The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-03-02

imily of feeling prevailed. Acquicscence
in the compromise measures of 1850 had
given 10 The country Stale Of peace and
o. tranquility thai had no, before been
heard Of. 1speak Of the measures gener-
ally. Nojarring sound was heard until a
voice was heard proclaiming in the hearing
Of the American community, Nebraska!
Nebraska (Greai Applause.) Tha, was
he note oil discord. From whence did Il
emanaie. Was il from the South! de-
ny il. (Applauss.l | will prove !, from
nor did all the South acquissce in Il either.
Great applause. know il requires mau
Of iron nerve 10 stand up against clamor and
numbers, but I would not giyea fig for a
man who would mol stand agains, the world,
when his breastplaio is honor and his hel.
met truth. ..i.,.I. ......, ..... ......... -.
No, one Legislature Of the whole South.
not one Executive exhibited an uneasiness
under the Missouri Compromise. No, one
single community, no, one editor, not one
orator, not one voice was heard claiming
the repeal Of the Missouri Compromises
No, no, one. II came from the North, and
l repudiaie ], as an effort Of the slave power
10 encroach on the rights of The NORTH
Applause. The North was not Injured by
It. The injury was done 10 tho South. As
| insisted upon Il at the time, "ii was put
ling the kniio ut the throat of the South -
that il was al abstraction at the most, for
not slave would be recognized under the
constitution Of any State formed nor In Of $50
30'-on the score o! economy and policy.
Slave labor was not the required labor. II
could moi be made productive; while south
Of that line II was productive. Il was a
mischevous abstraction, which disturbed
the harmony OF the country, and excited
fearful apprehensions.
I felt ,ha, occupied an islhmus between
two oceans. could sec 10 North, no
East, no West no South. II was one for
tune, one country, one undivided Union,
in which was born, and which | hope 10
leave TO my offspring. These were the
feelings ,ha. had when saw tho peace Of
the country broken up. II was natural 10
suppose that the North would resist il as an
encroachmen, lha, they could no, permit.
| fell a yeneralion for The Missouri Com
promise. II had produced machlcss bene.
tits for the country. Il had gone through a
war OF foreign conquest triumphanlly.-
What harm had the Missouri Compromise
done! recolIect its adoption, when I
was too young 10 take an active part in il.
| recolect the delightful influence that per-
vaded the whole country, in every direc.
tion, when iha, was brought about. | saw
the benefit II conferred upon the country,
and sustained il for The good Of the coun-
Try, and for tho hopes Of ihe future; be-
cause II was compromise and pledge o;
honor. l viewed il as | viewed the other
compromises Of the Constiiutlon-for tho
spirit Of that instrument was compromise
aud in the same spirit were laid the iounda.
lions Of our liberties. This compromise
had existed for no less than a quarter OF a
century. It's antiquity entitled il 10 vener.
alion and respect, even il no extraordinary
benefits had flowed from il. When il was
proposed 10 repeal, repudiate or violate il,
| could sec no excuse for so doing, and |
Met The responsibility and resisted every
attempt 10 impair its force or abroga,e lis
principles.
I know Mr.. Houston said, tha, many
things that think-and an honest man
ough; not 10 be afiaid 10 say what he thinks
will not be acceptable 10 this auditory.
Whalever he might say that nigh, jar upon
their feelings, il was with all Difference 10
them that he should advance his own opin.
ions-not 10 come in conflict with theirs,
or 10 offend the most delicate sensibili,ies.
When he looked around OH this country
he could not but believe there is a recipro-
cal duty aud dependence of ono portion of
The country on The other. The people of
the South are little more than producers
Tor tho North. They stand somewhat in the
relation OF oyerseers; for, gentlemen of
the North, we produce the raw material.
Your marine comes and removes our cot
ton and sugar 10 the Nonh. Cotton is the
most active and keeps up the reciprocal re-
lalioIs between The two sections of the
country. You derive the advantage of The
carrying trade, bu, for this We do moi think
hard OF you. You have tho advantage of
your industry, your machinery, your inge-
nuily, In its fabrication, and by the same
means by which you brought !, hero you
re-trausport il 10 u.s. we receive il and pur-
chase your commodities, and consume
them. We are the producers and con-
sumers, while you arc the manufacturers,
and 10 you wo pay tribute. This il ali
right enough. | do not think hard of Il.
Where would be yorr spindles, your looms,
and all the advantages you derive from
trade, were il not for this mutual depend.
ence Of one section ol the country upon
the other. Hence the duties We owe 10 The
Union. On this subject he might be a
m, np IN an;oc hut nj ali .,,..,. l.. -.
much devoted 10 the fancy.
We found, he said, slavery in our coun-
,ry-it exists there. We use il, but do no,
abuse il. One race or the other must give
way: Were slavery abolished in the South,
the spindles Of the North would s,op. II
might be objected 10 him in argument that
he was appealing 10 the cupidi'y Of the
nohhern people. He was appealing 10 their
common sense and experience, and they
might give II what name they pleased
Look al Jamaica Has the slave advanced
with all the advantages emancipation has
givent Hs has not. Ho has deter iora,ed,
and is relapsiny into more degraded con-
di,ion, than he was as slave he is un-
profitable 10 himself and 10 all others. How
would il BE- at the South IL tho slaves were
10 be turned loose. They could not all be
sol up in business, and would not work OH
land II they had il. Like the race in Ber-
muda. they would become lisiless, inert,
lazy. They would never become
productive labores. One community could
no, exist within another without amalgama.
ton. That would be impossible. They
would produce nothing at the South, and
lhe spindles Of tho North would stand still:
your implements Of husbandry would re.
main here nnsold, and the whole southern
country would present nothing but a spec.