The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-07-28
eepefas 141eiiiqeqes.
sf,wn tie SaadasEy Register
Renewal Of the Missouri Prohibition


SPEECH OF THOMAS II. FORD.
Of Ohio, deiivered Ja1ae IS, 1855, at tht
Assens5ly Buildings, Philadelphia.
Mr.. PRESIDENT Il feel much embar.
rassed when | reflect that | rise to repre-.
sent the views of the mighty West on this
vexed question of slavery now under
discussion. | would to God that some
gentleman more competent to the task
had undertaken it. Gentlemen from 9TH
.er States have shown strong disposition
to discuss party politics in this debate.
With the dirty details of party politics
we have nothing to do in Ohio. Our
principles are patriotic and puIe, our
purposes high and holy. The gentlemen
who preceded me have all mistaken the
policy of the founders of the republic
They never intended to tolerate slavery
or even to be responsible for is existence.
With the trainers of the constitution
freedom was the rule, slavery the excep-
ton; freedom national, slavery sectional.
But those patriotic gentlemen from the
South are desirous of changing the rule
so as to make slavery national and free
dom sectional; to extend over territory
now free, the soul.withering, God-dis-
honoring curse of human slavery. We,
on the other hand, are desirous of sus-
tanning the policy of our forefathers-a
Bible based. law-loying, liberty built pol
icy. And here we take :ssue. The hon
orable gentleman from North Carolina,
pointing to me, tauntingly says: "You
of the North refused to extend the Mis-
souri, Compromise line TO the Pacific when
We offered it to YOU" To this | reply,
We did so refuse, and for this reason: We
are desirous of extending the area of free
dom, instead of the curse of human bond
age. The honorable gentlemen from
Tennessee and Alabama have said that
we, at the North, were generally opposed
to the establishment of that Missouri
Compromised line at the time the compact
was entered into, in 1920. "On what
pretext can you base your opposition tc
its repeal ?" Inanswer TO the gentleman
| say that the people of the North were
opposed to the es ablshment at that time
and for this obvious reason it was {
base surrender of territory to slavery tha
had been by the God of nature and oul
laws consecrated to freedom. That this
moment, instead of the voice of freedom
ascending to Heaven in ardent prayers
for the perpetuity of this Union, thou
sands of human beings were clanking the
chains of ablect slavery there. Thos'
men who were in Congress from th'
North and voted for this Compromise Ii,
forgotten omewhere--their memorie
have perished with them. So have VI
seutthose who voted for its repeal to thei
political graves, to be remembered NJ
more By us, except in the long-living an
nails of infauny. The gentleman over th'
way asks me to reconcile that position
i viii, Sir. The territory of the Soutt
acquired by virtue of that contract is al
ready aiqgered-yes. niggered all over
The crack of the drivers lash Ito the dis
grace OF humanity be it said is this day
heard on its every acre. The voice o
freedom is not heard there, but slavery
dark and damning, curses that otherwis,
beautiful country, having territory suffi
.cient to make an empire of freemen.-
That is the reason We opposed Its repea
and now ask for It's restoration. We can
ntt recall slavery there now--'tis too late
III we could place that territory IN tn
same situation it wasin 1890, there woult
be no trouble from our State about tn
repeal of the Missouri restriction. No
We would, ike men, enter the arena AMI
fight manfully the battles of freedom
Yes, sir we would see that freedom, oul
inheritance, was not turned to stranger:
and our homes to aliens, and liberty lef
desolate in the land Of our forefathers
But the dark and darnning deed is done
and regarding the rights OF the State.
under the Constitution we cannot ehangt
1tnow. And now, after our submission
for thirty-four years to that iniquity, yoe
come forward andinfict this renewed out
rage upon US. You say, 9 1t Is true, nortf
oftilat line was set apart by solemn com.
pact to freedom but the contract was
unconstitutional. and consequently null
and void" / care not from what point
You view it; you have taken under thai
contract and of course are bound by it,