The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-03-30

s If your construction is right ask you again what pyn-
cpe was established by the American revolution of which
we accustomed to boast much--what great prn.
cipe was established by that great EVENT.
MI PEfTlI. can answer the question very readily.
they declared and asserted the principle that we had the
right TO be free and independent nation and 10 fix our do
es'ic ana home institutions as we pleased. That
on and as people, free and independent That
- what asserted, and what we fought for We were
free men before did struggle for that but we main
tanned ha we were an independent naton and depend
ent upon Great Britain
Mr. WADE. Again it comes back. The declaration re-
garded personal rights. To be sure they asserted
rights because they always consistent with them
selves They not only claimed this equality before
the law, which is included in the inherent rights lie
liberty, and happiness bot they also held that Nations
lsr agsre5e capacity had the right to frame the laws
lowed naturally from The other declaration he who
derakes to them and suppose that of them
was declared and the other undecared with all
poasng nation OF hypocrites for proclaimed TO the
world, and 4 - our constant boast il glory, too
that we did discover principle in government; that
our toreathers sought out and that il business
impart to all who come after IL you depart hair
from that you back again the old divine right OF
person over another One this floor has spo
ken of an institution where there this divine right
The institution of slavery, says divine institution
SENAroR. oh, no
Mr. WADE. thought he did.
Mr.. Blu Tier. Viii the honorable senator, who is a
frank man. allow put to him question, that it
my speech should go out with HIS this may be under
stood According TO the Judgment-he Legislative moral
POLITICAL deliberate and unmisakabe judgmento the peo
pie Of Ono, negro equal to white in that State
Laughter.J
Mr. WADE Yes sir he is in his right 10 life liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness.
Mr. BUTLER. On! that does not answer the question.
[Laughterl
Mr. WADE. That he is entirely equal, in all respects,
do contends there wrong done him there there
unvesallynot TO that degree however, that there is in
other places That he subjected wrongs there,
and that understandable prejudice against him
WI The
Piles TO which have alluded here denyno at
all He has every other right that have except it is the
very doubtful right Of holding office and giving vote.
Mr.. BUTLER. What! do you think that doubtful
right
Mr. WADE. Perhaps not a doubtful right, bu, Doubt
full privilege And ought to have every right Be-
cause man is weak because he is ignorant because he is
imbecie does not confer the right upon the first who is
wiser stronger than he subject him minister entirely
to the wishes of the stronger If you TO that
and that is your rule of action then have receded the
old idea; have gained anything If physical force
is the rule you have the divine right of every king, and
every emperor and every monarch reign his sub
ects the right of the privileged orders everywhere
know the principle is almost coeval and coextensiye with
the world but had supposed that we had been sngulary
privileged in coming out from that old absurdy, and
king declaration that puts infinitely ahead of every
other nation. never heard it denied until reached the
Senate of the United States; and here fnd that
reiy ahead of the tines and that back for
principles of government the thirteenth century, and find
there the divine right of kings eigning full force
Mr.. PETIT. Will the senator allow me momenti
| Mr.. WADE OF course.
MIR. PETIT. The senator said that the language OF
the declaration Of Independence is that I'VE hold these
truths to be sefeviden that all created free and
equal.n That is total msrecta of the declaration There
is such word in that connexion free" MIR Jefer
would himself have known the FIRST sight, that there
color of truth in it, He himself slaveholder,
rounded by shareholders all his life far back he could
recoect and continue through his life far he
could imagine, would have that upon its face It would
be direct fasehood The language does contain the
word Free IL is precisely this "We hold these truths Ia
be sefevdent that all men created equa To that
have taken issue,
| MIR. WADE. Is not that freef
Mr.. PETIT. No, sir; not free. He said no such
thing.
| Mr.. WADE VIVA, is the dfferencei
Mr.. PETIT. Then the clause following is this "Tha
they endowed by their Creator with certain unaenabc
rights They may be endowed by their Creator with
aienalle rights the right TO breathe the air Of Heaven
That may be an unalIenable right but il is not the sc
Of the word unalenabe. The language is lily chosen
for that purpose; for by your municipal authorities
where you establish and recognise and enforce the
right Of stopping the breath which the Almighty has
infused into the system that that right itself naens
be there is human tight that is not alenabe and al
Of intelligence will bear out in saying that he who
forms portion of body polite organized society,
able
\ repeat again, would have quarrel with any
the subject # the language had been that all men ought
have been born created free and equal but, fact
they borni The language applied to physics, to
tay, 10 MORALS ard To politics much to as to the
Others and is true in either sense that equal
Is your son who until he twenty-one equa
70 YOU who do vool Is he equal when you train
ing him with the rod Is there any equality in the social
relation Is your wife your equal all rights political and
ovlli Nothing Of 1t.
SENATOR. She ought TO be. fLuughter.l
Mr.. WADE. think can bring the question out right
after all according the genenans construction. lie
says the language not well expressed but IL 1t said they
ought to be equal IL would be all right Then, will in
quire n you find them IN unequal condition, IL Il
your duty to make them righti Laughter That will Le
the To arrive at IL.
Mr.. PETIT. mus, leave that to the Almighty. !
cannot do that
Mr.. WADE II ia hard thing for man to quarrel on
this floor with that old deceraton-taher hard thing
Mr. PETIT. mean to say what think, always
Mr. WADE There have been many things said in de-
fence Of this which might easily be answered
answered come Of them last night When addressed the
Senate then, was somewhat IN passion, because
thought my colleague had been treated rather roughy and
! admit was rather out Of temper myself
Mr. JONES, Of Iowa, Tin bs seat Were you, indeed
Mr.. WADE. Yes, SIR ws' Now, do not intend 10
go those points again alluded very briefly 10 the
arguments that had been urged in defence Of this
traordnsry measure, and have barely say that
here originally, compact made between the northern
and southern States III any doubts that let him look
TO the coemporaneoos history Of the transaction itself II
hc still doubts it. let him the Presidents messages the
documents Of the departments and the laws Of Congress
and he viii find that whenever they have alluded TO it. they
speak Of IL not in the language which they apply any
other law upon your statue-book, bat compromise
line, and the Missouri Compromise in iis terms. That II
considered different from any common ordinary spe-
ces OF legislation be denied Iw considered valid
by the pss Of country who and sdudcaed upon
IL Immediately subsequent 70 its passage in Congress. II
sanctioned by the executive department, when such
mon ss John O. Calhoun who jealous of State rights
at the head of II underwent the scrutiny Of Mr..