Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-06-09


pose that law also TO the chances Of repeal.
You not only so expose the Fugitive Slave law,
but there is no solemnity about the articles
for the annexation of Texas which does not
hang about the Missouri Compromise and
when you have shown that the Missouri Com
promise can be repealed, then the articles for
the annexation Of Texas are subject to the
will and pleasure and the caprice Of a tempo
rary majority in Congress. Do YOU, then.
expect that the free States are to observe
compacts and you to be at liberty to break
them that they are to submit to laws and
leave them on the statute-boo however
grievous, and that you are to rest under no
such obligation think it is not reason
able expectation. Say, then, who from the
North Will be bound to admit Kansas and say
Kansas shall come in here if she come as a
slave state The honorable Senator from
Georgia (Mr. Toombs) and know he is as
sincere as he is ardent, says that if he shall
be here when Kansas come as a free State he
will vote for her admission doubt not
that he would but he will not be here for
the very reason, if there be no other. that he
wiH vote that way. When Oregon or Mime.
sofa comes for admssion-witbin one year,
or two years, or three years from this time
we shall then see what your new principle is
worth in its obligation upon the siavoholdinp
States. No you establish no princlple-you
only abrogate principle which was estab-
llshed for your own security as well as ours,
and while you think you are abrogating and
reslgning all power and all authority on this
subject into the hands of the people of the
Territories, you are only getting over diff
cultyin settling this question in the orpaniza-
tion Oh TWO new territories by postponing it
un'' 'hey come mere TO ne admitted as States,
Slave or Free; Sir, in saying that your new
Frinciple VIII not be established by this bill.
l reason from Obvious clear well settled prin-
clpics ol human nature Slavery and Freedom
arc a"'',gon'scicai ~, eiements In tins Govern
fnen'' s, tne II lounuers o, the Constitution
lia.ieu " mith a 9Wiedge OF that antago-
:r nis anu su"crcu II W continue, that II
iniSh' "or. i's own end There is COM
hn,. l..'ai ai'.'so',isnn' an 'rrecohcilable one,
pvt"ech .l'e systems oi free labor and Slave
u ihey na.p peeh at war with each
u.ner ever Since ths government was stab
"". ',Iu' war 10 10 continue forever.
'"c coh'oe'' "hoh u riPens between these
two antngonistic elements, is to be settled
somewhere it is to be settled in the seat of
central power in the Federal Lepislature
The Constitution renders it the duty of Con
grcss to determine questions as often ne tbo,,
shall arise in favor of one or the other nar,y
and refers the decision of them To tho me- ;H,
ity of the votes in the two IIou.os or Ior-
press 1t will come back here thcn i,
Of all the efforts to escano from il rL;sf
must end either in a senarot,or or
the antagonist partics-the slav.bnld;u,,
States and the free Statcs-or sscondI,' -
the complete establishment Of tho ;nanonon 80
of the slave power over the frec"or olso Nv,
the other hand. in the establishment nf tha
superior influence of Freedom over tho in
terests of Slavery. 1t will not be torn,in
ted by a voluntary secession of eitL.r
party. Commercial interests hind H.
Slave States and the free State. tocctbor il
links of gold that are rireted with ;ron ~
they cannot be broken bv pa.siun or nv a,n
bitfon. Either party will submit to tIe aa
,endancy of the other rather than y;eld ,bo
commercial advantages of thi. J-n;on poI;
tical ties bind the L MON together common
and not merely common necessity
,ut the common interests of eunire--of srcb
empire as the world has never before snsn
The control of this national power is the con-
rnl of the great W estcrn Continent. and the
control ot TINS Continent is to he in a very
ew years the controlling influence in the
World. Nho is there North that hates
slavery So much, or who South, that hates
50 intensely, that he can ar
emPt with any nope OF success to break
ihioh mus lorSed ana welded together! |
!
'u,t' !hreats OF dlsunion IN the free States,
nd similar threats IN the slave-holdng
mates, Kho" mat men may rave in the
i.'l oi l"ssioh anu uhuer great political ex'
ltchhen'' pu, hho" that when IT comes to
question "ne'her inns 'nlon shall stand
't"er WIN freedom or with slavery, the
masses viii upho'o IL ana II Will stand until
ONE inherent wee IN Its Constitution, not
'et disclosed snail cause ITS dissolution.
Now' entertaining these opinions, there are
or me only TWO alternatives VIZ either to
el slavery gam unlimited sway, or so to ex-
II what niue power anu lnnuence i may
AYE "a e as % secure the ultimate predomlnance |
u fr''uom' In doing TINS ! do no more
nan those VINO believe the slave power is
ightest' wlsest ana best, are dong, and will
ontlnue to do, with my free consent, to es- I
ablish Its complete supremacy. If they shall l
ucceed, still shall be, as have been, 10y a
i citizen II we succeed, know they will a
e loyal also, because it will he safest, wisest r
nd best, for them to be so. The question is a
ne not of day or Of year, but of many t
ears, and, for augtr know, many genera q
ions. Like all other great political ques- r
IONS, 1t will be attended sometimes by ex- I
itement, sometimes by passion, and some }
ines, perhaps, even by faction; but it is n
ure to be settled in constitutional way. t
'i'houc any 'ioicht e"och 10 eoclety OF Ia u
ny OF it's great interests. Ii is, moreover, t
urc to be settled rightly; because it will be Q
ettled under the benign influence of Repub- {
canism and Christianity, according to the v
principles of truth and Justice and human
eason. In pursuing such course, it seems \
0 me obviously as wise AS it is necessary to r
ave all existing laws and constitutions which a
re conservative Of freedom, and to permit as
,r as possible the establishment Of no new i
mes in favor of Slavery, and thus to turn n
way the thoughts of the States which tole !
ate Slavery from political efforts to perpetu- $
te what in its nature cannot be perpetual, to a
he more wise and benign policy Of cmanci- n
alton. This, in nv humble Judgment. is t
hc simple, easy path of duty for the Ameri. {
an statesman. / will not contemplate that '