The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-07-14
Deba,e ,on slavery in congress.

Debate ION Slavery in Congress
A remarkable debate occurred in CONF
gress last Wednesday. II seems that on
Monday last Senator Butler, Of South
Carolina, In the course Of u speech on The
Fugitive Save Law, asked Senator Sumner
If he would assisi 10 return fugitive TO ms
master, 10 which MI. Sumner replied
rs Thy servant dog that he should do
hisahingl" In some Subsequent remarks,
Mr.. Sumner said he recognized no obliga.
ton In The Constitution 10 bind him to help
reduce u man 10 slavery.
The reply aud remarks appear 10 have
disturbed some of the Senator'S - chiefly
Mr. Petit, Of Indiana, who considers the
Declaration of Independence an absurdily.
Accordingly. The subject was called up
again on "Wednesday, byCilia introduction Of
a petition, presented by Senalor Rockwell,
for The repeal Of the Fngiiise Slave Aci.-
Safe o Name. ,l.I y,1.rptl -s.
Mr.. Dixon spoke All hour in defence Of
The fugitive slave law denouncing IN oppo.
silon 10 il. He also declared tina, The whig
party of The north had become aboiii"nized
as body, aud renounced any political
connection with them while they remained
so. 1t gr gi. ... ,.Ia . i ...i5 .l..
n.eaoh was then made To postpone The
subject. Voted down. 8. .. a4.rL4.
Mr.Mallory defended the fugitive slave
law, and referred 10 Mr.. Summers disavow.
al OF any obligation imposed by his ,oall, 10
support The constitution. # g,.. w
Mr.. Sumner-l call The senator TO order.
never said so. ..., odd .ua' '.
Mr.. Mallory said he would moi even put
into dogs mouth any statement which
was moi true, but he would be glad 10 know
what the senator did say. -,- '.. ..f
Mr.. Sumner-l said recognized no obi.
CATION up"n me 10 help 10 return or reduce 10
slavery any man. 7g,' ,r.1H'r . tY.A
Mr.. Clay said he could not keep silent
and hear the senator, with linsolence o
manner and unblushing face, deny, aiiel
having unqnalifiedly disavowed his consiitn
tonal obligations. and allemp, 10 throw The
responsibility on The reporter. The senalo
did make the remark imputed 10 him, ait
the Senators all round him corroboraied ,h'
report. The qualification put on The de
claralion, by The Interpolation in the report
was n, after thought, and dine 10 shIk AM
avoid the responsibility Of appearing TO tn
world as n man having desecraied The Sen
ale Chamber with his presence. and ih'
!, Holy Evanselisls with his lips. He desire'
10 Suggest TO senators means OF remedy
: ing this conlLci. Though there were M
means of reaching n person guilty only o
crime in thought, still there was mode o
= defending ha, body from such persons. =
Though man be the most talented, able
|, and scholar kc,-eloquen, and profound
: il he show any intention 10 crime, or shoul'
; ins,iraie Others 10 do iha, which he hat
: moi the courage To ,lo himself or should be a
8 guilty of moral perjury as any man VIII
Y had ever been branded with The letter p.
q there was n way to treat him. Mnnicipa
r action would no, reach such a man. Th,
. Senate could ,rea, him with dsdain, coul'
s send him TO the Coventry,-deny 10 hin
y all those civiiiies and courlesies common
. among gentlemen, make him feel he
:, Treated MS n leper. and avoided as ven
onions reptile. If they have not power Il
!. impose punishment OF law, they can TAX
from The serpent his fangs, and plac
0 him in that social degradation he deserves.
Mr.. Sumner replied Since had tn
honor of addressing the Senate yesterday
; various senators have spoken, and severa
a have alluded to me in terms clearly beyOn'
y The sanctions OF parliamentary debate
!. or this make no complaint, il TO them
seems proper, courteous and parliamentary,
10 unpack The heart with words that TALL I
0 cursing like very drab, n scullion.
Q will not interfere with The enjoymen
which they find in such exposure OF them
selves = they have certainly shown ihei
character. Two Of them, The. senator from
: South Carolina, who sis immediately
before me, and The senator from Virginia
). who sits Immediately behind me, are moi
young their heals are amply crowned by
iinne. but they did not speak from any
ebuliicn of youth, but from the confirmed
temper OF age. II is melancholy TO be-
/. ieve iha, they showed themselves as they
are. /, were charitable 10 believe that they
= are in reality better than they showed them
selves. think, sir, lha, am rot The on
IL person on this floor who in listen
) ing 10 them in this debate, these two self
, competent champions OF the peculiar To-
naicism of The South, twas reminded oil
the striking words of Jefferson, piclurine
: influence of slavery" The whole com.
merce," said he, " between master and
slave is perpetual exercise Of the most
boisierous passions, the mos, unremii'ing
despo,sm Of the one part. and degrading
submission on the other. Our children see
this, and learn to initiate il, for man is an
Initiative animal. The parent storms, the
child looks on, catches the lineamenls OF
wrath, puts on The same airs in the circle
OF smaller slaves gives loose 10 his worst
q rass ions, aud thus nursed, educated, aud
daily exercised in tyranny, cannot but be
stamped by it with odus pecnliaTilies.
The man mus, be prodigy who can re-
tain his manners and manly feeling unde-
PRAYED BY such cases. No person who has
Witnessed the senator from South Carolina
and the senator from Virginia in this debate,
will place them among The prodgies DIES.
cribed by Jefferson. As they spoke, The
Senate Chamber must have seemed ip their
sigh, plantation stocked with slaves over
which the lash of The overseer had free
scope. There was lille that fell from them
which deserves reply. Certainly, not the
hard words they used SO readily. The
senator from Virginia complained ,ha, ! had
characterized person who went from
Virginia TO Boston in pursuit ct slave,
as a slave hunter. Sir, choose TO call
things by their right names white call
:. white, and black call black. A man who
deprades himself TO The work OF chasing a
poor negro, who, under the inspiration of
freedom and The guidance OF The North Star,
has sough, frceman's home far away
from the whip Of The overseer, call slave.
hunter. II The senator will give me any
term which more precisely describes such
person, I will use il. II was said by one
Of the philosophers of antiquity that The
blush is a sign of virtue, and permit me to