Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-03-10
Mr.. Quincy's speech in Faneuil Hail.

The speech of the venerable Josiah Quincy
of Boston, at thu late meeting in Bostonto
protest against the Nebraska measure, is too
good to be kept from our readers. Mr.
Quincy being loudly called for, rose and sad
"Wha right have you to call upon man
eighty-three years old to address you Sir,
| belong to other times. A voice in the
crowd said, No, the ears Of the fathers are
never deaf to the cries of their children |
came here this evening, not only unusked, but
with determination not TO speak and, Sir,
what | shall say will be very short, and it
will run in different strain from anything
you have heard. suppose that you expect
this attempt to repeal the Missouri Compro-
mise. Not II word, Sir. Laughter. shall
leave that to younger and ADLER men--to men
who are in the current of the times. | have
been out Of it for thirty years. Perhaps
you expect also should say something severe
upon the politicians-the leaders of the slave
holding States. Sir, have nothing to say
against them. Many Of them are great men,
they are true men, e. they are faithful men
true to their own interests faithful to
their own power. And, Sir, they understand
this to be the last act in that policy which
has been in operation since the year 1892,
Government. Cheers There were two pro-
jects from the beginning. The first was to
secure to the slaveholding States the power of
controlling the Government ut all times and
have they not done it [Cries of Yes, yes
Have you had but one President in effect,
chosen by the people, that was from the free
States The next plan of the policy was to
extend the power of the slaveholding States,
and for that purpose they bought Louisiana,
and for that purpose they made war upon
Mexico. And, Sir, what has been their sue
cess They have opened or if this law passes,
they will have opened all the lands of the
South thature capable Of holding slaves, to the
extension of their power. They have opend to
themselves market, and they understood
their advantages. What is the consequence of
ofopening this market a gentleman recently
from the South told me that slaves were in
such demand in consequence of the opening
of this country, that he knew of one family of
some ten or twelve negroes-men, women
and childrcn--some of the latter at the breast
and they sold for 5000 head, down to the
very child at the woman's breast. \ good
active slave is worth at this time 81 ,SNI.-
This is the effect Of their system of extension.
Now the question is, how did they get this
power | said they We're true and faithful
to their own interests. wish could say
the same thing, Sir, of the political men If
the free States. Cheers. Sir, it is not their
strength, but our weakness; it is not their
union, it is our disunion. And, Sir, they
govern the People of the North by the distri-
button of the funds from the Treasury. They
have governed it, and they will continue to
govern it, until the people themselves shall
understand what the motives Of their leaders
are, and put them down by force, Gentlemen,
! SAID that tins WAS not now thing. In the
year lS01-s, ! was II Representative from this
district in the Congress of the Cnitcd States
and had frequent and close intimacy and
great opportunities for acquaintance with the
southern views and opinions, through the
medium Of Il gentleman who was the best
representative on the floor of Congress of
southern feelings and southern principles
! mean John Rpndulph At that time it was
the question concerning the embargo. Well
Sir, who voted for the embargo WI no sup
ported it in this part of the country am
sorry to mention it, for have great love for
the Democracy Of the country no man more
50. | hold that am Democrat, mvstlr
and always have been. But no man could
speak with more contempt than Mr.. Randolph
did Of the leaders of the Democracy, who
were defending the embargo | remember
that he SAID 10 me once, in relation to Il
northern Member from the ncighhnring town
of Salem, who had made II great speech in IA
yor Gi the embargo, Why, Sir, is that gen
tlelnan = merchant = Yes, said |, and IL
great merchant lie is, Ell Why, Sir
said he, he seems to me like u hog swimming
across river, and cutting his own throat
with his fore feet, Laughter, On another
occasion, when told him, If you 90 much
further, Mr.. Randolph with the embargo,
there will he a union among the people of the
North A Union, said he, "a union!'-
(Remcmber, Sir, ! do not agree in the olin-
Ion, aud greatly honor the Democrats, hit
must tel it AS it was.) why, Mr.. Quincy,
We of the South can calculate upon the Load
ers of your Democracy, MS we calculate upon
our own negroes. Great laughter, That
was the thing, Sir, that was the feeling and
! do not hrlieye they care one iurtlling ut the
South for this. or other meetings of the kind
They don't like them, to he sure. But they
feel towards them as we should toward boy
with "A cracker in the streets they don like
the annoyance, to he sure, but us to fear,
they have none. The thing is cut and dried
Sir, and if it is not passed at tins Congress,
it will be at another, do what we can And
all | ask for the last time shall $ eak T.
my leilow-ciliz,'ns in public, all ask OF the
people of the North is to consider their own
interests BE united, act as one man, and
then you can get your due control in ia" al