The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-07-14


my pun pose to .violaie the Constitution and
10 break The oath which / had taken a,
the desk, shall be parJoned for showing
simply how a,iew plain words will pu, all
this down. The authentic report in the
Globe shows what actually said where
that is read il renders anything else super.
Ruous. But thesenaiors who have been so
swirl In misrepresentation deserved 10 be
exposed. Now, sir, begin by adopting
ms my guide The authentic words Of Andrew
Jackson. in his memorable veto in 1885,,
of The Bank Of the United States.
Mr.. Sumner here quoted from The mes
sage Of Gep. JACKSON where ho asserts that
each person swenrs to support the Consti'
tuition Ms he understands it. and then asked
Does any Senator here dissent from this
rule Does any Senator from Virginia L
Does tho Senator from South Carolina =
AT all events. for myself, accept the rule
as just and reasonable. In swearing TO sup
port the Constitution ut your desk, Mr..
President, ! did not swear to support it as
YOU understood il, or us the Senator from
South Carolina understood it. with u blood
hound or OF least dog in it in pursuit Of q
,layc. No such thing sir. swore to sup
mort il MS understood II. Now will not
occupy your time, nor am disposed at This
moment, nor does the occasion!require that
II,should 20 into any minute criticism Of The
clause of the Constitution for the surrender
of fugitiyes from labor. assuming, in the
face of commanding rules OF Interpretation
all leaning towards freedom. that in tho
concise language Of this clause. Paltering
in q double sense the words employed. can
be judieially regarded as justly applicable
to fugitive slaves. which is ollen ana ear
ne-tly denied, but on which | now express
no opinion. Assuming, say. these things
nre hostile to freedom, then ] desire to say
that MS understood the Constitution, this
clause doesnot inrrel me to any personal
obligation, especially as it does not impose
upon me any obligation to render any per.
: sonal assistance il the surrender Of n fugi.
tive slave, As a Senator | have taken the
oath to support the Constitution as ! under.
stand it, and understanding It rs i do, am
hound by my oath to oppose al enactments
: by Congress on the subject, as fragrant
, violation Of the Constitution, and especial.
" must oppose the Inst act as a tyranni'
3 cal usurpation-herc my duties as n Sena.
!. tor under the oath which have taken end.
E In no respect by my oath as a Senator can
u be constrained to duties in other capac.
: ties. or rs simple citizen, which are revol.
D tinc to my conscience, even though required
! by positive ennctments. Now. in this in
! terpreiaiion of The Constitution, nay be
: wrong; others may differ from me, and will
, aci according to their understanding. For
. myself. | shall act according to mine On
j this statement ofmy Constitutional oblisa.
y tions stand, and to the inquiry whether
S would render any personal assistance in
o surrcniering fellow man TO bondage,
), reply" Is thy servant dog that he should
u do this thing And in looking around upon
this Senate might ask learessy how many
i there are in this body, II indeed there is o
u single Senator. who would stoop to any such
. service. Until some one ri,cs aud Opcc!y
S coniesses his willingness to become q slave
: hunter, I will not believe that there can be
0 one, and yel, honorable and chivalrous Sen
. atOrs have been prompt to Judge me because
openly declare my adherence Of service
at which every manly bosom must revolt
e Tue, have found in Bayonne, brave
soldiers. and good citizens. but not one exc
i cutioner.' was the noble reply of the Gov.
4 crnor ofthat place to Charles the TX o.
: France when he ordered the massacre Of
il st. Bartholomew, and such n spirit, Think
= will yet animate the people of this country,
4 when pressed to the service Of dogs. To
| the question which has been proposed wheth-
/ er Massachusetts will by State laws carry
out the offensive clnusc of the Constitution,
; I reply that Massachusetts at all times has
been ready to do her duty under the Con-
stitution ns she understands 1t, and doubt
not will ever continue Of this mind more
than this | cannot say. In quitting this
tonic cannot forbcar to remark that the
assaults on me for my disclaimer Of all con.
itutional obligation to render personal rs.
sistancc in making man slave, came
with an il-grace from the veteran Senator
of Virginia, State which by its iar-.umed
resolutions OF 1893, assumed to determine
its constitutional obligations, even to the
extent of notification in acts Of Congress.
and also with an il.grucc from the veteran
Senator of South Carolina, State which.
at later day, nrrayed itself openly against
the federal authorities, and which threatens
notification rs often rs babies cry. He
then dwelt upon the riding of the mail in
South Carolina, and the latter of Postmas.
ter Kendall in reply thereto.
! He also spoke Of Mr.. Hoar's expulsion
from Charleston, and then continued
Before this Senator undertakes TO lecture
Massachusetts or myself, lei him return 10
his own State and first lecture there. The
Senator from South Carolina in a sublime
ecstacv of slavery burst forth in the ejacula-
ton that Massachusetts at the time it was
illustrated by Otis, Hancock and the brace
Of Adams, was slaveholding. and he hailed
the patriots as representing hardy savehold
ing Massachusetts. Sir, repel The imputa.
ton. IL is true that Massachusetts, was
hardy. but she was not in any just sense
slnvehoding few slaves were still found
within her border, but as early as 1869 one
of her courts actually anticipating the de.
cision in The Somerset case, established with.
10 its jurisdiction the principle Of freedom.
Similar decisions followed in other places
during the revolution. and at last under the
influence of the bill ofrights of the new
Constitution in 1889, declaring that MI
men are born free and equal, slavery ceased.
Thus the Senator errs when he speaks oil
Massachusetts. lie crrs still more when |
he put forth the declaration that the lnde.
pcndencc of America 10 maintain republican
liberty was won by the arms and treasure,
by the patriotism and good faith, OF slave.
holding communities. Mark the expression.
Sir. The Senator fresh from tho Nebraska
Bill, can speak Of the good faith of the
slaveho'din communities only in irony
and let me add, that when he says Ameri.
can Independence was won by tho arms.
and because OF slaveholding communities, no
spoke either in irony or ignorance. lilo then
went into an elaborate exposition ofihe con-
tr;b,,;ops nf tho Southern StnteS To Inn