The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1854-04-26
) people thereof lhe liam 70 s.Iecl lheir

ne people tnereOI Tue rlght 10 sttect 'helt
'wn officers.
You must not prescribe or limit the right
4 suffrage, but leave that question TO be
BY the people.
And, finally, emancipate their local leg,
station from the supervision and control OF
Congress,
THIS is non, intesveniion--the noainter
.vention | am for.
But, sir, | have extended these remarks
than l had intended. Ia %conclu.
sion, | will say, sir, that | never desire
again 10 discuss any question connected
with this slavery issue. For years The Dem
ocratic party in the North, planting itself
upon its constitutional obligations, has sus.
tanned a war, the more bitter 10 them be.
cause it was urged upon them by men,, be-
tween whom and themselves there was nc
difference of opinion as 10 the morality,
the consequences, and influences Of slavery.
But, sir, they held that there was a vast
difference between moral condemnation of
slavery and that =" higher law" abstraction
which spatupon and refused the obligations
of The constitution and relationship. In this
agitation | see disastrous consequences 10
that party which has been national il Its
character. They have been taught, sir,
that your Constitution itself was a com
promise Of this slavery question, and like
all subsequent compromises, sacred, be-
cause Of the mighty interests it combined.
| need not say again that faith will be
weakened. Though sincerely attached 10
my party, yet | fear more the effects of this
agitation upon the country. | fear, sir,
that the clamor, generated by this repea',
which shall cry increasingly for a repeal
of all compromises; for a war Of sections;
for continued strife. | shall strive 10 avert
it. by all my influence, by all my efforts,
hut my first duty, | believe, in accomplish.
ing this, is 10 vote against this bill, or these
bills, in their present shape.
Sir, | make no war upon The institutions
Of any State. Where slavery exists, lei
those affected by it bear its consequences.
If they are good, | shall not envy my south
ern brethern its advantages; if they are
evil, let those who cherish is bear the
burden. heard, sir, early in this session.
an eloquent gentleman from South Carroll
ma, pass upon his State a lofty panegyric;
he spoke of her chivalry, her pride, and
her prosperity. 1t gave me pleasure 10
hear him SO speak, and | honored him for
his zeal and his devotion 10 her interests.
But, sir, | am citizen of a free State, and
am myself a laborer. By education, by
example, and by association, | have been
taught 10 look upon slavery as ar evil
My prejudices are all against it. But
while these things ale true of me, | have
never yet refused il its rights-ils c~onstitu.
tional rights, as honestly understood them
Nor shall | ever do So. But | am welded
10 the interests of my " Stale and her
people; and before God and man, we stand
this day a monument, erected by the in.
dusiry of our own hands, under his provi.
dence, TO free labor. | would 10 God, sir
that the only emulation here, were, as to
our respective capacities for good, without
reference 10 local interests. Were tina
The case, sir, would point 10 Ohio. There
she stands; look at her position. | SEE
around me The Representatives of many
States-lhe Representatives from the Slatt
in which | was born. Fifty years ago
and they were wealthy, prosperous ant
great. Most Of them had historic names
! and their interests were passed upon thi
; floor by a generation of statesmen now il
: their lombs. Ohio had then not even
name; but W. are here to-day in our strength
stronger than all but two of our sisters
and the peer of any of them IN all the ele
menis ofgrowing power. We have van
pushed the wilderness; we have conquere,
all the privatious Of pioneer life. Her ham
lets are peaceful and industrious; her cilie
thronged with the busIling evidences G
power. Her railroads are spread like
network over her whole surface; her canal
! float 10 an annual market the wealt
, Of an empire. On her hills and in he
valleys the church and the sch~ool-hous
stand side by side, and she has legitimate
universal education by her fundament;
law. Her constitution will challenge III
admiration Of any State; and across III
; land the gigantic shadow of her two mil
IONS of people is thrown in bold relic
: while the voice that ascends from her ever
! hill and every valley, is not that Of reproac
not that Of recriminaiion, but the friendI
voice of a great brotherhood, pointing I
the blessings of freedom, and inviting con
petition in that high and honorable pat
: which she has marked out for herself
!, Yes;sir; lei gentlemen stand up manfnll
for their own; Ohio will reecho their con
gralulations; but when condemned she ca
: mimi 10 resnlia and answer every charne