Washington sentinel., 1854-02-24

gence and Of patriotism in the American. Con-
gress which makes us far better Judges of what
the people should have than the people them
selvesY Our whole system is based upon the
principle that man is capable of selfgoyern-
ment. 1he moment you violate this principle,
that moment you transcend your authority and
destroy the vital element of the republic.
We propose that this, like all other questions,
shall be left TO the free decision of the people.
The opponents of the measure concede to the
people the right, When they form State con-
shtution, to decide for themselves whether
slavery shall exist or not; but, in the mean
time, while it is a Territory, they say slavery
ought to be excluded. This is like tying
mans hands and legs, and telling him to go
where he pleases. If you concede to the peo
pie, when they form a State constitution. the
right to decide for themselves whether slavery
shall exist or not, how can they exercise that
right untrammeled unless you allow them,
during the existence of the territorial govern
ment, to go there with that species of property?
If you exclude slavery under the territorial
government, as consequence, there will be no
Shareholders there when they come to form
constitution and ask for admission into the
Union. 1t would be mockery, therefore, to
concede to them the power when they form
constitution, and to deny to them the exercise
OF this right while they exist as territorial
government.
You will allow me to say, Mr.. President, that
do not believe that slavery can ever exist in
either of these Territories, and to this extent
1t may be regarded as an abstract question A
great many of the difficulties which have sprung
up in the administration of this government,
have grown out of the fact that we attach too
much Importance to mere distractions. Allow
me to say, farther, that another prolific cause
OF difficulty in this country is, that we are very
much disposed to intermeddle with the affairs
OF our nelghbors In the social relations of
life, how much quarrelling and wrangling would
be avoided II each one would attend to his own
business and let his neighbours alone
1t is just so in political affairs. We have
thirty-one States in this Union happily confed.
Grated together They have differentlocal laws
and different local institutions. You can only
preserve the peace and the harmony of the
whole by taking care that each State manages
its own affairs, and abstains from intermeddling
with its neighbors. There, after all, in my
Judgment, is the secret of the permanence of
the Union. You may 90 on and increase the
number of States, until you have covered the
whole continent of America and the govern
ment then will be stronger then than it is now,
II you take care that each one OF the States
shall abstain from intermeddling with the af.
fairs OF its neighbors. Let the federal govern
ment rlgidy adhere to the principle so wisely
recognised IN 1850 OF non-intervention, and let
each State treat its neighbor with kindness and
affection, and the Union may exist forever
The two senator's from Ohio, in my Judgment,
do not represent the views of the great body of
the people OF that State. Il have some right to
speak OF that State, for it is my native land
and undertake to say that the great body of
both parties there are not only willing to abide
by the compromises of thesConsttution, SO far
as slavery is concerned but they are willing 10
leave it hereafter to the free decision Of the
people themselves. / feel some interest in the
honor of that State, because there are many
there who are bound to me by the closest ties
ofiriendship-a friendship which has not been
lessened or diminished by an absence of many
years; and although that
Divinity that shapes our ends,
Roughhew them as we will"
has united my fortunes with the people of the
Pacific, yet shall never cease to feel lively
interest IN the honor and glory of my native
State. My last aspiration, as my spirit takes
its flight to another world will be for the peace
and prosperity of that the land Of my birth.
That she has committed most erregious
blunder, in sending two abolitionists here to
represent her in this branch of Congress, is un.
deniable; but,
with all thy faults, love thee still"
One of the senators from Ohio, Mr.. WADE
went so far as to utter this sentiment:
"Sir, IN the days of the revolution Major An.
DIRE was hung by the neck until he was dead for
accepting proposition not more base than this,
whichls gross betrayal ofthe rights of the whole
north"
What an Egyptian darkness must have per-
vaded the mind of that senator before he could
have arrived at that conclusion! What sad
ravages the foul spirit of tanaticism must have
made upon his heart before he could have ut.
tered that sentiment! The simple proposition
to leave the people of Kansas and Nebraska
free and untrammelled to decide on all their To-
cal institutions for themselves is, in his iude-
ment more dishonorable proposition than
that for which Major Andre was hung! /
pray that God may enlighten the beniehted
mind OF that senator, and soften his heart, and
that ere long he will be restored to proper
degree OF Judgment and reason-I had almost
said of deceRcy.
| know that the discussion Of this question is
producing some agitation in the country. |
ha'C ~ oDJcS1ioh W tHdl rejoice, at all
times, to see the attention ofthe people directed
to the action of their representatives here. |
know there are professional agitators. There
are men who are constitutionally fond of at
tending to everybody's business except their
own, who are now agitating this question, ulti-
mately, as believe, for the purpose Of dissolv-
ing this Union. Show me an active aboli.
ZIONIST, one who is professionally an agitator,
and | will show you man who, in the social
relations of life, is constantly ntermeddling
with the affairs of his neighbors. 1t seems to
be q part of the constitutional organization of
some men, and it is impossible to avoid it.
During the last ten years, | have directed my
particular attention to that point; and when
ever | come across an abolitionist, have en-
deavored to find out his social character and
in nine cases out of ten have discovered that
he was an intermeddler in the affairs of others
Sir, they will not succeed in dissolving this
Union. i know that extraordinary efforts are
made to influence the public mind / know
that efforts are now being made in the north
for the purpose of impressing upon the minds
of our children prejudices against the southern
section of the confederacy. know they have
taken possession Of the press-that they have
taken possession of large portion Of the light
nf tha