Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-07-06

FUGITIVE SLAVE HILL
SPEECH OF HON. CHARLES SUMNER.
OF MASSACHUSETTS,,
In the Senate Of tile limited States .Jnms 20, 1854.
TcoNcLUDED
Mr. SUMNER am obliged to my colleague.
The extract is in substantial conformity with
clear historic truth, which the Senator from
South Carolina In one OF his orat6rical effluxes,
has impeached. But the venerable Senator errs
yet more, if possible, when he attributes to
" slaveholdingn communities leading part in
those contributions Of arms and treasure by
which independence was secured. Here are his
exact words, as find them in the Globe, revised
by himself:
Sir, when blood was shed upon the plains of
Lexington and Concord in an issue made by
Boston, to whom was an appeal made, and from
whom was it answered? The answer is found
in the acts Of slaveholdng States-animis OPT
busque parati. Yes, sir, the independence Of
America, to maintain republican liberty, was
won by the arms and treasure, by the patriot
ism and good faith of slaveholding commune
ties"
Mark the language, sir, rs emphasized by him
self Surely, the Senator with his silyer-white
locks all fresh from the outrage of the Nebraska
BILL cannot stand here and proclaim " the good
faith Of slaveholding communities, except in
irony Yes, sir, in irony. And let me add, that
when this Senator presumes to say that American
independence was won by the arms and treas
ure of sldvcholding communities" attributing TO
this element any influence deserving praise, and
not condemnation, lie speaks either in irony or
in ignorance.
The question which the veteran Senator from
South Carolina here opens, by his vaunt, have
no desire to discuss; but since it is presented,
confront it at once. This is not the first time,
during my brief service here, that this Senator
has sought on this floor to provoke comparison
between slaveholding communities and the free
States.
Mr.. BUTLER, from his seat.) You cannot
quote single instance in which have done it.
1 have always said thought it was in bad taste,
and have never attempted it,
Mr.. SUMNER. / beg the Senator's pardon
always listen to him, and know whereof affirm.
He has profusely dealt in It, ] allude now only
to single occasion. In his speech on the Ne
braska bill, running through two days, it was one
of his commonplaces. In that he openly present
ed contrast between the free States and slave
holding communities" in certain essential fea-
lures of civilization, and directed shafts at Mas
sachusctts, which called to his feet my distin-
guished colleague at that time, Mr.. EvERETT,]
and which more than once compelled me to take
the floor And now, sir, the venerable Senator,
not rising from his seat and standing openly be-
fore the Senate ventures to deny that he has
dealt in such comparisons.
Mr.. BUTLER. Will the Senator allow me 2
Mr.. SUMNER. Certainly; yield the floor to
the Senator.
Mr. BUTLER. Whenever that speech is read
and wish the Senator had read it before he
commented on it with good deal of rhetorical
enthusiasm-it will be found that was particu-
lar not to wound the feelings of the Northern
people who were sympathizing with us in the
great movement to remove odious distinctions.
was careful TO say nothing that would provoke
invidious comparisons and when that speech is
read, notwithstanding the vehement assertion of
the honorable Senator, he viii find that when
quoted the laws of Massachusetts, particularly
one act which termed the totes QUOTES act, by
which every negro was whipped every time he
came into Massachusetts,, quoted them with
view TO show, not contrast between South Car
olina and Massachusetts,, but TO show that in the
whole Of this country, from the beginning to this
time-even in my own State, made no cxcep-
tion-public opinion had undergone a change,
and that it had undergone the same change in
Massachusetts, for at one time they did not re-
gard this institution Of slavery with the same
odium that they do at this time. That was the
purpose; and challenge the Senator as an ora
tor Of fairness to look at it, and see il it is not
Mr.. BUTLER. ] may not be done presently
but that is the purport of that speech.
Mr.. SUMNER. Will the Senator refer to his
own speech He now admits that, under the
guise of an argument, he did draw attention TO
what he evidently regarded an odious law of Mas
sachusetts. And sir, did not forget that, in
doing this, there was, at the time, apology
which ill-concealed the sting. But let that pass.
The Senator is strangely oblivious of the statist
cal contrasts, which be borrowed from the speech
Of member of the other House, and which, at
his request, were read by a Senator before him
on this floor The Senator, too, is strangely OBJ
liyious of yet another imputation, which, at the
very close Of his Speech he shot as a Parthian
arrow ut Massachusetts,. IL Is he then, who is
the offender. For myself, sir, | understand the
sensibilities Of Senators from slaveholdng COM
munities and would not wound them by super
Huous word Of slavery | speak strongly, as
must; but thus far, even at the expense of my
argument, have avoided the contrasts, founded
on details of figures and facts which are so OBJ
vious between the free States and slaveholding
communities; - especially have Stunned all al
fusion to South Carolina. But the venerable
Senator, TO whose discretion that State has in
trusted its interests here, will not allow me TO be
still.
God forbid that should do injustice TO South
Carolina | know well the galantry of many of
her sons. know the response which she made
to the appeal Of Boston for union against the
Stamp Act--the fugitive slave net Of that day
by the pen Of Christopher Gadsden. And | re-
member with sorrow that this patriot was obliged
TO confess, at the time, her weakness in having
such number of slaves" though II Is to his
credit that he recognised slavery as a crime"
tBancrofts History OF United States, vol. s, page
426.) have no pleasure in dwelling on the hui
mutations OF South Carolina; ] do not desire TO
expose her sores; would not lay bare her ma
kedness. But the Senator, In his vaunt for
"slaveholding communities" has made a claim
for slavery which Is so Inconsistent with history,
and so derogatory TO freedom, that cannot allow
il TO pass unanswered
This, sir, is not the first time, even during my
little experience here that the same claim has
been made on this floor; and this seems more
astonishing because the archives of the country