The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-03-25

agtated among The people. there necessarily commences
the fountains OF peace Agitation, discord, sirife
menced among neighbors, will be carried TO the ballot
box 10 the courts OF justice, and TO the legislative
bly, And bere before the legislative assembly. the im
aglnaon fateIs in the effort depict the which
will ensue for here, sir, is the arena OF life and death
Every measure they PROPOSE or have shown you that
they are not :" left perfectly Tree 10 form and regulate
Their domestic institutions in their way, bat every
measure hey propose upon this subject must be eiher Tor
OF against slavery And il even assembly proposes
slavery measures the next, after another year OF excite
inent, may propose to repeal IT,
Well Mr. ChaIrman we have not yet reached the eli
max OF evils which spring like hydIa.heads from this
measure at every step OF our progress.
Ultimately, sir, each OF the Territories thus given
over to excitement and distraction the people will lake
measures to form constitution. Then again will be
Witnessed another accumulation of the elements of dis
cord For here comes the tug Of sOar. constitution
Is to be formed either admitting excluding slavery
Tor here there musl he final settlement OF the question:
SO lar as the particular Territory is concerned What,
then, II majority especially small majority adopt
constitution excluding slavery! What will shareholders
do then in the Territory with their slave property, in
view OF the inevitable sacrifices they must suferl Why,
then, once more the tocsn viii be sounded and the
welkin will ring again with this bowling tempest OF
slavery agitation throughout the Union. Nor is this the
last or tha worst OF it, Once more sage congressman
VIII md will return TO plague them; when the consti-
tnon is presented here Tor the action OF Congress, and
all this concentrated strife is once transferred TO
these halls the imagination again fails in all It's efforts to
depict the scenes that will ensue.
/
sad hat these pictures are ovedrawn but this is only
faint portrayal OF the evils you nhct upon the country
| II you adopt this measure. s
/ Why need you do so' Why not confojm your prac-
Lice 10 your preaching, and let this thing aone' Con-
form your actions as well your professions TO he
principles Of the legislation of 1850, commonly called the
compromise measures" which you have already done
blaska. as You did then for New Mexico, that .when
The Union, with or without slavery as their constitution
may prescribe at the time OF their admission = and then
the people free TO act as they please upon this
tion, when they can act 10 come purpose in the nclp-
ent exercise OF he sovereign power under the cons
tuition But, no this is not enough. In the exubeance
your generosity you must needs surfe the people OF
the Territories with your gifts And such guh! You
atilc them, sir with multitude Of evils; In giving
this 70 the Territories for the people, you give
them denicaiy what Jupiter gave Pandora for her hus-
band beg OF you not 70 aliet hem thus against their
Will AT least, SIR, defer it until, by another election,
they may have an opportunity OF slgniiyng TO you,
through the oallo,-box, whether they covst the gift
AL the moment OF the introduction OF this measure, l
believe hazard nothing in saying that there
jory here truly rejecting the sentiments of their const-
it for granted, that will alter a, any appliances
which may have been used TO dragoon the Imd in
to i,s support For my part shall stand By all the
promises until my constituents, by instructions the
subject, inform me that l have mistaken their sen
mens.
Mr.. Chairman, there is worse form OF slavery than
negro slavery. Here the shackles rveed upon the
mortal body, whose perishing exterior the iron, hiss
1 ing hot il Is true, burns the word slave.
But the other terrible than this, s the slavery Of
the SOUL where men dare have no opinions OF their own
There tie manacles thrown around the immortal soul
and there, too slave is branded with the dreadful
sting ot that fire which is moi quenehed
SIR, bad rather be the backest slave that canked
! his chains than one OF these.
This measure may pass bu, Indiana, whose devotion
10 The Union, the whole Union, is apty inscribed upon
The enduring marble which she has given her ofsng
10 the monument OF the Father OF his Country and needs
no complimentary announcement here-lndiana should
siand-il she stands ao0e-irm In her integrity OF the
justice both 70 the Norh and South and thus also, her
devotion TO The Union
Mr Chairman, do no, stand here either to apologize
for deprecaie slavery In that indefinite variety
which constitutes the true harmony OF this Union
well the universe, these two extreme sentiment. have
their more appropriate representatives on this floor
Touch whatever chord you may, in all the diversity of
questions which agitae the moral or political atmosphere
around US and viba,es IN iuli harmony with the hon
sst convictions oil our friend the way from New
York. [Mr SMITH, that negro slavery is but unmiti.
gated evll-and lhls, matter how demonstrable the
evidence may be recorded in the history OF race that
all The civilized nations OF the earth have up
through this same odeai-no matter how much more
verey tested in the furnace OF the aembic through
which have been distilled the sweat and tears which
have given e, and tone, and yigor 10 their civilization
Well, hen sir as II to give 10 this very sentiment ts
appropriate form and uimation upon this floor, here,
upon this side OF the House, our friend from South
Carolina, who occupies seat at my left MIR. ORR,l
who, Just honestly doubt stands ready TO defend
this institution, peculiar 10 his portion of the Unoa a,
all tunes, and under all circumstances.
w WI,
my position is precisely that OF a medium between them,
tempenng and modifying these extremes in both Sir
from the Wssi, and these our friends-were a thing
incredible that they should desire 10 do for
ment admlttedcould not get al each other in violent
collision, because J. full grown man from the West six
feet n my stockings stand between them, and would no,
permit II, This, sir, is precisely illustrative OF the posi-
ton OF the diversified interests and sentiments OF this
glorious, this mighty Unop-spread out not only from
| ocean 10 ocean, but almost from zone TO zone.
Sir, let this government conhne s action 10 it's own
appropriate duties Let this question alone where the
constitution and the compromises have left it, and all is
well.
But, in any event. believe in the permanency OF The
Union. Though The North rage and its fanatic
zeal that the Union, in lis Influences worse than
lamly, sa curse and though the South louder STILL
and more terrible IN its wrath, hur back defiance yet the
Union is safe Brethren, you have neither time OPP
pofiuny 10 meet in violent collision Not time. because
The progress Of this ias age making too many demands
uponit. You bave too many commercial and agrcuu.
ra manufacturing and mechanical, literary, moral and
teniion Indeed, we cannot afford 10 stop III Pacific
railroad enterprise now long enough 10 quarrel
IL IS too late too late now, by whole age TO think
seriously OF quarrellng about these things Other and
higher interests calling thoughts OF in another
direction, and much more pfohtably, too, every OF
Us admits You have not opportunity for this good rea
| con have already given an Illustration o the position
brotherhood OF ihis Union, in all anticipated fraerna
quarrel, And this is no soleelsm Meet as you might
IN hostile array you would but laugh IN each o,he's
faces, and swear 4 all Joke More Than this, The
West stands between you; and the West has attained
tne iull stature OF manhood.
II this were merely northern measure "a 1t is not
contemplating nifacton upon the rights Of The South,
L