, is concerned in all
its parts, believe no man in this Union could be
more faithful than General Scott His whole life.
has been spent in administering and submitting to
discipline; and having taken the official oath of
Chief Magistrate to support the Constitution of
the United States it seems to me that none but
base minded men would dstrust its fulillment.
but if gentlemen require, as they plainly do re-
quire, that any act of Congress, amending or re-
pealing the fugitive slave law, should be met by
Executive distractions, and arrested by the Exec
utve veto; and that the whole influence of his Ad-
ministratlon should beused for that purpose, am
free to say, that do not believe they can rely up
on General Scott for such high handed tyranny
If they require that the Executive shall afford
facilities for extending slavery into territory now
Free or the admission of new slave States into the
Union, beyond the line of compact now existing,
| think hazard nothing in saying that they can
not rely upon General Scott. Upon the other
hand l am constrained to admit that in all Off
cial as well extra official efforts by the use of
the Executive veto, to prevent the amendment or
repeal of the fugitive slave law, and to afford ia
cilites for the spread Of slavery into free lands
and for the admission of new slave States into the
Union, they can rely most implicitly upon General
Pierce, notwithstanding what some foolish men
have published about some speech made by him at
New Boston. Laughter.
If he ever did utter such sentiments-if he ever
did fall into the path of rectitude, it was momen-
tary and accidental, and for which he is not to be
held responsible, renewed laughter for all his
votes in Congress, and all his public acts every
where, proclaim him the champion of slavery
If this election is to be put the sole grounds of
supporting slavery beyond the requirements of the
Constitution, as is now apparent, and all other
questions are to be considered of minor importance
then those gentlemen who think SO are right in
abandoning all other parties and supporting Pierce
l concede further, that if my friend from New
York, Mr.. King, and those who profess to be
anti-slavery men elsewhere-if the whole Demo
cratic party do rally in support of Gen. Pierce at
the coming election, it will conclusiyely prove the
truth of what was long ago asserted by one of
their ableSt statesmen, that Northern Democracy
is the natural ally of Southern slavery If this is
the position of gentlemen, they are right in oppo-
sing Gen, Scott and going for Gen. Pierce. l
find no fault with those who make that the sole
object of this contest
But the gentleman from Georgia, in this proc
lamation says-I speak of the gentleman from
Georgia only-a part for the wholc-and when
you take small part you shave got nearly all,
laughter, General Scott has not been sufficient
y explicit in his acceptance of the platform. In
making these marks he puts out of view General
SCOTS Geographic acceptance, because, he says,
that when he sent that dispatch, he had before
him an edition of the platform very different from
that published under official sanction That is all
true. The first resolutions published, which Gen
bo6 kafo bod 4Eor rde
.Jfnal aoiM regard to the compromise, IN them;
but they are there certified By the officers Of the
Convention. admit, therefore, that Gen. Scott
IS not to be judged By the PLATFORM, but by has let
ter Of acceptance, and his previously declared,
published and knoaUn opinions. Now, in that let
ter General Scott declares that he will see the laws
executed, and will abide by all the principles Of
the Wing party But that is not sufficient. He
sis required to declare that certain laws in ex
istence shall be final and arrepeola6le, and that he
will insure their permanency by the use of the Elk
ecutive veto, and that he will use the whole pow
er and patronage of his high Office. Now, sir
this doctrine, which General Scott repudiates, anc
which General Pierce adopts, is unmitigated tyran
ny. What authority is there in this Government
to make any law final or irrepealabte? Who ha
the power to make an act of the National Legis
ature not only equal to, but superior to the Con
stitution? Any attempt to enforce such doc
trineis arbitrary and despotic. The efforts which
have been lately made by members of Congress
and high officer of the Government, to paralyz
the free action of Congress, and to oVerawe ant
intimidate public opinion is unconstitutional, AM
; destructive of every element of freedom. Thi
movement of these gentlemen is but another marc
in the same direction. Whenever any Executiv
: or any statesman shall command the people not t
think, or not to utter their thoughts, and it doe
7 not cost him his political life, shall trembe 70
the liberties of the nation. Whenever politics
party attempts it, it deserves to die. Whoever
whether individual, or Government, or party-at
tempts to enforce such principles, is as detesabl
a tyrant as the King of Dahomy, the gates {
f whose city, and the portals of whose palace al
garnished with the hideous heads and eyeless skull
e Of slaughtered slaves Sir this atrocious attemI
0 must fail in this country. You may imprison th
!, wind, you may chain the forked lightning, b.
n you cannot bind the free thought and free uttel
y ance of a nation of freemen
s
If A Coon REBUKE.-The following happy hit
J, the want of politeness exhibited in some of OIL
e fashionable churches, is taken from the Batlmol
l. Sun:
g A young man was seen to enter church IN tin
It of service be paused at the the entrance, the col
At gregation, started, he advanced few steps, al
x deliberately surveying the whole assembly, con
y menced Al slow march up the broad aisle-not
re pew was opened audience were too busy +
= civillty-he wheeled, and in the same manner pc