Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-05-06

D.
your doctrine from the high dignity of man. and fre
man, into the helpless mbeciity of minority his atr
butes of sovereignty fall from around him.
restrictions are placed upon him. and you take him int
your leading
Who these men? Who are the men whose capaoit,
for sefgovernment is vindicated and asserted by THU
bill? They those bold spirits hro by the dash
ngs OF the FIRST waves OF emigration upon the bosom
the wilderness OF the Wes whose hearts strong
as their arms men who walk forth in pride and power
OF manhood unattained by those confined in the
of your cities or breathing the impurities Of too pent-ur
population; men who, without invidous discrimination
may be permitted say have inherited more largely
that noble daring of our fathers which pered oil in de
fence Of this great principle, and lined your Atlantic
board with sister republics based upon it, which stand
and have stood for than threefourths Of century
the wonder and the glory of the nations appeal to the
North to give to these of the Territories their just
rights appeal to the North to give to the South her
just rights appeal to them to forbear in the power of
their numbers, striking us down from our just equality
in the Union by dshonorng blow appeal her true
men to stand by us in this conflict
Mr.. Chairman, this is idle struggle. In my judg-
ment question more momentous in its consequences
occupied the attention of this body regard this
as the last final struggle between the sections of the
Unona struggle in which there viii be compromise
and in which there should be compromise The prin
cipes contained in this bill just and correct within
themselves, just to all sections of the Union If these
questions OF slavery cannot rest here they rest
where and the country should know it. We want more
temporary and shifting expediens more hollow truces
no more unjust determinations. We want honorable
peace, lasting peace Pass this BILL engraft its prin
cpes in the public heart and in the legislation of the
country and you will roll back the cloud of which have
spoken from our horizon and blot forever Mason and
Dxon's line line of sectional division. Pass this BILL
and you draw the bonds OF union still firmly and
closely around the Republic Pass this bill, and you
may go home and tell your constituents you have
plished glorious work; that you have removed the only
obstacle in the path of onward that you have
guided the gallant old ship into haven where
the storms and tempests will beat against her no more
n;nto
the hands OF the agitators you mngle it up in cleo
tons you unchain the Winds and bid the demon of dis
| cord to run riot over the land.
In this contest the South stands as she has ALWAYS
stood, in the defensive She asks you only to let her
alone, to let her institution alone We we have
not warred with you have entered upon career of
slavery propagandsm desire laws force our do
mestic institutions upon you. Did the South propose that
Kansas and Nebraska should be admitted as States
without clause in their constitution establishing slavery
then the North might fly with fiery zeal arms then
she might denounce the encroachments of the slave power
then she might, with justice and in h.nor agtate this
questions then she might marshal her hosts and come
down here in battle array to vndcate her equality and
resist the base aggression We make no such PROPOSE
tous We only ask you again to let alone let our
slaves alone.
The Providence which saw the exodus Of the Afr
can from his native shore that Of the Israee from
his bondage This Providence will, in its good time
erect for him his pillar Of cloud and Of fire will roll back
for him his waters of the Red Sea will conduct him over
his Jordan and give to him his promised land. 1t is
u
destiny. We of the slave States Gods Instruments
not you to work for the African His great purposes
1t is through that the beautiful doctrines our holy
religion are breaking in upon his darkened mind and be-
ing engrafted upon his heart 1t is by that cyza-
ton, in its progress, is being conducted him it is by
his association with that the gloomy nghtshade Of SUI
persttion is being dispeed from around him. In short
it hands that have led him from his Wild and bar
barous and heather, and miserable existence upon the
sands OF his native desert to knowledge Of his God to
an advance in civilization far beyond any point attained
by those left behind him and tits hands which
conduct him to his future. Let alone! Talk not to
us of the demoralizing effects of slavery" its blight
ing curse Were you ever in our beautiful and sunny
South! Areno our women as fair and brave
as yours Are the records of crime teeming and
dark with us than with you? Are mobs insanity pau
perism starvation more frequent with than with you
But will not allow myself to be drawn into sectional
contrasts enter into crusade against the North
cherish no sectional prejudces Sir honor the North
believe the great body of her people the
Unon devoted in their patriotism as those of any
other section Of our Confederacy honor her long roll
OF great names the industry that has wrung from re-
luctant and sterile soil millions of wealth the enterprise
which has spread our commerce upon every sea and
borne 1t to every port in the world honor the gaan
try Of her who in the war of 1872 arrested the
proud march Of England upon the mountain wave and
broke up her home upon the deep her free schools the
energy which has every where dotted her surface with
manufactures admire the taste that has adorned her
with magnificent edifces; and revere the spirit that
has erected the tall spires of her myriad churches point
ing heavenward.
But while thus honor and thus love the North also
love the South, the abused, the illuminated South.
loved her in my childhood, adore her in my manhood
and will love her at my death She too has her bright
roll of great names her proud and lofty spirit her daring
chyary her open generosity, her fervid patriotism
call upon the North to remember lin the language of their
greatest orator that she hand in hand with you
through the dark night Of Revolution; that her
shouts OF gadness and triumph mingled with yours its
glorious consummaton that in 1912, when it was your
seamen who had been impressed and your commerce |
that had been plundered, you true to her own
noble impulses she paused not to inquire whether she
had been stricken, but she saw her Northern brother
wronged and dsbonored and she plunged with oil her
great SOUL into the fight She has been to the Union
notwithstanding the chief burdens of Government through
the operation of laws have fallen upon her. She
has been true to the Unon Notwithstanding the unjust
restrictions under which you have bound her She has
chung to with unwaverng hand while you poured your
fiery torrent of insult and oboquy and defamation upon
her. Why should not this North and this South dwell
together in unity Why should they not meet in frater
nal embrace upon the affairs of the Constitution And
the blood of their heroes has mingled together upon
the battle plain, in and in DEATH let the love of their
survivors mngle together in peace and in life United
we achieved our independence united in 1872 safely
guarded the boon; united the plains of Mexico we |
threw halo OF mperishable glory the altar of
arms; united we have garnered together treasure
house of memories more rich than any of which the
worlds history tells; united we have left an enduring
monument of glory at every step of progress Con-
tnue this Union, and viii achieve point of national
emnence and greatness beyond the boldest imagn
ings Of the most sanguine men Of our times.
Sir, this Union will continue. Politicians and acita-
tors North and South may ripple the surface may
the wave and the bow ROLL but beneath there sleeps
cam quiet deep ocean of love for the Union and devo