Washington sentinel., 1854-05-02

II IS from that compact active, and restless
party, which loses no occasion of political ex-
citement to rouse up the sectional prejudices
and jealousies Of the country
Sir the question of slavery, with its attend
ant difficulties, existed before our day 1t was
maturely considered and acted upon by those
| gifted and patriotic men who deliberated to-
! gether in the convention which framed our
| Constitutions; and the results of their delibera
! tions are to be found in its provisions.
The prejudice against this institution which
1 existed then did not prevent them from entering
into the Union And if they found it necessary
to sacrifice this prejudice to consummate the
/ Union, let it never be forgotten by their de-
scendants that the same sacrifice Is necessary to
prescrpe it.
1t has been urged as an objection to the bill,
1 that free labor will not flow so freely into Ter.
ritories where slave labor exists. Its evident,
sir, that there are natural laws which regulate
this question, which must forever secure the
larger portion Of the Territories to what is
termed free labor. What, then, sir, if portion
of them is subjected to southern institutions?
Will any injury result to the nonslaveholding
States2 Will the Union be thus rendered less
secure? 1t is said the States thus occupied
will be less populous and less powerfnl--that
they will increase less rapidly in all the ele-
ments OF material wealth. Let it not be for
gotten, Mr.. Chairman, that the intelligence,
comfort, and happiness of people are the first
and highest objects of political government; !;
and let me say to gentlemen, if the sayeholding
States do not equal those which are non-slave-
holding in the extent of their population and
in the aggregate of their wealth, they are fully
their equal in every social, moral, or religious
point of view, and that they not only contrib
| ute full share to the commercial prosperity
of the Union, but more than their share in the
| preservation Of the Constitution, on which the
continuance Of that Union depends.
| Sir, there is q conservatism in the southern
States, not springing from any superiority of
their citizens over others, but arising out Of the
character of their Institutions which has been,
is, and will be of the greatest moment in the
administration of our government
| know it is the boast of patriotism that our
experiment of selfgovernment, which rests upon
the good will of the people, and eschews the
necessity fer force, has been fully realized.
But what, sir, is sixty or seventy years in the
HE OF nation? | have, sir, great confidence
IN the presents | have an almost boundess
hope in the future; but / cannot shut my eyes
to the fact that those causes which have tested
the strength of other governments, and pro-
duced their overthrow, have as yet had no op-
portunity to work out their effects here. 9
When population shall become so centralized
and condensed in our country as to press upon
the means of subsistence, and the vices and
crimes which are attendant upon this condition
begin to produce their legitimate effects, the
spirit of conservatism, which must forever re.
main the characteristic element of the slave
holding States, may be needed to curb the
Righteousness Of "a fierce democracy and to
preserve those constitutional restraints and
limitations which are presented in the Consti-
tuition as perpetual barrier to the force Of
numerical majorites.
But sir, whether valuable or valueless, the
institution of slavery exists; it is incorporated
into fifteen States of this Union-indissolubly
associated with all their interests, and firmly
lntertwined with the social relations of their
citizens. There is no power in this govern
ment, there IS no power on EARTH which can
sever this tie, and change the present relation
OF the two races, without one of those terrible
convnlsions in which government and society
find a common grave -------A-
Sir, gentlemen whose prejudices are so con.
trolling upon this question Of involuntary SER
vitude, might find some abatement of feeling
in the reflection that servitnde of some kind is
the lot Of man. How far servitude is ever vol
untary, might lead to question of metaphysics
not proper for this occasion. But was much
struck with the pointed manner in which late
European writer has stated the proposition. He
says -Tt- M
In the contract between capital and labor the
laborer is not free. There is no mutuality of free
dom between the man who wants a laborer that
his mill may not be idle, and the man who wants
an employer that his children may not starve The
mill may be idle with a loss of profit which its
owner may very well afford. The hands OF the la
borer cannot stop their work except at the pen
atty of starvation. Between parties so circutn-
stanced, there is no freedom Of contract. The
person giving employment is the.tyrant the party
begging for it is the slave"
Again it is urged that the slave power is
aggressive" Sir, this is not true. There is
no page Of our past history which does falsify
the assertion. There never has been the time
when that traduced .slave power has not
stoody ready and willing to make any sacrifice
for the protection Of the country or the preser.
vation of the Constitution, nor has there ever
been time when it sought from the hands of
this government any exclusive right or priv
ilege.
Sir, the south seeks no disturbance Of the
harmony of this Union. Her feelings and her
policy are both adverse to agitation. She wants
peace, but an honorable peace. She claims
nc advantage, but insists on equality. She is
ever willing and ready to acknowledge the
rights of others; but she demands respect for
her own. More than this she does not ask:
less than this she will never take. The bill
before us grants no favor to any section of the
Union. 1t is founded upon the great principle
OF selfgovernment consecrated by our revolu-
ton, and is in harmony with the Constitution.
No one has the right to triumph; no one has
cause to complain. believe, Mr.. Chairman,
that, despite all the agitation and violence
which have been directed against this measure,
its progress will be onward to successful
triumph. 1t has passed the Senate by an over
majority, and from every indication
it will pass this House Then, sir, t..,ere win
remain to the Executive the high privilege OF
affixing the seal Of his appreciation to this
great measure of peace and constitutional
equalty-a measure which il is well known to
several senator's and representatives, as well as
to myself, received his cordial concurrence and
support in its very inception.
Sir, our present Chief Magistrate mainly
owes his eynlted r,nsitinn he ,.t;ro Groodor,,