Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-09-13
SENATOR CHAsE's SPEECH.
At Mass Meeting in Syracuse, August 81,
1a53


il law, and i'll never believe it a law, unless
some revelation beams upon me from above, to
change my judgment, and am sure no such rev.
citation will come from that quarter, bpt more
likely from another. (Laughter.)
Now, let me ask the free men of New York, if
they suppose that this Compromise in relation to
the Fugitive Slave Act is SO jealousy maintained
by the slave power, as practical remedy for the
recovery of fugitive slaves? Ifso, they are vast
ly mistaken. A little more than two years ago,a
speech was delivered by the late Presidents Sec
rotary Of War, one of the ablest and most accom-
pllshed citizens Of whom the South can boast
In that speech he told his constituents, that TIE
fugitive slave act was of little, if any, value to
Mississippi, and he added, suppose there are fif
teen or twenty thousand fugitive slaves in the
north, would we want them here? With the
education they have received, what sort of stock
would they make? would not have fugitive
slave upon my plantation for any consideration
whatever He was wise man. Suppose Fred
erick Douglass were fugitive slave, how easy
would any planter feel with him upon his panta
ton? daughter Though all have not attained
TO that distinction, 10 that eoquence, power and
learning, to which he has attained, Yet all of
them have learned in the school of freedom, and
if upon their plantations, would hold their mas
tiers quite uneasy. But,w do they want it fer,
if not as practical remtdy' The number of
fugitves now escaping is greater than ever before.
There is no depreciation in the stock of the I'M
derground railroad, that am aware of. Its op
eratons are carried on just as widely and exen
siyely as ever, and great deal more so. There
are but few captured under this law Now and
then there is an instance. Theirs was an attempt
here, you know, (applause) and the people of
Syracuse seemed TO have the same mind in re-
gard TO Jerry as Capt Ingraham had in regard
to Kozsta. And really, when heard my friend
Hale telling that story this afternoon, began to
think the United States,, TO use the language of
Gerrlt Smith, were getting 'up to the Jerry level
(Laughter.) Now and then some horrible case,
some villainous transaction occurs, which it is
impossible to characterize 10 terms of reprobation
significant enough to mark its unmitigated atroc-
ty. But, remember that hundreds escape where
one is taken back Why then do they want the
law? They want 1t as a badge and symbol of
northern servitude they reason in this way
man so lost TO the sense of liberty and respect
for himself and for his nelghbors, as to consentto
aid in the execution of statute so infamous as
this, has so far Invested itself of the capacity TO
resist aggression, that he will submit to anything
they will impose. Will such men resist the in
gress of slavery into the territories, will they re-
slst the admission of new slave states into the
Union, and resist the building up Of the gigantic
proportions OF that enormous slave power which
presses upon the land Never, never. | say then
The fugitive slave act is maintained now as a SYM
boil badge, San outward and visible token
not of inward spiritual grace but of something
quite different token of incapacity to resist
aggression.
When the Baltimore Convention met what did
they do? There was the slave power, and there
were delegates from New York. who went there
with protestalions Of devotion to freedom fresh
upon them But they went towards Baltimore,
and crossed perhaps the Delaware River, one
puts his hands into his pockets and says, Il have
lost my principles Another puts his hands into
his pockets, ant says. Faith, have lost NINE
too You all remember Bunyan's poor Christian
who, when on his way to The Celestial City find
ing he had lost his lead, turned roQnd and went
back, praying and mourning until thanks to God.
he found 1t, and then went joyfully on his way,
and the hills of difficulty sank before him. But
these Barnburner delegates, on the whole, SEEM
ed relieved to find they had lost their load of
principles (Laughter.) When they came TO
Baltimore they found the Convention sitting
There was Arkansas with her three delegates, and
New York with some thirty or forty. Arkansas
says to New York, 'Good morning. with very
low bow. And then does Arkansas say, Gentle.
men, we have assembled here to nominate Pres.
ident and Vice President OF the United States;
we are anxious that these candidates shall be
thorough Democrats Of the Jetfersonian school.
deeply mbued with the principles of the Decar.
alton of Independence, who will be distinguished
by an honest. economical and frugal adminlslra-
ton of the government, and for a manly bearing
in our foreign affairs? Does Arkansas say any
thing of that sort? Not at ALL Arkansas saws,
Gentlemen, we are here to nominate candidates
for the Presidency and Vice Presidency Then
Arkansas swings her whip and gives it crack,
and proceeds you need not trouble yourselves
about the question of slavery. We have slaves
in Arkansas and mean TO hold them. Now if Won
give us platform, pledging your whole energies
to the maintenance of slavery and slave catching
and If, IN addition to that, you will give US Pres
ident who will faithfully carry out that platform
IN all It's parts, then We will 90 with you, but if
not,-noi.' What says New York 10 that? Does
she say my motto is Excelsior 'higher' shioh-
err progress, -'progress;' our people are pledg-
ed to the principles Of the democratic faith taught
by Jefferson, and will maintain them inyiolate.
and we repel your prOposal' OF course New
York does not say that, because her delegates
have lost their principles. hat does she say?
High and mighty Arkansas, declare such prin.
clples and pledges as you see 6t, compound the
dose IN such nauseous proportions, and in such
nauseous quantities, as you choose, our mouths
oiS VPSh, anu VIC are prepared 10 swallow,
(laughler,) and then nominate just such candidates
as you see fit TO nominate, and pledge them Just
as deeply as you choose, and we will support
them, only we want one thing understood sAnd
what Is thai'' 1T is very small thing, and we
hope You will not refuse to grant it. Il is that
Peter Jones shall be postmaster in our village. -
(laughter.) Arkansas says, 'Well, that is rath-
er reasonable, and do ROT care il grant il; and
to make the dose sweeler will throw in for
elgn mission or chargeship.' daughter So
the bargain is made and New York goes INTO the
support OF the Baltimore platform And those
gentlemen look at us with amazement when we
reproach them with inconsistency, and they say,
We are ready TO join you, when practical
question is presenlsd.' And when will a pract-
cal question be presented If it is not now? Is
there any thing SO precious, SO worthy of preser-
walton as liberty!
Well, the Wing Convention met, and under
the influence Of this same control, did precisely
the same thing. The remarkable spectacle was
presented, for the first time in American history,
and think for the first time in the history Of any
free cOuntfV unOn tho faro of tho aarth IF t,.,o