Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1855-07-20
From the Sundusl,y Register.

| 1858, at The Assembly buildings. $.
! philadelphia.
J MR. PREsGDEET:-I feel much embar,
rassmeut " hen | reflect that arise TO rep
resent the views of the mighty West on
this yexed question Of Slavery, now under
discussion would TO God that some gen.
tleman more competent to the task had un
dertaken il. Gentlemen from other States
have shown strong disposition to discuss
party politics in this debate. With the dir
ty details of party politics we have nothing
to do in Ohio Our principles are patriol-
ic and pure, our purposes high and holy.
The gentlemen who proceeded me have
all mistaken the policy of the founders Of
the Republic. They never intended TO toll
crate Slavery, or even to be responsible for
its existence. With the trainers Of the Con-
stitulion Freedom was the rule, Slavery
tie exception; Freedom national, Slavery
sectional. But these patriotic men from
the South are desirous of changing the
rule, so as to make Slavery national and
Freedom sectional; to extend over terrific
ry now free, the soul whitening, God-dis-
honoring curse of human slavery.
We, on The other hand, are DESTROYS Of
sustaining the policy of our forefathers-a
Bible based, law loving, liberty built policy.
And here we take ISSUE The Honorable
gentleman from North Carolina, pointing
to me, tauntingly says: "You of the North
refused to extend the Missouri Compro-
mise line to the Pacific, when we offered
it to you" To this reply, we did so re-
fuse, and for this reason: we are desirOus
of extending the area offreedom, instead of
the curse of human bondage.
The honorable gentlemen from Tennes-
see and Alabama have said that we, at the
North, were generally opposed to the es,
tablishment Of that Missouri Compromise
line at the time the compact was entered
into, in 1920. "On what pretext can you
base your opposition to its repeal? ?" In
answer TO the gentlemen, say that the
people Of the North Vere opposed TO the es-
tablishrlcnt at that time. and for this obvi-
Gus reason. 1t was a base surrender of
territory TO Slavery that had been by the
God of Nature and our laws consecrated
to Freedom. That at this moment, instead
Of the voice Of freemen ascending TO Heav
en- in ardent prayers for the perpetuity Of
this Urion, thousands of human beings are
clanking the chains of abject slavery there.
Those men who were in Congress from the
North and voted for this Compromise, lie
forgotten, ,somewhere-their memories haY-
ing perished with them. So have we sent
those who voted for its repeal to their po-
litical graves, to be remembered no more
by US, except III the long living annals of
infamy.
The gentleman over the way asks me to
reconcile that position. l will, Sir. The
territory the South acquired by virtue of
that contract is already niggerea. yes, mig
gered all ever. The crack of the drivers
lash TO the disgrace of humanity be it
said) is this day heard on its every acre
The voice OF Freedom is not heard there,
but Slavery, dark and damning, curses that
otherwise beautiful country, having terrific
ry sufficient to make an empire of freemen.
That is the reason We opposed its repeal
and now ask for its restoration. We can
not recall Slavery there now,-'tis too late
If We could place that territory in the same
situation it was in 1920, there would be no
trouble from our Stale about the repeal
of the Missouri restriction. No: we would,
like men, enter the arena and fight manful-
ly the battles of Freedom. Yes, Sir: we
would see that Freedom, our inheritance,
was not turned to strangers and our homes
to aliens, and Liberty left desolale in the
land of our forefathers
But the dark and damning deed is done
and, regarding the rights of the States un-
der the Constitution, We cannot change it
now.
And now, after our submission fer thir-
ty-four years to that iniquity, you come for
ward and infict this renewed outrage upon
US. You say, at is true, north of that line |
was set apart by solemn compact TO Free
dom; but the contract was unconstitution-
al, and consequently null and void"
l care not from what point you view it
you have taken under that contract and of
course are bound by il. You now come 10
us whiningly and say, "This contract is void, |
do not attempt to enforce it," Suppose you |
give your note to friend for one hundred !
dollars borrowed on the Sabbath; and af- !
to avoid the payment set up for |
defense that the note was given on Sunday
and consequently void and you would not
pay it. In what light do you suppose ali |
honorable men would view you? In no
1ther light than as consummate villains, un-
worthy the confidence of all honorable men.
In this light Ohio and the teeming millions
of the mighty West, whom feebly repre-
jent here, view you, gentIemeo, in relation
o this Kansas-N ebraska iniquity! l ap-
peal to representatives from the South, in
he name Of all that is honorable, in the
name of God, to be this once influenced By
'uro promptings of right and justice. and
estore this compromise line, or from this
lay hide your deformed heads and make
our appearance no more among intelligent
,eings.
But l am resolved to place the gentle
chiValrous southern gentlemen,
right on the record Many Of them do
ay that the repeal Of the time-honored line,
10 use their own words) was wrong, an {
njury and an outrage. and that it ought to {
'e restored. say many Of you have said
o to me: and, inasmuch as every gentle I
nan from the north has been challenged TO {
i've the name of any southern man who has t
ared to even breathe one word in favor of I