Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-06-14

1t was in accordance with Gods hlghef law.
1t is right, and just, and proper, now, and will
remain SO while God of justice shall rule the
destiny of nations. IL was then binding and
obligatory upon all men in all places, is so
now, and will remain SO in all coming time.
| am not about to argue the proprety or the
constitutionaty of the other portion OF that com
promise which rendered up Missouri to the curse
Of Slavery. That surrender was acrong of itself,
unjust, opposed TO the dictates Of our conscences,
to Gods law and to the rights of mankind 1t
remains unjust and criminal and will continue so
eternally. No time can change it; no argument,
no sophistry can modify IT, The Northern men
who voted for were rejected by their constituents
and some Of them hanged and burned in effigy.
But the transaction was perfected and placed be-
yond recall 1t passed into history, and no
Northern man, nor statesman, nor jurist, has,
by bill, resolution or speech, denied its force or
attempted its repeal And when gentlemen
charge the North with seeking its repeal, or
denying its force, they presume too much upon
our forbearance. Sir, the statesmen of that
day from the South pledged themselves and
successors to abide by this solemn conservation.
Its violation now, exhibits destitution of moral
as well as OF political principle on the part Of
their successors.
To this period we have regarded that extensive
region as the home of freemen. For more than
one-third of century it has stood like the bow
of promise" in the political heavens, giving as
surance that the waves of oppression should
never spread over it. Now, sir, we are asked to
repeal this prohibition of Slavery, and permit
human servitude to curse its soil.
But, before go farther, propose to define, so
far as can, the institution which is now sought
to be extended into that beautiful region: yet
there is i'll our language no terms by which it can
be properly characterized. The best definition /
have seen, is that given by n distinguished
Southern jurist, Judge Rufiin, of North Carolina,
who, on a case which came before him, said !:
"a siaDe is one doomed IN his oOa person ind pos
fery,-to Hve rithout knoacledge 10 toll that another
may receiee the fruits Of has labor The end is the
profit Of The master; the MEANS Tie perfect subsection
Of the siape."
The first process is to rob the slave of his in
tellecf; to shut out from his mind the hope Of
eternal felicity; seal up the scriptures of truth
draw an impenetrable veil between him and the
Gospel keep from him all knowledge of the du-
ties he owes to himself his wife, his children, his
God commence the operation in his childhood !;
dwarf his infant mind prevent it from all expan-
sion, as he increases in years render his body a
machine, as far as possible, without soul In
short rob him Of his manhood This crime is the
most aggravated offence that we are capable of
conceiving. 1t is perpetrated to greater or less
extent on every slave; daily and hourly, from his
birth to his death, he is deprived Of knowledge !;
and when he enters the future state, he does so
with mind rendered sterile, unsuited and un-
prepared for future life The crime committed
against him reaches into eternity--is carried to
the bar Of Omnipotence.
The slave must "tol that another may reap the
fruits of has labor" He is robbed of his earnings,
from childhood to his grave. Every year, every
month"; every week, every day and every hour,
he is robbed of his earnings; though he toll
tt,a las, Ia Of IA Ia la1x 70
rich his despotic owner. His wife is at all times
liable to be sold from him his children handed
over like swine to the slave-dealer; and himself
transferred from owner to owner, like the brutes
that perish.
The ead,n or object, says the Judge lis the
profit of the master; the means, the perfect sub
lection Of the slave" The master fogs him at
pleasure. Scourges him, and renders him per-
fectly subject to his own will. To this insult the
slave must submit. IT. in obedience to the first law
of nature, he resist the master may Stay him the
spot. If he run from the masters brutality, the
master may shoot him as he would dog. The
case to which referred is good illustration of
this point A female slave had done some slight
wrong. Her master attempted to fog her. She
ran from him, and he shot her. The master was
indicted, and the Judge in obedience to the law
of Slavery, but against his own feelings which
revolted at the proposition, decided that it was
the duty of the woman to have submitted to her
owners barbarity; and as she ran from him, he
had right to shoot her.
Will Northern members vote to legislate and
extend such murders, such barbarous practices,
into Nebraska? Let them answer to God and
their constituents.
But the end the object, of Slavery, is the profit
of the master. To render that greater, he may
work him TO the farthest point Of endurance; or
he may sell him, to be sent to our American Col
gotha, where an early death awaits him.
We all recollect the case of man, his wife, and
child, imprisoned in Covington, Kentucky, some
two or three years since intended for the South
market. In their lonely dungeon, with no
eye upon them but that Of God, they contempla-
ted the miseries TO which they aud their infant
were doomed. They preferred death to the slave
market. They first murdered the child Of their
affections, and then, laying violent hands on their
own persons, put end to their earthly exist
ence, and rushed TO the presence of their final
Judge, and there made appeal against this
institution that we are called on to extend into
Nebraska.
Will Northern members vote for such propo-
stion2 Will they battle their hands in the blood
OF innocence; participate in "crimes which smell
TO Heaven and call for vengeance on this guilty
land
Mr.. McNAIR, Gnterruptng) In the event
that Slavery should never be carried to Nebras-
ka, what will become of the speech of the gentle
man from Ohio?
Mr.. GIDDINGS. / answer that those North
ern members who vote for the BILL will in such
event, be stultfed on the record. They will
have voted TO permit these crimes to be commit
ted They will have incurred the moral guilt
and the disgrace of consenting and aiding the
commission Of these crimes, although the slave
holders should shrink from concentrating them,
and mankind prove better than gentlemen now
think them to be. Laughter. But hope my
friend from Pennsylvania will make no such
compromise with his conscience. trust he will
not say to the slave-dealer, " You may 90 there
and buy and sell men and women, if you please !"
and then turn round and tell his constituents
that he regarded the slaye-deaers SO moral, so
pure, that they would not commit the crimes
which he himself has authorized Slave-traders
may have no keener moral perceptions than those
who vote to encourage and sustain them in their
vocation.
But, was describing the institution of Sla-
very which VIZ arc solicited tn extend into the