Daily national era., 1854-01-07


will see and feel 1t when il il gone; they will
see and suffer il then. in a magnitude of desc
lating power, to which the pcstilence that
walketh at monday would be y bleasing-to
which the malaria that is now threatening ex-
tinction to the "eternal city, as tho proud one
of the Pontifs and the CHsars il called, would
be as refreshing and NJ talny rs the lirst breath
Of spring to the chamber OF disease.
IL has been frankly and unqnestionably dc
clared. from the very commencement OF this
debate, by the most decided enemies Of abOli-
tion themselves as we'll as others, that this
property is an "evil THAT it is dangerous
property Yes, sir; 30 dangerous has II been
Represented to be, even by those who desire TO
retain it, that we have been repr0ached for
speaking Of 10 otherwise than in fireside
whispers -reproached for entertaining debate
upon IL in this Hall and the discussion of it
with open doors, and to the general ear, has
been charged upon us as climax OF rash
ness and folly, which tllreatens issues OF CO.
lamity to our country u is, then, danger
ous property. No one DISCUSSES the danger
of this property---that it is inevitable, or that
it is increasing. How, then, is the Govern
ment to avert it? By precautionary and
preventive Legislation, or by permitting it to
grow with our growth until it becomes in
tolerable, and then correcting it by the sword
In the one way or the other--by the peaceful
process of legislation or the bloody one of the
bayonet - our personal and public security
must be maintained against the dangers Of this
property
After meeting, in an impressive and digni-
fed manner, the faceti0us remarks OF another
member of the House. who considered the in
surrection as . "petty AFFAIR." and wished, by
his wit to turn the whole scene into ridicule, J.
Mcdowell read number Of extracts from let
ters, written by and to the most distinguished
characters in the State, respecting the dismay
and terror which almost universally pervaded
the minds Of the citizens in every part Of the
State. He then proceeded
Now, sir, ask you-I ask gentlemen-in
conscience to say, Was this @pettg affair I"
ask you whether that was Q petty affair which
startled the feelings Of your whole population;
which threw portion of it into alarm--a por-
tion Of it into panic which wrung out from an
affrighted people the thrilling cry, day after
day conveyed to your Executive, We are in
peril Of our lives send us arms for defence"
Was that "potty affair." which drove fami-
lies from their homes which assembled women
and children in crowds and without shelter, at
places OF common refuge, in every condition OF
weakness and infirmity, under every suffering
which want and pain and terror could infiict,
yet willing to endure all-willng to meet death
from famine death from climate, death from
hardships- anything rather, to the
horrors Of meeting it from domestic assassin
Was that .pstty affair." which erected
peaceful and confding portion of the State into
o military camp; which outlawed from pity
the unfortunate beings whose brothers had Of
Tended; which barred every door, penetrated
every bosom with fear or suspicion; which 90
bauished every sense OF security from every
mans dwelling; that let Q hoof or q horn but
break upon the silence of the night, and an
aching throb would be driven to the heart the
husband would look to his weapon, and the
mother would shudder and weep upon her
cradle!
Was it the fear Of Nat Turner, and his delu-
ded drunken handful Of fellows, which pro-
duced, or could produce, such effectsl Was it
this that induced distant counties, where the
very name of Southampton was strange, to arm
and equip for STRUGGLED No, sir; !; it was the
suspicion eternally attached to the slave him
self-the suspicion that Nat Turner might be
in every family; that the same bloody deed
could be acted over at any time, and in any
place; that the materials for it were spread
through the land, and always ready for a like
explosion. Nothing but the force of this with
ering apprehension but the paraly-
zing and deadening weight with which il falls
upon and prostrates the heart of every man
who has helpless dependents to protect-noth-
ing but this could have thrown a brave people
into CONSERVATION, or could have made any
portion Of this powerful Commonwealth, for a
single instant to have quailed and trembled
This Commonwealth, in the late war, stood
the shock Of England's power, and the skill of
England's veterans, with scarce a moment OF
public disquet Admiral Cockburn, with his
incendiary spirit, and backed by his incendiary
myrmidons, alarmed not the State--struck no
fear into its private families; and had his spirit
been tenfold more savage than it was, and his
army an hundredfold stronger, and had he
piled every energy and pledged every faculty Of
his soul to the destruction Of the State he could
not have produced one moment of that terror
for private security which sezes upon all at the
cry Of insurrcction He would have been our
enemy in the field, would have warred an open
combat with the disciplined and the gallant Of
the land. But an insurgent enemy wars Mt the
ireside makes his battle-ground in the cham
Der, and seeks, at the hour of repose, for the
life Of the slumbering and the helpless No
wonder, sir, that the gentleman from Bruins
wick, Mr.. Gholson, with his scnsibiities
aroused by the acts and tho full energies Of
sucn IN enemy rs this, snoulu nave thu that
"they filed the mind with tho most appalling
apprehensions.p
Why, from the earliest period Of our history
to the massacre of Southampton, was silence,
deep and awful as that Of death, observed upon
this subject Why was it forbidden in legs-
lative debate or to the public press, and spoken
only in mysterious whispers around the domes-
tic hearth Because sense Of security re-
quired, or was thought to require, this course.
Why, SIR, is this mystery now dispelled Why
has the grave opened it's "ponderous and mar
BILE jaws?n Why is the subject openly and
freely discussed in every place. and under every
formi Because general sense of insecurity
pervades the land, and our citizens are deeply
impressed with the belief that something must
be done. The numerous petitions and memo
rials which crowd your table furnish abundant
evidence of this truth. Thev NAV mistake the