Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-12-31

statesman in every sense of the word, and, above
!, all, n gentleman.
n What shall say Of the counsel that great mai
j who has but just left the American stage2-
What shall say of another great statesman anC
, pure patriot who hailed from Kentucky, and who's,
i lips, in this Hail. touched by the FIRE OF inspiration
for half century poured out the purest eloquencc
G and the Oftiest patriotism and whose funeral re
. QUEEN has scarcely ceased now to vibrate within
], these llallsr What also shall say in regard t.
$ that distinguished man who occupies proud no
tion in the coordinate branch OF this Legislative
= body allude to the distinguished man who rep
G rcscnts, in part, the State of Michigan, and who
! but short time since, when representing his
country at foreign court rose up and in the pres
encc OF all Europe, proclaimed to the world the free
v dom Of tho seas?
n These three men were the men who, but yester-
: day, in the Senate Chamber of the United States.
, joined hand in hand upon these compromise meas
f ures which have gone forth to the country, and
have been adopted as its organic law. After this,
sacrifice and mutual concession and mutual for.
bearance of southern rights and northern rights,
after all had been taken into account are we at
this day, after the question has gone to rest to be
annoyed by the gentleman from New York MIR
SNTn; who comes here to throw freband into
the midst of the country, endeavoring at the same
time, to dignity it by his position upon this floor
while he degrades our common country by stigma
tzng ltas greater despotism than the most dcspo-
| tic power upon the European continent2
/ honor the gentleman from New York sir, for
his zcal but so far regards his judgement in this
matter, ut this time, ii may be question admitting
OF some considerable doubt his zeal and discretion
are by no means evenly matched
Now, MIR. Chairman having disposed of that part
Of the speech which refers to the desposm of this
country, want the committee to bear with me until
make reference to another quotation from the
gentlemans address, and which is in keeping with
what have already read and stated to the House.
find this paragraph;
Alas Sir iehdt apitidbie spectacle does our Ad-
mihistrdfion present in illus pHJHY coyTuptng
Christianity, for The sake Of sdring so riie and
dJomildJle Miig as sldreJyf And then, s,, tchdf
pitidJIe spectacle do the Amercdn people present IN
choosing such an administration, aud IL remaining
patient under ="
l. In the estimation Of that gentleman, this Admin
istration, indorsing these measures of compromise
alter they had been adopted by Congress, and by
both OF the dominant parties in the United States,
upon their respective platforms at Baltimore, pres
ents to the country most pitablc" and humilating
position. Why? For its observance Of the law
For its adhesion to the Constitution For doing
right in the face Of Heaven and men2 Does the
gentleman from New York pay due regard to the
Constitution and laws ofhis country assume sir,
that hc has been sworn ns member Of this
body and having been sworn, | want to refer
him to a single clause in tho Constitution of the
land. Tread from the Sd clause, section IL, and
article 4:
mo person held to service or labor in one State
under the laws thereof escaping into another shall
IN consequence OF any law or regulation therein be
discharged from such service or labor, but shall be
delivered up ON claim Of the party to whom such
service or labor may be due"
Then desire to PROFOUND to the gentleman
question: How, in accordance with that clause in
the Constitution of our country, can no stand up
here an advocate of a law that is superior to the
Constitution itself?
The gentleman is n renowned and distinguished
lawyer, and he has read that clause of the Const-
tuition time and time again. How, then let me ask
him. can he, as consistent part Of this legislative
body, put his hand upon the Holy EvanGely, and
swear 10 support the witten Constitution of the
country, and, at the same time, be the advocate
Here of principle which says that there is high
er law than the Constitution of his country /
know no law with regard to municipal regulations
with regard to questions OF government, that should
be superior, that is superior to the written Const
tuition Of our country. And sir, if the day shall
ever in this country when higher law shall be
used as substitute for the written law, God in his
mercy protect U.S. and the twenty three millions who
enjoy the blessings of free institutions with us.
Mr.. Smith, Of New York Will the gentleman
yield me the floor to reply to his question?
MIR. Wright. Does the gentleman desire to make
a speech?
Mr.. Smith. / rose, not because wished to re-
ply to the gcntlcman's question, for do not wish
to reply to it. But, as he put the question to me-
and might deem me unciyil were not to reply to-
it; and trust that the gentleman will feel no bet
ter after my reply.
Mr.. Wright. After having called the gentleman
out, ! cannot refuse him the floor
Mr.. Smith. The gentleman has referred mo tol
that clause of the Constitution which respects tug-
ves from service; and it is this clause that his
question is based. Now, not to consume the time
of the gentleman with any other reason for my de-
nying that the word Service in the Constitution
refers TO slavery, will only sdyert to the fact that
three days previous to the close of the convention
which framed the Constitution, the committee ON
style made their report; and that then it was
moved to strike out the word "seryitude," and to
supply its place with the word Service" This
substitution was made by unanimous vote, and
for the ayowed reason that "seryitude" denotes the
condition Of slaves, and "service" the condition OF
frecmen hold, therefore, that the word service"
in the Constitution refers to frecmen, and to free
men only. To hold that the trainers of the CUnsti-
tuition did, after the substitution have referred to,
mean that the word should refer to slavery, would
be to stgmatizo them with hypocracy. add that
the facts | have here given, may be found in the
Madison papers.
Mr.. Wright. That is not my recollection Of the
historical proceedings Of the convention which
formed tho Constitution.
Mr.. Smith | refer the gentleman to the Madi-
sou papers.
Mr.. Wright. That is not my construction of
those papers. The very change Of which the gen
uehlilh speaks was maze upon the suggestion OF
southern member tf that body, who thought il
would be better not to introduce the word "slave"
into the Constitution, aud therefore he moved to
strike it out and insert in its place. "invountary
yitude." That is the history of this change, as l
think | am prepared to show to the gentleman from
New York, To the House, and to the country. And
can the genteman-I am not putting the question
to him now with a view of an answer (laughter) ~
| say, can the gentleman, a sound lawyer, put
ting upon the Constitution proper construction,
MS he has the ability to do he assert that this
third clause of the Constitution does not embrace
slaves as well as other persons held to involuntary
seryitudc? So the courts have decided. So law
yers have learned it; and none have perused it, l
presume, more carefully than the distinguished gen.
tleman from New York, Mr. Smith.
When that gentleman approached that stand and
with the Evangelist in his hand, swore to support
the Constitution of his country upon what princi-
pie can he get up here and state that he is govern
ed by higher power than that which he has sworn