The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-07-06

The Senate having under consideration the mo-
ton to refer to the Committee on the Judiciary
the Petition from twenty-nine hundred citizens Of
Massachusetts, praying for the repeal of the Flu
gitive Slave Bill
Mr.. SUMNER said:
Mr.. President: Since had the honor of ad-
dressing the Senate two days ago various Sena-
tOrs have spoken. Among these, several have
alluded to me in terms clearly beyond the sane
tons of parliamentary debate. OF this l make
no complaint, though, for the honor of the Senate
at least, it were well that it were otherwise. If
10 them it seems fit courteous, parliamentary,
Ito unpack the heart with words,
And fall q cursing like a very drab,
A scullion,"
] viii not interfere with the enjoyment which
they find in such exposure Of themselves. They
have certainly given US taste of their characters.
Two of them, the Senator from South Carolina
Mr.. BUTLxRl who sits Immediately before me,
aud the Senator from Virginia Mr.. MAsoN] who
sits Immediately behind me, are not young. Their
heads amply crowned by time. They did not
speak from any ebulltion of youth, but from the
confirmed temper Of age. il is melancholy to
believe that in this debate, they Showed them
selves as they are. 1t were charitable to believe
that they in reality better than they showed
themselves.
/ think sir. that ! am not the only person On
this floor, who in lately listening to these two
self-confdent champions of the peculiar fanaticism
Of the South was reminded Of the striking words
by jefferson, picturing the influence of slavery,
where he saws The whole commerce between
master and slave is perpetual exercise OF the
most bOisterOuS passions, the most unremlttlng
despotism on the part and degrading sub
mission on the other. Our children see this, and
learn TO initiate it; for man is an initiative ami
mai The parent storms. The child looks on
catches the lneaments Of wrath puts on the
same airs in the circle of smaller slaves gives
loose to his worst passions, and thus nurSed, ed
ucated, and daily exercised IN tyranny, cannot
bat be stamped by it with odious pecuiiarides.
The man must be prodigy who can retain hls
manners and morals Undcpraved by such CIR
cumstances" Nobody who Witnessed The Sem
ator from South Coroina or the Senator from
Virginia in this debate VIII place either OF them
among the "prodigies' described by Jefferson
As they spoke the Senate Chamber must have
seemed in the characteristic fantasy of the mo-
luent plantation well stocked with slaves, over
which the lash of the oyersccr had free swing.
81, it gives me no pleasure to say these things.
10 is not according TO my nature. Bear witness,
1uat DO it only in Just self-defence against the
unprecedented assaults and provocatiens of this
debate. If Senators expect, by any ardor OF men
see or by any tyranncal frown, to shake my fixed
resolve, they expect a vain thing.
There was perhaps, little that fell from these
rU.1 champions, rs the fit was on, which deserves
reply. Certainly not the hard words they used
from Virginia Mr.. Mason complained that
had characterized one Of his " constituents,
person who went all the way from Virginia TO
Boston i'm pursuit of n slave as a Sldve-IuntcT.
SIR. I choose to call things by their right names.
Waite | call white, AMI black ! call black. And
where person degradcs himself TO the work OF
chasing q fellOw-man, who under the mspira-
ton Of freedom and the guidance Of the north
star, has sought a freeman home far away from
the collie and the chain that person, whOmsOeyer
he may be, l call a Slave-llunteT If the Senator
from Virginia, who processes nicely OF speech,
viii give me any term which more precisely de-
scribes such a person. will use IT, Until then /
shall continue to use the language which seems
10 me so apt But this very sensibility of the
veteran Senator az a just term, which truly de-
picts odious character, shows a shame in
which ! exult II was said By one of the philos-
ophers of antiquity, that the blush is sign OF
virtue; and permit me 10 add, that in. this viO-
lent sensibility, recognise blush mantling the
check of the Senator which even his plantation
manners cannot conceal.
And the venerable Senator from South Caro-
lima, too Nr. Butler: he has betrayed his
schsbiiy Here let me say that this Senator
knows well that / always listen with peculiar
pleasure to his rlcy and cXuberant speech, rs it
sltfcles f1rth-somctmes tincturcd by generous
ileas--cyccpt when, forgetfnl of history. and in
defiance Of reason, he undertakes to defend that
which is obviously indefcnsible This Senator
was disturbed, when to his inquiry, personally,
pointedy. and yehemently addressed to me,
whether / would Join in returning a feow-man
10 slavery, ] exclaimed, " Is thy servant a dog,
that he should do this thing?' In fitful phrases,
which seemed TO come from the unconscious ex-
element so common with the Senator, he shot
forth various remarks about dogs :" and, among
other things, asked if there was any dog in
the Constitution The Senator did not seem to
bear in mind, through the heady currents of that
moment, that by the false Interpretation he has
given 10 the Constitution. he has helped to nur-
turc there a whole kennel of Carolina blood
hounds. trained, with savage Jaws and memorable
scent, for the hunt of flying bondmen. No, sir.
do not believe that there is any kennel Of
AlOOahoundS. or even any dog" in the Con-
z'ijUtion Of the United States
But, SIR. President since the brief response
winch made TO the inquiry Of the Senator, and
" hIch le&ped uncousciousv to my lips has drawn
upon ne various attacks, all marked by grossness
oI language aid manner; since | have been
charged with openly declaring my purpose to vi
olate the Constitution. and to break the oath
which have taken At that desk | shall be par
doned for showing simply how a few plain words
viii put al this down. The authentic rcDort in
the Globe shows what was actually said The
report in the Sentinel is substantially the same
aad one Of the New York papers which has been
put into my hands since ] entered the Senate
Chamber to-day, under its Geographic head
states the incident with substantial accuracy
though it omits the personal individual appeal
addressed to me 10y the Senator, and which i,
preserved in the Globe Here is the New Yorl
report:
Mr. BUTLER. ! would like to ask the Senator
if Congress repealed the Fugitive Slave Law
would Massachusetts execute the constitution
requirements. and send back to the South tn,
ahsconding slaves?
Mr.. SUMNER. Do you ask if I would send bach
a slave?
Mr.. Butler. Why, yes
Mr. SUMNER. " Is thy servant dog, that hC
should do this thng?"
To any candid mind, either of these reports rem.
ders anything further superluous But the Sen
atOrs who have been so swift in misrepresenta-
ton deserve TO be exposed and it shall be done
Now, sir, begin by adopting as NV guide the
authoritative words of Andrew Jackson in his
memorable veto, in 1892, of the Bank Of the Uni
led States To his course, at that critical time
were opposed the authority of the Supreme Court
and his oath 70 support the Constellation Here is
his triumphant reply:
"If the opinion of the Supreme Court covers
the whole ground of this act, it ought not 10
control the coordinate authorities of this Gov
eminent The Congress, the Executive and the
Court. must each for itself be guided by its own
opinion of the Constitution. Each public officer
,cko takes an oath TO support the Constitution
1at he 1riH support Il as he understands Il
4 and MT Il IS understood by Others. 1t is a
much the duty of the House of Representatives
of the Senate. and of the President, to decide
upon the constitutionality of any bill or resolu
ton, which may be presented to them for pas
sage or approval, as it is of the supreme judges
when it may be brought before them for judicia
decision. The authority of the Supreme COur