The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-29
National Slavery and National Responsibility.
SPEECH OF HON. FRANCIS GILLETTE.
ICoNCLUDRD.
OF CONNE6IICUT,
~ Senate Of liS UHi,ad SAFES, FEB. 95d, 1855.

CONCLUDED.
In 1892, Congress passed an act TO organize the
militia of the United States which provided for the
enrolment of none but free, able-bodied, ichite
citizens although the fact was then fresh in the
knowledge Of Congress and the country, that no
class Of soldiers had fought more heroically, or
dons more, proportOnally, to achieve the liberties
Of the country in the revolutionary conflict, than
the very class thus prescribed. And it should
be added IN justice to them, thus cut off from
the privilege of participating in the defense OF
their country privilege denied by no other
Government on earth to its subjects-that they
came forward as volunteers in the second war
with Great Britain, and, by their patriotic devo-
ton and soldierly exploits, won from the lips of
their commanders the highest need of praise.
Their patriotism and valor rose superior TO the
injustice and contumely Of their prosecutors.
In the year 1910, Congress again thrust at the
dark Accomplishment people of the country, by en-
acting that " 10 other than free ,rhite person
shall be employed in carrying the mails OF the |
United States either a pOst-rider or driver OF
a carriage Any other person, OF whatever |
character, may carry the mail; but HGtirG |
American, Of snsullied character and virtuOuS |
aims unexceptonable Tor probity and trust
worthness, If his complexion chances to be a lit
tie dusky, is prescribed as unfit to drive the
horses which draw the mail-bags of the country.
The Federal Government has disfranchised the
colored men of the District of Columbia, and left
them TO be plundered Of their money, under the
speciOus name Of taxes, in the disbursement Of
which they have voice, and no direct benefit
thus holding to their lips the same bitter chalice
of oppression which Revolutionary Fathers
dashed from theirs with indignant scorn. Taxa
non without representation they could not en-
dure--but this Government has inflicted the
same intolerable wrong upon the colOred man.
By the laws of this Government, free cOlOred |
IL a
some, If not ALL the Territories of the United
States, they being opened to none but 4" free whie
persons" A dark complexion is thought incom-
patbe with a settlement in the wilds of the
West
Thus, sir, has the Federal Government warred
upon part of the people-it has pursued them
10 the utmost extremity it has legislated them
down, and irowned them down, and trampled
them down. with an arbirariness and cruelty
well illustrated by the Procrustean bedstead of
antiquity on which men were laid and made to
ft--those too short were stretched, and those
too long were cut TO its length. Wherein Is the
difference between this barbarity, and that OF
cutting and graduating human rights by the hue
of the skin They alike arbitrary, unjust,
and tyrannical. Men are no more responsible for
their color than for their stature and to make
thcr rights depend on any such accident of BIRTH
az climate, is the baldest despotism-as absurd
s. impious.
And yet the friends and abettors Of this inhu-
man policy, with an air OF great self-complacen-
cy tell Us that the colOred people " in
frrior and degraded race" Then why not have
the justice and maguanimity to remove their
civil disabilities, and let them rise, and no long
or exhibit toward them the dastaralness of an
oveTgrOwn bully. who pOunces upon the weak
and defenseiess? Their alledged inferiorty should
entitle them TO the protection of their superiors
rather than 10 their destruction. III does il be-
come the cruel inictors of all their wrongs TO
speak of their inierority, ignorance, and debase-
Tnent Rterior, sir Who has made them in
ferior? Ignorant Who has doomed them to
ignorance2 DECEASED Who has sunken them
in debasement? They, be it understood, who
have brought all the sanctions of law and Gus
tom 10 crush them who have snatched from
them the KEY of knowledge and closed every
avenue TO their elevation aud advancement Put
out the ewes Of men. and then tell them scorn-
fully that they are blind Extinguish the Pro-
meihean fire in their souls, aud then tell them
tauu;inely that they are darkened and debased
1t is the crowning yiany Of urants that they visit
their own crimes upon their victims, and thus
seek 20 hide their own guilt under the wrongs
which they inflict. Alledge not the depressed
condition Of your oolored brother, whom you
have sold into Egypt, as an excuse for your cold
bloOded treachery. AS well might the hawk
taunt the dove in his talOns, because he does not
fly away TO the azure heavens or the wolf up
braid the lamb in his clutches, because he does
not skip and play. Rather does il become YOU
TO lay your hand your mouth, and your mouth
in the dust, and cry unclean uncean
Sir, what would be thought of the father who
should depress and degrade one part of his fam-
h., and permit another portion to trample upon
the victims of his unnatural cruelty and injus-
tee lie would be pronounced miscrsant, or
a lunatic Ana is not this equally true of the
larrer family of the State a.? What shall be said
of that kind Of craftsmanship which treats one
class of people with scorn and contumely, thus
alternating their affections from the State, and
filling their bosoms with hate and revenge; fore
ing upon them the maddening conviction that
they are despiscd aliens and outcasts in their
own country with nothing dread but peace,
and something 10 hope from revolution Ii is a
dangerous'and infatuated policy which, at some
national crisis, might bring resultant disaster
and ruin. The grand aim of all just Govern
ments and al wise legislation is, not TO depress,
but to elevate not 10 degrade, but TO ennoble; not
10 curse, bat to bless every class and condition
of people, and thus, while fulfilling their appro-
pirate functions, concliate the patriotic regards
of all and fortify the State with circlng ram
mart of true devoted loyal hearts. Well did
jefferson wax warm on this point, and exclaim:
"With what execration should the statesman
be loaded, vino, permitting one half of the citi-
zens thus 10 trsmple on the rights of the other,
transforms lnoSe INTO uespolS' anu tueso INTO
Genemies destroys the morals of the one part, and
1.-The patriotism of the other. And can the lib
4 critics of a nation be thought secure, when We
have removed their only firm basis, convic-
Z ton in the minds of the people that these lib
critics are the gift of God, and not TO be viola
sted but with his wrath Indeed, tremble for
smy country when reflect that God isJust; that
his Justice cannot sleep forever that consider
ing numbers, nature and natural means only,
sreyolution of the wheel of fortune, an exchange
. of situations is among possible events-that 1t
may become probable by supernatural Interier-
sence. The Almighty has no attribute that can
8 take side with US in such q contest"
But Mr. President there is still another cnsP-
ter in the history of the prostitution OF the Feo
eral Government TO the purposes OF Slavery anu
Slavery propagandism, to which ask the atten-
lion of the Senate. By the act of 1907, Congress
undertook 10 regulate the coastwise American
sIave-trade and directed in what vessels and IN
what manner it should be carried on; thus aoet-
ting and protecting traffic in the people OF TINS
country, which, if prosecuted on the coast OF
Africa, Congress has since declared TO be piracy,
punishable with death, Can any political casn-