The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-03

outstanding all this perversion of history
notwithstanding his violated pledges-and not
withstanding his warlike exploits at Greytown
and Lawrence-his servility has been repaid
with scorn. l am glad of it. The South was
! right. When man is false to the convictions
OF his own heart and to Freedom, he cannot be
trusted with the delicate interests Of Slavery. /
cannot express the delight feel in the poetic
| justice that has been done; but, at the same
time, am not unmindful of the deep ingrati
| tude. that first lured him to ruin, and then de-
serted and left him alone to die. Applause.
If were not too much of a Native American,
| would quote and apply to. him the old Latin
words, " De RlOrtuis nil nisi bOnum speak
nothing but good of the dead. / can almost
forgive him, considering his condition, the Bills
tering words he let fall upon us the other night
when he went through the ordeal of ratifying
the nomination Of James Buchanan. He said
that we had received nothing at the hands Of
| the Government, save Its protection and its po-
litical blessings. We have not certainly re-
ceived any Offices; aud as for its protection
and political blessings, let the silence above the
graves of those who sleep In their bloody shrouds
| in Kansas answer.
There have been general and specific charges
made against old Massachusetts. The general
charge, when expressed in polite language, is
| that she has not been faithful to her constitu-
tional obligations. | deny it. L call for proof
ask when where? how? say, on the contra
~, that from the time when this Government came
| from the brains of her statesmen, and the un-
| comparable arms Of her warriors, she has been
loyal to it. In peace, she has added to it re-
nown and in war, her sons have crowded the
| Sav - death as to a festival. She has quench-
ed the fires of rebellion on her own soil without
| Federal aid and when the banners of nulliGca-
IL, 81
the lips of Webster, in Faneuil Hall, she
stood by Jackson and the Union. No man
speaking in her name-no wearing her
ermine, or clothed with her authority-ever did
anything, or said anything, or decided anything,
not in accordance with her constitutional obi
cations. Yet sir, the hand of the Federal Gov
eminent has been laid heavily npon her.
That malignant spirit which has usurped this
Government, through the negligence Of the peo-
pie, too long has pursued her with rancor and
bitterness Before its invidious legislation she
has seen her commerce perish, and ruin, like
devastating fire, sweep through her fields of indus
try; bat, amid all these things, Massachusetts
has always lifted up her voice with unmurmur
ing devotion to the Union. She has heard the
Federal drum in her streets. She has protect
ed the person Of that most odous man-odious
both at the North and the South-the slave
hunter. She has protected him when her soil
throbbed with Indignation from the sea to the
New York line Sir, the temples Of Justice there
have been clothed in chains. The Federal
courts in other States have been closed against
her, and her citizens have been imprisoned, and
she has had no redress.
Yet, notwithstanding all these things, Massa-
chusetts has always been faithful and loyal to
the Constitution. You may ask why, if she has
been so wronged, so insulted, has she been so
r.. 4 Al
she knew, in her clear head, that these outrages
came not from the generous hearts of the Amer
lean people. She knew that, when Justice should
finally assume the reins of Government all
would be WELL She knew that, when the Gov
eminent ceased TO foster the interests of Slavery
alone, her interests would be regarded, and the
whole country be blessed. 1t was this high con-
stitutional hope that has always swayed the
head and heart of Massachusetts,, and which has
made her look out of the gloom of the present,
aud anticipate a glorious future. So much in
relation to the general charge against Massa-
chusetts.
There are specific charges upon which shall
dwell for moment. One is, that she has
ganized an Emigrant Aid Society" Did you
not tell Massachusetts that the people of Kan
were to he left perfectly free to mould her
institutions as they thought best? She knew,
and she told you, that your doctrine of squat
ter sovereignty deusion and snare. She
opposed it as long as she could here; and when
she could do 1t no longer she accepted the bat
tie upon your pledge of fair play. She deter
mined to make Kansas free State. In this
high motive the Emigrant Aid Society had its
origin. Its objects are two fold-Freedom for
Kansas and pecuniary reward And it is so or
ganized that pecuniary benefit cannot flow to
stockholders, except through the prosperity of
Al i e IL
this TO take capital and place it in advance of
civilization; to take the elements of civilization,
the saw-mill, the church, the school-house, and
plant them i'll the wilderness, an inducement
to the emigrant. 1t is a peaceful society. 1t
has never armed one man; 1T has never paid
one mans passage 10 Kansas. 1t never asked
though think it should have asked-the Po',
zeal sentiments of any man whom 81 oPfOiit-
al to emigrate to Kansas Cow ~ mas assist
81 90, 600, and it has.ch ce-'. IL has invested
setis to kansasoe conducted from Massachu.
of the es~,, - from twelve to fifteen hundred
gr,- - ..SS.er of her people. Such is the Emf
Int Aid Society, such is its origin, and such
us action. 1t is this Society, so just and legal
in its origin and its action, that has been made
the pretext for the most bitter assaults upon
Massachusetts. Sir, it is Christianity organized.
How have these legal and these proper meas
| ures been met by those who propose to make
Kansas slave State2 The people of Massa-
chusetts would not complain, if the people who
differ from them should go there to seek
| peaceful solution Of the conflicting questions
| But how have they been met By fraud and
violence, by sackings, and burnings, and MUIR
| ders. Laws have been forced upon them, such
as you have heard read today by the gentle.
man from Indiana, Mr.. CoLFAx, so atrocious
that no man las risen here to defend one sin gle
one of them. Men have been placed over them
whom they never elected, and this day, as hiss
| been stated by the gentleman from Indiana,
| civil war RACES from one end of Kansas to the
other. Men have been compelled to leave their
| peaceful pursuits and starvation and death
stare them in the face, and yet the Government
stands idle-no, not idle it gives its mighty
arm to the side of the men who are trampiing
| down law and order there. The United States
troops have not been permitted to protect the
Free State men. When they have desired to
do so, they have been withdrawn. I cannot
enter into a detail Of all the facts. 1t is fact
that war RACES there to-day. Men kill each
other at sight. All these things are known,
aud nobody can deny them. All the Western
winds are burdened with the news of them,
and they are substantiated equally by both
sides.
Has the Government no power to make
peace in Kansas, and to protect citizens there
under the organic law of the Territory? 1 ask.
in the name of old Massachusetts, if our honest
citizens who went to Kansas to build up homes
for themselves, and to secure the blessings OF
civilization, are not entitled to protection ?
She throws the responsibility upon this Admin
istration, and holds it accountable; and so will
the people, at the polls. next November.
Another charge is, thats Massachusetts, has
passed personal liberty bill. Well, sir, say
that Massachusetts. for her local legislation, is
L. To- liz