Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-07-08
DEBATE In SENATE.
TIE FUGITIYE SLAVE LAW.
IsrHr SENATE. JUxE Is, 1854. 7

g. # & =
In THE SENATE, JUNE %, 1854.
The Senate having under consideration the motion
refer to the Committee the Judiciary the petition from
twenty mine hundred citizens Of Massachusetts, praying
for the repeal of the fugitive slave Law
Mr. DIXON said MFR. President, really feel very re-
ucant occupy any portion OF the time of the Senate
when 1t inereres with its business arrangements and
which undoubtedly of importance to the country
than any remarks may have to make the memorial
now the subject of consideration. should prefer saying
nothing at oil but for the extraordinary display which
has been made upon this floor by honorable Senators
Silence would become much more than the expression
of any opinion upon the matters of mere personal contro
very which have arisen out of the question of reference
of the memorial by the honorable Senator from
Massachusetts; and announce now that do notintend
to take any part in this personal controversy and
not but say that look upon the whole matter unfor
for the country unfortunate for the Senate which
should always maintain its serespect and dgnity and
will say unfortunate for the Senators who have
ticipated in it.
But have risen, Mr.. President, not with view Of
making any set speechfor have no such purposebut
to express my opinions upon some questions which
naturally arise out of the memorial which is presented
for the consideration othe Senate and which prays for
the immediate repeal Of the fugitive slave law Previous
however, to entering upon the discussion OF those ues
tons land shall be very brief in their discussion
wish to say to my friend from Tennessee mr. jones'
who.adressed the Senate with much power and with
SO much eloquence few days since on this memorial
that do fully agree with him in the idea which he
advanced that his opposition to his denunciation Of
the Abolitionists of the North entities the Wing Adolf
tonsts of the North any other party in the North to
read him out Of the Wing party do not mean to be
understood that because stand in opposition to the
Aboliioniss Of the North whether they be Wing or De-
mocratc, and they both that intend to read myself
out of the Wing party or to allow any other man or set
of men to read me out OF it.
know my friend from Tennessee in his denuncation
Of aboitionsm-and which, agree with him, is curse
the country and will continue be 80 until it is utter
" eradicated from all political associationsdoes not
political
sectional principles read him out of the Wing party
Sir the Wing party is national party 1t has hereto
fore acted upon great national principles and When1
ceases to do it must to exist as party and
to say, here in my place. that l. as the representa-
tive of Wing State, viii do nothing to denatonaizs it,
will far am able to prevent it, suffer IT TO be
done by others; do mean to read myself out OF It,
will suffer any else to do SO; nor will affiliate
fraternize organize acomnon platform with North
ern Aboonsts or with all the Wings Of the North to-
gether, If they should become aboonzed But on the
contrary, ! mean to stand just where have always
stood-upon great national principles, upon national
Wing principles, upon the Constitution of my country
and in support of the equal sovereign rights OF all the
States forming glorious Confederacy and OF the equal
rights Of all American citizens under the Constitution
From this position do not mean to be driven what
ever may be the consequence to any party love the
Wing party it is the party to which have been attached
since have been old enough to have any Judgment in
politics; and will stand by it and sustain 1t SO long as
it has any Of its principles left.
But it cannot be disguised that it is not what it
rid abolition excrescence that has grown up the
Northern limb Of both Of them This is Tester
ing and eating into the very vitas of eachs rapidly APP
preaching gangrenes rapidly spreading over the dis
eased members, and will, like oil other gangrene
kill the whole body unless cut out the limbs amputa
ted other resortcd to to effect their cure
And confess that am for ampuating the limbs for cut
ting the offensive parts for using any other remedy
that will forever rid the Wing party of the and sin
of being afflicted with foul and leprous disease. If
thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from
of Heaven than that thy whole body should be cast into
hell have no right speak for the Democratic par
ty; but if had would say, 60 and do likewise
Now, sir the idea that the cutting off this putrid and
corrupt limb to read ones self out of the Wing party
that any set Of men, call them by what name
you may have the right to read out of the Wing par
ty because do not choose to be killed and inundated by
foul and unnatural contact is what utterly deny
Tho whig party, oaid before is national party ma
the Wings North and South have organized heretofore
upon national principles and the Southern Wings are still
willing to do So as arc many Of their Northern brethren
for they stand just where they have always Stood with
out any change and without any purpose Of changing
of shifting their ground. They have stood side by side
and shoulder shoulder with their Northern Wing bro
theirs in support of Wing principles and Wing measures
and still ready to stand by them in support of the
same great principles but they cannot, and will not,
suffer themselves to be nsuted and outraged by the de-
grading requirements made by the Aboitonists OF
the North But sir, the Northern Wings are, compared
to the Southern Wings, in minority in this body they
stand only six to thirteen and of this six some of them
far from being Abotonists and those who ore Abo
onsts have right unless they mean to separate from
the Southern Wings, to force their miserable and con-
temptible political hcreses on them
These Southern Wings, sir represent the great States
of Georgia, of Tennessee of Kentucky of Missouri, Of
Louisiana of Florida Of Maryland of Delaware and Of
the good and patriotic old North State, in which
born and Of which shall to be proud until
dead and the Wings of these States, together with
the Wings of the other Southern and savehodng States
are Wings upon the principles they always have
been upon the principles which they agreed with their
Northern brethren in times that arc past-the principle
protecting when protection should be necessary home
industry and domestic manufactures against the mighty in
fuence of foreign competition backed by unlimited TO-
reign capital the principle Regulating exchanges and
protecting the currency of the country the principle
limiting the Executive patronage and of leaving with the
selves all the powers not granted by the Federal Cons
tuition to the Congress and the Executive the principle
Of distributing the proceeds of the public lands in equi
table proportions among the several States and the great
principle Of improving the of the great rivers
and national highways of the country by appropriations
of the public treasury 1t this platform that
the Wings, party grew great and powerfa and it
in the carrying Of these great principles,
under the lead of such patriots and statesmen Clay and
ed unparalleled degree of prosperity Sir, stand
upon this platform now aud ready to carry out its
principles far ii is necessary and the good of the
country requires it. But oathe, detes shrink
with indignant horror from the foul contact with the
tona the serle and the abolition Issues and those who
advocate them rendered by many OF the Northern
Wings, well Northern Democrats and which, to
commence with the memorial presented by the Wing Sc
nator from Massachusetts, in the prayer Of which be
Of the fugitive slave law the restoration of the infamous
Missouri restriction prohibition by Con-