Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-04-08
MR., GTDDTNGS' SPEECH,

Nit. UlDDlNUO O1 HA1O11'
Delivered in The House Of Representatives., Ihdrch
I'm, 1852, upon The several Acts Of Congress
which constitute the Compromise, Including the
Fugitive Stdve Ldp.
The House having resolved itself into Com
mittee of the Whole on the state of the Union
on the Deficiency Bill, (Mr. MEADE, OF Vr-
gina, in the chair)-
Mr.. GIDDINGS said:
| The Compromise | understand to consist OF
n series of laws, enacted by the late Congress-
consisting, first, of the law which admits CaIl-
fornla as State The object of that bull oeing
accomplished, no attempt to disturb II VIII oil
course be made. Secondly, that which defines
the boundaries of Texas. This. too, has accom-
pIished its object, and is therefore settled, ana
no longer subject of controversy. The Others
establishing Cove nnents in our Territories,
excluding The slave breeders Of Maryland and
VIRGINIA from the Slave markets oil this District
and that for the recapture OF fugitive slaves,
are in operation-subiect, like other statutes,
to modification or repeal. But it is said that
all questions of slavery were settled by the pas
sage of these laws; that they are to operate as
final qltietus of the whole slavery agitation
These ideas we're not advanced In this BODY at
the time those bills were passed. Indeed, II
my recollection be correct, there was no discus.
sion upon the passage of the Fugitive Law, or
the laws establishing Governments in Utah and
New Mexico. They were passed under the
previous question, without examination. Few
members of that Congress, think, entertained
the absurd notion that their action could bind
the action Of gentlemen now present. Few
members from the free States, who voted tor
these measures, have survived the storm OF
popular indignation, brought upon themselves
bv the passage of those laws. Their successors
were sent here for the very purpose OF repeal,
ing these enactments; and | am OF opinion that
it will require strong argument tO convince
them that the reprehensIbe conduct of their
predecessors is to control and govern this Con-
gress.
| am aware that men in high official stations
have announced to the country that the slave
questions are seuled-thst all agitation has
ceased. But what are the facts? We see and
know that discussion has increased and extend
ed more rapidly since the enactment of those
avs than ut any former period.
Our elections are very generally made to de-
pend on the slave question. 1t has placed new
and able members in the Senate, and 1t has
driven others into retirement. 1t has occa
stoned great changes in this body. Whert
now are the Northern members who advocated
these Compromise measures? Gone, sir, mos
Of them, to that land OF political forget ILLNESS
from which they will never return. VIVA
questions entered into the late contest IN NE"
| Hampshire? What were the issues IN Massa
chusCtts at her late autumnal election? Whal
has occasioned the political revolution in OHIO
These elections turned upon the question o.
slavery. And while on this point, would ASK
what has blasted and wthered the last pOlltl
cal hopes of the present Secretary OF State =
Every man knows that it is this very question
Of slavery. While he has been writing letters
and making speeches 10 demonstrate that the
slave agitation had ceased il was operating II
the popular mind, was silently stealing his Po
Iitlca breath, and has now pronounced the
sentence of death to his political hopes. II
most of our elections for State and county otti
GERS, it is rapidly becoming The principal disturb
ing element. The people in some portions D
the country will not cOnfde in those who are tht
advocats of freedom, in other parts they will
Con6de in no other.
The institution of slavery has increased it
victims, in sixty years, from Blk hundred Thousand
to three millions.
The slave States, early finding themseIve
unable to hold their bOndmen in subsection, cal
led on the Federal government to assist them II
recovering their fugtives from their neigbbols
the Indians. Without discussion, or, so far a
we know, without obligation, the Executive pow
err then as usual in slaveholdlng hands, effecte
a treaty providing for the return of fugItiv
slaves to their masters. This constituted pre-
cehent. Anuther similar tr~sfy Ss,ii~-@Sd. 1a
Indians failed 10 fge up TO their stpuiatoT1s. -
The sending of their fellow men back to chain
and hondage was a barbarty at which they re
volted. At length the FIRST Seminole war ensued
Then the second and untold millions of the pee
pies money was squandered in returning them
bondage.
Slavery and the slave trade, in this ~Distric
was established early in The present century
and in few years thereafter Congress estab
liShed the coastwise slave trade. AS the inst
tuition increased, more slave territory was d.
handed Louisiana was purchased &; the
Florida. Texas was annexed. War wit
Mexico followed, and vast territory was az
onired. Three million slaves could not be heI
IN bondage by the power Of the slave State
We we're called on to permit the institution I
be extended into our Territories: we did 80 :
give free territory to Texas; aud we did it t
pay her for territory which our arms had cor
ouered and we did it to take upon the natio
the burden Of capturing and returning fugitv
slaves to appoint officers, or slave catchers, i
all parts of the Tree States to subject the cit
zens of the North to the expenses and dsgrac
of chasing down the hunted fugitive, as he fllC
from land OF chains, and sigbs, and bitter tear
The people Of the free States have witnesse
these things. They know them to be unconst
Standardization of their Ights-inhumsI
and barbarous. They, Of course, understan
that the remedy is with themselves. and they ar
endeavoring to cast this burden from them. I'm
they will do II.
Looking forward, as all rejecting men mus
we see that IN sixty years more we shall hav
100000 slaves in the United States
greater number than our present white pnpu
lation. Now, sir, if this Federal Governmer
is to take upon itself the burden and expens
of holding that vast number of human beings i
bondage; If we are to appoint officers to cate
all who shall hereafter attempt TO regain the
Freedom and to pay the expenses of returnin
them to bondage; If we are TO provide territor
for them, and to maintain slave markets for sue
u population, we shall find ourselves involved
business which may well occupy our whole tim
at no distant day.
For three years past this body has done yer
=, tile except to legislate for slavery. But whs
else can it do, when that institution shall b
three times as great as it now is? Sir, this az
itatlon will increase as slavery increases, lnlee
-tthis Government shall respect the constitutions
rights of the free States, and relieve them froI
the burdens, the disgrace, and the crimes, Of Tia
institution.
| have so often discussed the constitution,
rights Of the several States respecting SLAYER,
that now feel no disposition to repeat tn
doctrines on which base my political action
but may be permitted to say, that Coagres
has no more right to bestow its energies for tn
support of the slavery of the South, than 1t ha
to sustain their banks, their railroads, or the
system of apprenticeship, or the laws of thos
States respecting minors, or those which regu
late the rights of husband and wife. SLAYER,
with all these subjects, are matters which eac