Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-06-02
SPEECH OF HON. S MAYALL,
On the Nc braskn RilI.
DeTrcrcd in The House or Representatives,
Mdy 10, 1851.

whole on the state Of the Union, and having
under consideration the Nebraska bill
| Mr.. Mayall said
/ Mr.. Chairman The discussion Of tic
Nebraska bill /, ,gain up. The fiery ordeal
to which We have been subjected, to reach
A this point. has been pcr.lous, distressing, and
severe. Nv objec, has been free speech, full
discussion, and certain defeat Of this impor-
tan, measure.
During the discussion Of this bill, have
listened to the remarks and arguments made
by various gentlemen NiLi no ordinary degree
of interest. There is 40 subject ,ha, will
come before tins Congress, in which my con-
siitucn,s are 50 deeply interested, As the one
now under consideration. Sir, It Is a sub.
icct ofimmcnsc magnitude one TIA, directly
involves the harmony aud welfare Of the
whole American pcoPlc,rropasiug, As /, does,
m entire revolution IN the long established
aud well regulated compromisc existing be-
tween the North AMI the South, as to The
Limitation Of the institution Of human slavery.
No wonder it takes the American people by
surprise. why,sir. the compromise of 1850
is ar more objectionable to nav constituents
and the people Of the North, than the
compromise Of ls2o is to the people Of the
South.
lit be the policy Of ,hr Government to re-.
peal one compromise that is obnoxious To The
,cn,imcn, aaI inrcrc., Of the Pcoplc ia one
section of the Union, why not repeal another
compromise, ,ha, is far more repugnani to the
homes, sentiments and feelings Of another
section or the country
Sir, am con,cnlinc ar the dignity and
elevated character Of the hcc laborcr of the
North. lucycr will prove recrean, to the
huge paved and hard Gsoi ycomaury.-
Never. by any act or vote Of mine, shall
free labor be reduced to the level VI slave IA
b5r. want this territory or free labor and
free men. Olr fathers preserved ii frco Tor
us; lc, Us, their sons, Irn,mi, ito our chil.
drcu uuimpiircd.
Now, sir, It 1t be tc ohrc, of the friends
of this bin, as they positively declare It Is,
to get at the true principles of the Con''i,u-
,Iun, stripped of all legislative restriction,
why not repeal the comprom 80 acts Of 1850,
as well as tia, Of ls2O, anl all other com.
promises which have proved rs = safeguard
and huwark OF defense io Ire Constitution
under which wc have the happiness 20 live '
Sir. inasmuch n the Constitution Itself was
a compromise in relation 10 slavery, ! c1n
but regard the provisions OF this Din As per.
version and violation OF 'Lr spirit Of ihll sa-
cred instrument a, any raic, To carry out
the idea Of ,hc friends Of this bll ,o ils full
extent. It ua,urally dcyol,cs on the support.
en-, Of the blll iu the South, as well as iis
friend, in the North, (who are, am pleased
To say, like angels visits, few and iar be-,
tween, y To repeal even lhc Constitution b.
self, ia order TO get ril oi alI compromise .n
relation TO the institution OF slavery.
Sir, the repeal Of tie Missouri line is not
a question OF ordinary legislation, or one OF
mere cxpcd,cucy, nor is It quc,ii,n Of con.
sutu,ional night or poSc,. The question to
to be solved is, qulbbIc as YOU may, whether
the faith and a honor 7fii- nalog haHb,
maintained Watcher the sacred acts and
pledges Of our fathers, which have been pre-
served and Transmitted to NJ, their pos,cuy,
shall be maintained 10 good faith, or whether
;hcy shall be disrcGarlcd, spit upon, and iroi.
den under mo,' Such Is the question Ne
have to meet, and there is no diving under,
or dodg.ng around or lcapinr over 1t.
When took my scat In this Hall in De.
ccmbcr last, | did no, eNpcc, to address this
House upon the subject Of slavery, for did
no, suppose that there could b. found, IN ei.
,hcr branch Of Congress, an individual 50 un-
wise as To thrus, the slavery agitation upon
the country, then reposing the laPofpcacc.
The discussion of the slavery question cau
rcsul, IN no practical good, hu, is iraurht with
infinite mischief to the North as we'll as the
South, disturbing the peace and que, Of the
nation, and gripping the energy and prosper,
iiy Of OUT common country.
Sir, Justice demands that the South should
be cxonora,cd as not guilty Of thu';lug hc
Nebraska bin upon US, nor can the A%'Ilion.
is,s be charged with having originated a1ita'
tion on this occasion. 1t comes from another
and different, quarter.
| do no, propose at this time to discuss tic
abstract question OF slavery, either in It's NOR
al, social, or political aspects, and should
have conlcnlcd myself by giving a silent vote
against this bill, had no, my honorable col
league Mr.. Macdonaldl given his reasons
+ fpr violating the request -four Legislature tc
vote against the repeal OF the Missouri com
promise-not because these instructions Dc
not truly reflect the sentiment of the peopl,
of the State, but because, as he alledges, the
Legislature misrcprescGted the people q
Maine in refusing to elcc; Mr.. PIIsbury
Governor.
intend to obey the instructions Of the
Legislature aud deem It proper To give
my reasons ion 80 doing. aud shall be undcl
the necessity Of examining some Of the argu
mcn,s Of my collcasc. shall do i, in NJ
oaeusiyc, bu, IN i respectful and proper nan
ncr.
f. Sir, i, is always unpleasant to speak o
ones flmily quarrels, and especially is II IN
plelsau, TO alludc to those political icuds an'