Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1854-06-26
Mr. Benton7s Remarks.

repeating the Missouri Compromise and
thereby allow negroes to come north
ward to drive away white laborers from
soil which our fathers gave to be ssthe
land of the free and the home Of the
brave" foreve.:
| Mr.. Benton said Mr.. Chairman,
have nothing more to say to this bill on
account of its Interference with the Mis-
souri, Compromise. Onthat point I have
spoken my share, and shall not recur to
ut again. pass on TO new point--one
Significantly revealed to us some ten
days ago by Represent from Geor-
ga, the Member from the first Congress
SIGNAL district of that State. MIR. Sew
ard That gentleman spoke against
the bill in way entirely accordant to
my own opinions, but cane to the con-
clusion that he would vote for it, and
gave his reasons for doing so: reasons
which had not been mentioned by any
other speaker, and which struck me as
momentous, and worthy to arrest The at
tention of the House and of the country.
He objects tothe bill because it is unfoun-.
ded and contradictory in its statements
and assumptions-inconsistent with it.
self, with the act of 1920, and the acts
of 1850; because it was manufac r.red
for particular purpose, and is of no
value in itself to the slave States, but
which commands his support as South
ern man on account Of its ulterior oper-
atoms, as containing principle to be as
serted in future, and which was put in
to the bi Il to become the basis of some
grand movement in this country. will
read what be said, as the proper way of
doing justice to his clear and well ex-
pressed opinions, tc his niomentous re-
Violations, and as the best way of avail
ling myself of his important declarations.
| find them thus in the official cory of
the speech:
81 oppose the details of this bill be-
cause they are not consistent with them
selves or with the transactions to which
they relate; and the bill itself shows
that it was manufactured for particu-
lar purpose. Some of the clauses en-
braced in it, conflicting as they are were
introduced for the purpose, in my opin-
ion, of setting up principle TO be as
serted in future, and which the acts Of
1850 never contained. Now, sir, let US
see. We are called upon here now to
vote for this bill, which is not draught-
ed in the ordinary shape of legislative
acts. But the trainers of this bill have
furnished the reasons, within the bill it.
self, on which we must act, and which
they call on us to subscribe to. What
is it They tell us that the law Of
1920, being inconsistent with the legis-
lation of 1850, therefore that the act of
1920 is imperative and void. l take is
sue with them; and, for myself, occu-
plying the position that do as South
ern man, | never have subscribed, nov
er will, and never can subscribe to the
doctrines contained in the acts of 1850.
My objections to the acts of 1850 are
known at home. They are recorded in
the proceedings of the Convention which
took place in Georgia in 1850. I was
member of that Convention. voted a.
gainst the Georgia platform on princi-
pie. And now, when that portion of
/ the South having feelings in common
with me on this question have waived
their objections to it for the purpose of
uniting with the Soutl, and harmonizing
public feeling on this great question, it
is put in here as the basis of some grand
movement IN this country. 1 know not
what that movement ISL
/ concur in the truth and Justice OF
everything which the member from
Georgia has here said, but differ from
him in the conclusion to which he ar
rives, that of voting for the bill and
find in his reasons for that vote addition
al reasons for my own vote against it;
but he votes as Southern man, and
votes sectionally. / also am Southern
man, but vote nationally on national
questions. He sees in it principle set
up which is false and useless in its APP
plication to Nebraska, but which is to be
asserted in future, and which is put in
to tie bill as the basis of some grand i'm
pending movement in this country. OF
the nature Of this movement, which is
to be SO grand, and at the same time Sec
tional, the member declares himself to
be ignorant; and that ignorance, would
lsuppose, should be reason for holding
back from bill which commits its sup
porters to great unknown things. That
is the way If works with me. also am
lignorant--that is to say, uninformed--of
this grand movement which is to be in
this country but believe in it, and SO
believing am the more against she bill.
/ am against anything that do not un-
derstan2 and which nobody will explain
to me, and which, according to my own
short and dubious lights, is dangeroustc
the peace and honor Of the country. |
believe in the futility of this bill its alb.
solute futility to the Slaveholding States,
and that not a single slave will ever be
4 held in Kansas or Nebraska under it,
! (even admitting it to be passed. y
Though adapted to slave labor in two
Iof its great staples, (hemp and tobacco,
i / do not believe that slaves will ever
be held there. The popular vote will
lexpel them. Kansas is contiguous to
middle and southern Missouri, where
Islave labor is profitable and slaves held
=, ~.c.+ .,,x~,har /, Siorlo gunner xvithin