The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1854-03-29

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due respect TO others. IL &c ems 10 me
TO be absurd 10 call that settlement a
tinaliiy IN ans other sense. IL could
not be . fnaliiy in any other sense
than IN that Of an actual acknowledge
ment Of the fundamental principle on
which all our territorial governments
should be organized. II Was an ad-
justnent Of principle. and in that sense
alone II was q finality. As such il has
been recognized as such il has been
pEpclaimeJ by both the great parties of
Us Country; and as such. Tor one. I
will adhere TO il.
Sir. fsm.a southern man. deeply
iihburI yith southelp fesbings. and
though | 10 not thiuX tI,stI could be
ijustls charged with violation of COOL
'iaith in veting Tor this bill, ON account
OF any obligation imposed upon me by.
the adjustment Of 1850 or the .Missou-'
r. compromise. vet | should not have
felt myself called upon to make any
movement at all in regard to the sla>
very question at this time. for had
not known that a territorial government
was needed for Nebraska; nor do I
care whether il is or not. This isa
matter OF no importance to me or to
my constituents. The rindication of
principle is what ! aim at, and what
they desire. Resting upon our rights.
and confding in the integrity Of the
people of the United States, trusting
to the patriotism OF the North as we'll
as the South. we have believed that
what we have always insisted upon 10
right, and woald. sooner OF later, bs
acknowledged to be so by all true re-
publicans. We have for years main
tained simply our own right TO do az
We pleased in regard to our. own go.
sernment, and the right Of other peo-
pie to do the same. That right hither-.
to has been too much denied in the
North. But the force of truth is con-
stantly manilesting itself, and now, to
our qualification. the acknowledgment
OF our own great fundamental principle
ls.Wade by northern statesmen. They
and tender US our own principle
Brm of government for the Terri-
tofies-which are our common proper
ty-and We cannot refuse the offer.
say nothing here in the spirit Of
idle boast. Southern pride is too great
for that. We have stood up for our
rights when We had no support in the
North TO sustain us. We have main,
tanned this great doctrine when scarce
ly any northern statesman could be
found who was willing to acknowledge
its truth. We should prove recreant
to our trusts and the interests Of the
southern States, il, at this time, when
the North and the South are well nigh
agreed upon it. we were disposed to
back out aud repudiate the principle
upon which we have always insisted,
and which we have always urged upon
the Union.
You may say what you please for
peace and quietness. You may have
what geographical lines you please;
but there is no other mode under hea-
ven whereby you can have peace and
quiet for the country except that now
in the Nebraska bill.
| had intended, befure listened to
the speech Of the honorable gentleman
from Georgia. Mr.. Stephens, TO go
into the history of this Missouri com.
promise (; but to do that now, think
would be unnecessarily TO trespassupon
the time and patience of the committee.
He has placed that matter in the clear-
est possible light. He has shown the
historical fact, that il any party-if
any section in this country, has again
and again repudiated the Missouri
it is the North which has
done it. | had intended to present
these facts to the committee, but per.
haps should not have done it so clear
" as the gentleman from Georgia.
Indeed, | could scarcely hope to say
anything SO well as he says all things.
BE that as it may, however, will not
again travel over the ground he has &C
cupied. He has shown clearly, that
the South has never violated any Of its
pledges. And he has also shown that
we have carried out. in good faith, the
Missouri Compromise, whenever the
question has presented itself, although
opposed to its adoption originally.
But. sir. | do not stand here to-day
to utter reproaches against any one.
1t ill becomes an American representa-.
tive to cast reproaches upon any por-
tion Of his fellow citizens. Personal
grievances are not to be indulged, and
surely they cannot be properly express.
ed upon this floor. cast no imputa-
tion upon any man nor upon any class
Of men. | do not call in question the
intelligence or the patriotism Of the
people Of the North. Nv personal in>
tercourse since have had the hanor
Of seat upon this floor. with gentle.
men from that section OF the country,
has served bnt to augment the respect