Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-24

slavery instead of pros slavery hands 1t should have
remembered that such weapon cannot be used without
great danger Of great detriment to bad cause and
therefore they should not have used it,
trust that the mistake of the Administration in this
will be eectual admonition to this and all pro-
slavery Administrations and all pro-slayery persons not
to continue 70 quote the Bible.
Mr.. PRESTON of Kentucky, next addressed the House
have listened he said not without certain degree of
interest to the gentleman from New York Mr. SMITH
who has just addressed the committee and now desire
its indulgence for brief response though nothing could
have been further from my intentions than the design of
offering any remarks to-day in relation to any subject
that engages the legislative attention.
Living, as do in State recognising slavery and
firmly convinced am, of the proprsty of protecting
property in slaves yet do not desire to reply any
ntoerant spirit to the views which have been advanced
by the gentleman from New York. feel conscious that
the great and wise who ushered Government
existence and laid its foundations deep in truth and JUS
ce, were not inferior in religion philanthropy those
who asa the rights of the Southern members the Con-
federacy assa their institutions and decry their people
Aud although | may feel, with strength of conviction
that my language cannot adequately express the nus
tice Of assaing those rights yet it is far from de-
sire to eyade or strange discussion by denunciaon
violence trust to the power of truth show that the
men Of the South not the representatives of people
enduring the odious tyranny that the gentleman
that they are not men toleratng and fostering
tanning far wiser and practical views than those mis-
guided enthusiasts who would shake to its centre Gov
eminent planned by patriots and statesmen and cemened
by tho public prosperity
Enthusiasm, sir is respectable even in error 1t is at
ractive when clothed in the funess appropriate
guage and marked by eloquent delivery but this should
not blind US to the pernicious sentiments contained in the
remarks we have heard The gentleman from New York
has sought to n:ttute parallel between the principles
of abolition and those contained in the letter of the Sec
rotary OF State to the Chevaer Husemann in relation
the surrender of Martin Koszta. To institute COMPARE
son which would unite principles dissmiar would be
to create monster in the political world deformed
than the Siamese twins in the physical world
The sum of the doctrine in the KOsza letter. assert
ed by the American Secretary, is, that Martin Kosza,
having taken the ntiatory steps become citizen of
the United States, and having filed his declaration of in
tenton IN courts became clothed with such nation
atty that, having gone into the city of Smyrna in the
peaceful pursuit Of business Of pleasure, he
still under the protecting power of the American flag and
beyond recapture by the power of Austria But let
ask the gentleman if treaty had existed between Aus
tra and the Government of the United States by which
the solemn faith of the American Government pledg
ed to restore such refugees tpuae for the extra
diton Of felons with Great Britain under the Ashburon
treaty, whether, without violation of faith could
have refused to surrender the fugitNe There can be
but one solution to the question Yet have the States
OF the American Union something solemn and more
obligatory than mere treaty to compel the extradon
OF fugitive slaves something than compact, as
webster expounded it, in his memorable reply to Hayne
something solemn and more binding than treaty or
compact-the very Constitution Itself upon which
Government exists! sovereign recede from trea
ty or compact and tribunal earth but itself can
Judge 1t; but in our Consttuton-the most solemn form
of obligation that society Knows tribunal the Supreme
Court is established to assist in the enforcement of the
rights OF the people composing the confederacy This
Constitution, soemnly ratified guarantees to the slave
holding States the protection of their property and the
extradton of fugitive slaves when they escape into sister
States where the institution is recognised Shall
those solemn promises be fuflledf shall the psuedo
.Inc 49,. A. IsAI
which the founders of Government and the hun
bred and thiry-eight gentlemen here assembled were
sworn to support the Consttution-nvoke our body to
disregard its precepts and commit meditated perjury by
violating its provisions Yet such is the morality that
fanatical enthusiasm proposes.
The logic Of the Secretary of State has been assaled
upon the ground that he has chosen place
ranted limitation upon the divine injunction that you
should do unto others you would they should do
to you; yet would ask of the gentleman who has SO
keenly criticised the expression if it is plain
to unsophiscaed mind that should fulfil the pro-
misses that we make to others and if under this prnc
pie the people Of the North morally bound to full
fl their promises to their Southern brethrenl
The correspondence in relation to the seizure Of Kosza
does honor to the Administration and the Government
but, while the Secretary sustained his views with great
ability, trust may be pardoned the depression if
mark that in opinion the acts of Congress in relation
to naturalization still further fortified his position Our
whole theory Of the right Of expatration is in conflict
with the English, and believe, the general European
law which maintains that subject has no power d.
vest himself Of the allegiance due the Government u-
der whose jurisdiction he is born. 1t is clear that if
Kosza had received his final letters of naturalization &C
cordng to our theory it was undoubtedly duty to
protect him. Until the year lS48 naturalization
laws required alien to reside in the United States
continuously for FIVE years before the final letters
granted ANY nonresidence absence from juris-
dction vitiated his right.
In 1913 an act was passed by Congress permitting the
time to be computed during the absence Of the alien
which, by implication, authorized him 90 abroad dur
ing the period of his acquiring citizenship This act
conceive, gave full authority to Koszta to visit Smyrna
the protection of Government they would have been
to an alien fully haturaliIed or to a native citizen.
The gentleman from New York, Mr.. Chairman has not
only criticized the letter Of the Secretary but has chosen
to make this the secession for general denunciaton Of
the institution Of slavery in the Southern States know
sir that the subject is trte and exhausted but feel IN
willing that the remarks which he has uttered shoudpas
without some reply.
The Southern States since their earliest colonial his
tory have been peopled by two Of different color
and Of different civilization We hold them in bondage
because we are unwilling to amalgamate with them and
desire to keep Teuonc blood pure and uncorrupted
by baser admixture because we prefer that their
tutored labor should be directed by the superior ine
gence OF our race to useful industry rather than that
they should be freed from all wholesome restraint and
left without coercion to poute blood and destroy our
progress 1t is not within comprehension to divine
the cause which has made the Ruler Of Nations establish
this order Of things.
The wisdom of cannot foresee or penetrate the
by which the civilization Of nations is directed bv
him. We see ourselves surrounded by three millions Of
the African race who, under the dominion OF the white
race has in two hundred years. made greater advances
in religion aud civilization than they have made in four
thousand years in their aboriginal condition IT, at this
hour the angel Of death were to breathe mon Tho
of people it did upon the hosts OF The
surviving black race would exhibit picture Of ciyza
ton more remarkable than any that Africa has ever