Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-07-27
SPEECH OF SENATOR WILSON,
OF MASSACHUSETTS,, before the K. N.
Convention at Indianapolis, July
Is, 1855.


Convention at indianapolis, July
IS, 1855.
We are indebted 10 the Indiana
Journal for the following outline Of this
excellent speech:
Mr.. Wilson came forward and was
introduced by the President. His ap-
pearance upon IL stand was hailed
with loud applause and "three cheers
for General Wilson, and IL was some
time before quiet enough was restored
to allow him to proceed. Hc then be-
gan:
Mr.. President, and Eliow. Citizen,
Of hdiana:-I need not tell you that
| II affords me profound qualification u
meet with you to-day, and participate
with you in the commemmoration ol
this hallcwed annivcrsary.--an ami
versary hardly second to the great
day Of the Declaration Of our Indepen.
dence. II Is glorious day for those
dwelling upon the soil consecraled for.
ever 10 liberty by the law that makes
this day memorable. All nature seems
to participate in the Joy Of this occa.
sion. The trees have put on their
grcenest robes, and the deep blue sky
over our heads look down benignly
upon US.
As the distinguished gentleman who
preceded me. Judge Morton) who
has made one of the clearest and most
logical arguments / have ever heard,
told you. we stand upon the Constilu.
ton. We recognize It's binding obliga'
tons upon US. We stand by the Un,
ion. We respond 10 the sentiments
Of Jackson; "The Union-it mus. be
preserved" Slavery or no slavery,
this Union lives la oar heai Is. and We
will maintain aud defend il, ifnced be-
with our blood. We respond 10 the
sentiment OF the great Statesman o
Massachusetts, and o. tic country,
"Liberty and Union. now NJ d forever
one and inseparfble." We love the
Union. American Slavery, our rela,
tons and obligations to il. make up
this day the grand and overwhelming
issues which are to be decided by the
country. The transcendent import,
ancc Of these issues now excite the at
tention of the East. North and South
Learicd men who have laid oil theil
treasures Of knowledge under contri
button. .and great Statesmen unon who's,
lips listening Scnascs have hung in dc
light, re now i'll istrating, with nj
their stores Of genius. learning ant
eloquence, the vast consequences in
volved in the problem we are now t
work out.
Slavery was forced upon this coun
try by the seliishness and avarice o
England. The speaker here alluded
briefly to the history ofthe slave trad,
and the maintainauce Of the traffic b,
England for i50 years. The people O
New Englavd, he said, were favorer
Of emancipation then. because ther,
was no contract for the labor Of III,
bondmer, and "liberty" was theirprlu
ciple. The FIRST Congress that assem-
bled in this country gave utterance 4
the sentiment Of liberty. They dc
clared that they would not import, o
encourage the Importation of slaves
Encouraged by this feeling in favor o
freedom. the people Of the Northern
States began TO abolish slavery. and /,
q few years, seven OF the thi cen Uni
ted States had rid themselves Of it,
In Virginia, even, emancipation wa
attempted. Jefferson. Washington
and others advocated it, but virgini
clung to her idols. and the great wor
stopped with Virginia. This move
ment had the sanction Of the creates
names in or history. The Adam.
Jays. Ellsworths. and others. in III
, North; the Washingtons, Jcfiersons
and others. Of the South, who had jus
come out babtized in the blood of tn
Revolution, believed that slavery wo'
soon disappear y Ter the influence {
the institutions they lad founded
They stamped upon the only territor
the Republic then possessed the prime
pie Of Freedom and Free Institution {
all classes ofmen. (Applause.) Sue
we TIE sentiments of those who il
au9araied the great movement thr
separated this country from Englant
But we Of this day have departed, an
widely departed, from the policy ofor
fathers.
How does it happen that we Of III
North, with an uncounted majority VI
on our side. have so departed frol
the wise and benifcent counsels Of III
great men who founded our Institl
tons? will tell you. 1t has bee
accomplished for personal and polit
cal ends. and nothing else. The Con
promise of 1920 was forced by Il
South upon the reluctant and unwil
ing North. The extension Of SLAYER
enacted by it was resisted by Il
House, the immediate Representative,
ofthe people. bat the Senate was tru
as it has always been to the interes
Of slavery. as true as the House
Lords ofEngland to the interests Of Il
privileged aristocracy of that cou
try. 1t has been by party inauen
that slavery has sent its chilling sha
ow over the Free States Men held
the doctrine Of Patrick Henry tn
1--WE should transmit to prosperity ,
adherence of slavery" and of Fran
lin, that eve should march up to Il
very verge Of the Constitution to d
stroy the traffic in human hesh,"
the days when the foundations of o
Institutions were laid; but the sen
~ ment is changed now. The VIII,
power of the Government is wield
for its benefit. Why, the present A
ministration never sends an appoir
ment to the Senate for confirmatie
that the question is not asked, "Is
sound upon the slavery question:"
During the few days that 1 served
the Senate last spring, a nominate
was sentin for some Office, and the no