The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-03-17

Now, what Is this renonstfance They do not, as II
has been said again and again here hls morning. protest
against the bill citizens Of the United States They dc
enter this protest the either OF themselves
OF their fellow ciuzens They do not protest eer
gymen against this But they say they hereby pro.
test g IN the OF Almighty God Z; and in order
make il more emphatic, they claim 10 speak by authority
IN their petition they underseore, IN broad black lines
the words Sin the name OF Almighty God" II is true
they describe themselves ministers OF the Gospel But
they claim 20 speak in the oil Almighty God" upon
political question pending in the Senate Of the United
States This IS an attempt 10 establish in this country
the doctrine that body OF men organized among the
people, and known clergymen, have the peculiar
Ighto determine the will OF God in relation legis-
latIve action II rs an attempt 20 establish tbeocracy
that Is TO take charge OF our politics and legislation.
is attempt TO pat the political and legislative power OF
this country IN position subordinate TO the church OF the
country II is an attempt 10 create not only the union
OF Church and State but 10 put the State 10 subordna
lion TO the dictates OF the church. And tell you that
you cannot hnd IN the most despotic countries IN the
darkest ages OF the world holder attempt the part OF
the ministers OF the Gospel to usufp the powers oil gov
eminent and to say 10 The people you must not think Tor
yourselves you must not dare TO acI Tor yourselves you
not only, all matters pertaining 10 the XXI world
receive instructions from but also IN the performance
OF your civil and political duties well IN the per
Torrance OF your religious duties
called attention 10 this question Tor the purpose oil
showing that II involved great principle subyersiVe oil
our free institutions II you recognise that these three
thousand cergymen have higher right to interpret the
will OF God Than have, then you destroy the night oil
sef-acon, oil seligovernment, OF selfthought we are
merely receive and refer each OF our political cues
whether il is in conflict with the law OF God and the will
OF the Almighty not This document puports TO speak
" in the name of Almighty God"
Mr.. MASON. Protest you mean.
MIR. DOUGLAS. And then enters protest in that,
name. We are put under ban; communicated
the gales Of Heaven closed against unless obey
abolition views.
And now upon another point The senator from Texas
mr. HousT9Sl has said tia, the people have the right 70
do not wish TO deprive the ministers OF the Gospel
OF that right. do not acknowledge that there is any
member OF this body that has higher respect and
for the ministers oil the Gospel their holy calling
than have but il is for them in the exercise OF their
calling. will not controyer what the senator from
Massachusetts Mr.. EVERETT has said, that perhaps
there is body Of men in this country, three thousand
in number, who combine more responsibility than do
these men. have doubt of thai very likely they
combine all the purity and responsibility that he claims
for them. do not question that But will add, that
while they may combine all that responsibility, doubt
whether there is any body OF men In America that com
bines as much ignorance upon this question that
they undertake TO enghen the Senate upon as this same
body of men. How many of these men do you suppose
have taken up and read the act OF 1890 TO which
they alludei Do you think one OF them has done
it, How many OF them, think you, read the votes
by which the North repudaled that act OF ls2oi DO you
think one of them has ever done SOL How many OF
them do you think have read the votes that have
quoted here upon the ACT OF 1920 and the Arkansas act'
Do you think OF them has read anything con-
corning them Do you think of them ever traced
the OF the compromise oil 1850 upon the
records And yet they assume, sin the of Al
mighty God" to Judge OF facts OF questions, OF laws OF
votes OF which they know nothing. They do not pre-
tend Judge from their knowledge OF this world they
do not pretend TO judge from the records of the egsa
ton Of this country, from The statute books and from
the many sources OF information upon which senators
and citizens predicate their action. They do not pretend
Judge from any all OF these things But by the will
God, in His name, and in consequence OF their divine
mission they override all this, and prescribe new test
and In that name they tell that this is moral wrong
That, senators think, is not offensive.
And these tell us that this measure is subyersive
OF all confidence In national engagements Now, are
these men particularly tenacious OF national engagements
Did they any OF Them their pits in so and
81, tell their followers that they were bound by their
oahs an duty 10 surrender fugtves from labor Did
al engagements Did they then tell their ocks that the
Senate was occupied carrying out the provisions OF the
constitution Have they been particularly in the habit Of
enjoning in the pulpit and from the sacred desk,
matter conscience the performance of The national
gagemen,s contained in the constitution OF country,
and which we all have sworn to support | do not re-
member that OF these three thousand clergy
al the time when, in Boston and Chicago and at
other points OF the country there attempts TO resist
the fugtve-save law by iorce-l do not remember that
any OF these then came forward and said that
divine duty TO perform national engagements If
they did so, | have never the evidence TO that
effect. Ii they then felt that IL matter OF con.
science and duty upon the part OF the clergy TO supervise
the fulhmen national engagements and preserve the
public faith and the public honor where they when
the public honor was Tepudiaed when your constitution
was trampled under foot, and when oaths and Offices
could not bind 10 perform their duty Where were
these 5000 cergymen then We did not hear from
them them though there were then national
to be fulfilled that could conscentiousy deny
But here, merely because abolonss in this body
have said that OF Congress constituted national
engagement, although that statement is conradieied BY
the record, they forward at the bid OF this abolition
iuno and arragn the Senate of the United States sin the
name of Almighty God"
Now, deny their authority 10 do SO. deny that they
have any such commission IRON the Almighty will
give them authority these questions. deny that
our constitution confers any such right upon them
deny that the Bible confers any such right them
They perform their duties within their appropriate
spheres without my my interference, they
responsible 10 the Almighty alone for the manner IN
which they perform that duty. But beg leave 10 be
left 10 perform my duty within the sphere OF my func.
spohsbility than that to my constituents and TO the AL
mighty | do not acknowledge them as intermediate
Judges between do not acknowledge, as the sena.
Tor IRON Texas mir HoUsTos does. that they the
vicegefents of the Almighty. | deny and repudate The
whole doctrine at with all the pure principles oil
Chrisany al with the spirit OF our institutions
war with the constitution al with every
principle upon which free government rests. But az
Stunning that character, they forward and tell Thai
the action OF the Senate exposes TO the righteous
judgment OF the Almighty.
Now. senators try avoid the force OF the objection
that this offensive upon the ground that the Senate had
not then voted upon this bill Very well bu that does
moi the objection raised to presenting this
sIrance here this time Although, after the expana
lion OF the senator from Massachusetts, fMr EVERETT
| will not arraign his conduct for having presented this
memorial nor would have believed, even without that
explanation, that he capable OF acting improperly
knowingly His conduct in this body towards its
beers oIbds the SUSPICION and has been such TO show