The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-05-31
Nebraska and Slavery y-Propagandism.-
A "Grand Movement"
SPEECH OF HON. THOS. H. BENTON

IN Eri1o,- fbo Intl iuat tbo Nobro O.
!. 49,"
II. D''' O.'n9 u.uei uis'us'i0ii III O0i'
hlttee OF the whole House,
Mr.. BENroN said: Mr.. Chairman, |
have nothing more to say to this bill on
account of its interference with the Mis-.
souri, compromise. On that point | have
spoken my share, aud shall not recur &c
it again. [ pass on to new point
6ne significantly revealed to US some ten
days ago by a Representative fiom
Georgia, the member from the first con.
gressional district of that State Mr. ST.
WARD The gentleman spoke against
the bill IN way entirely accordant to my
own opinions but came to tho conclusion
that he would vote for it and gave his
reasons for doing so reasons which had
not been mentioned by any other speak
er, and which struck me as momen tous,
and worthy to arrest the attention of the
House, and Of the country. lie objects
to the bill because it is unfounded and
contradictory in its statements and as.
sumptions inconsistent with itself, with
the act of 1920, and of the acts of 1850
because it was manufactured for par
ticular purpose, and its of no value in
itself to the slave States; but which
commands his support, as a southern
man, On account of its ulterior opera
tious, as containing a principle to be as
serted in future, and which was put into
the bill to become the basis of some
grand movement in this country. | will
read what he said, as the proper way Of
doing justice 10 his clear aud we'll cx-
pressed opinions his momcntous rev.
clations-and to the best way of avail.
ing myself ofhis important declarations
| find them thus in the official copy of
tue speech:
:" | oppose the details of this bill, be-
cause they are not consistent with them
selves or with the transactions to which
they relate; aud the bill itself shows
that it was manufactured for particular
purpose. Some of the clauses embraced
in it, conflicting as they are, were intro
duccd for the purpose, in my opinion, of
setting up a principle to be asserted in
future, and which the acts of 1850 never
contained. Now, sir, let us see. We
are called upon hero now to vote for this
bill, which is not drafted in the ordinary
shape of legislative acts. But the fran,
ers of this bill have furnished the rea-
sons, within the bill itself. on which We
must act, and which they call on us to
subscribe to. What is it2 They tell
us that tho law of 1920, being inconsis.
tent with the legislation of 1850, there.
fore that the act of 1890 is imperative
and void. take issue with them and
for myself, occupying the position that
do as southern man, never have sub
scribed, never will. and neyor can sub
scribe to the doctrines contained in tho
acts of $50. My objections to the acts
of 1850 are known at home. They are
recorded in the proceedings Of the con
ycution which took place in Georgia in
1850 was a member of that conveu.
tion. | voted against the Georgia plat
form on principle, And now, when that
portion Of tho South having feelings in
common with me on this question, have
waived their objections to it for the pur-
pose of uniting with the South, and har-
public feeling on this great
question, it is put in here as the basis of
some grand movement in this country
| know not what that movement is"
concur in the truth and Justice Of |
everything which the mombor from Goor-
sia has here said, but differ from him in
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