The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-12-25

|
not from him that they are accountable to the
people, and not to him.
But the President has no word ofdisapproval for
those State Governments who seize our freemen
and enslaye them. His wrath is all directed
towards the lovers of Liberty Why, sir, at this
moment, citizens of my own State, born free,
with the same inalienabe right to enjoy life and
liberty which the President possesses, have been
seized under laws enacted by State Govern
ments of the South enslaved, and now sigh and
weep in chains. ! doubt whether there is a free
State of this Union which has not some citizens
now pining in Southern Slavery, by reason of
Southern State laws. Sir, when the semi-bar-
barians of Algiers committed precisely the same
outrages, when they seized and enslaved our
people, we did not remain silent, with our arms
folded, but we sent an army and feet there, and
butchered those shareholders without mercy.
The civilized world pronounced them barbarians
unit for human association and fully justified
in wsging an discriminating against them.
But now, when the slave States perpetrate the
same outrages upon our born citizens the
President does not even refer to the fact. On
that, he and his whole party, including the whole
race OF doughfaces, remain silent, while he en-
deavors, with whatever influence his Office has
clothed him, to cast reproach upon free State
Governments, who refuse to assist in returning
the flying bondnfan TO the Plutonic regions of
Slavery. Jsjoice that Massachusetts, has stood
up in the dignity of her own sovereignty, azd re-
fused to<permt her prisons or her officers to be
polluted by rendering assistance to brutal slave
catchers.
Mr. BOYCE. ask the gentleman from Ohio
whether there is any law in any free State which
prohibits the introduction of free negroes into
such State?
Mr.. GIDDINGS. believe there is such law
in the Democratic State of Indiana
Mr. BOYCE. AS heard no complaint of such
law in any of the Northern States, | thought
perhaps none could have existed
Mr.. GIDDINGS. | am sorry that such laws
were enacted by Democrats, even in my own
State; but we did complain of them; and when
the Republicans got the power, they repealed
them in Ohio. They only existed during the
darker ages of Locofoco rule, but disappeared
upon the dawning of Republican civilization.
Laughter.
| was speaking of the undignifed spectacle
presented by this message Isuppose its author
ship cannot be mistaken by any one who served
in this hall with the present Attorney General.
The astute sophistry and carelessness, not to say
disregard of facts, are characteristic of that
officer, whose sincerity of purpose on behalf of
Slavery ought not to be doubted. He establish
ed that fact fully while here. / recollect on a
certain occasion presented resolutions, declar-
ing the right of the people of the free States to
be free and exempt from the disgrace and crime
guished member pronounced such resolutions
" an approximation 10 treason" He doubtless
feels that anything now said in behalf of Free
dom, is an advance towards treason. Nor is the
President destitute of provocation to speak on
this subject. New England has blotted out the
Slave Democracy from that land of the Pilgrims.
He and his supporters have been discarded;
and now, as he is about to depart conscious that
the places which now know him shall know him
M n1nr ha
strong in death"
But the President again resumes his lecture to
the people of the free States. They appear to be
the cause OF all his trouble. Again he reproaches
and scolds those who gave him political life,
who raised him to power and place. As he is
retiring from the Executive Chair to that polti-
cal grave from which there is no resurrection
he does not exhibit the ordinary Christian resig-
nation. He utters no prayer for the people, for
the liberties of mankind; he invokes no blessings
upon his native land. He exhausts his dying
breath IN calumniating the people for their devo-
ton to Freedom, aud denounces them for not
assisting the slave-catcher in securing his victims
ms they fee from a bondage far worse than death
Sir, with what circumstances are surrounded
in what age do we live? that the Chief Magistrate
of the nation should thus condemn the best SYM
pathies of the human heart, and seek to change
the law of our natures, to eradicate from the hui
man soul the law which was written upon it by
the finger of God.
Why, sir, never saw painting fugitive speed
ing his way to n land of Freedom, that an invol-
untary invocation did not burst from nv lips,
that God would aid him in his fight Such
the feelings of every man in our free States.
whose heart has not become hardened in iniquty.
do not con:ine this virtue TO Republicans nor
to Anti-Slavery men; | speak of all men, of all
parties, in all Christian communities. Northern
Democrats feel it they ordinarily bow to this
higher law of their natures, and they only prove
recreant to the law of the Most High" when
they regard the interests of the Democratic party
as superior to Gods law and the rights of man
kind.
Gentlemen will bear with me when assure
them and the President that have seen as many
as nine fugitives dining at one time in nv own
house fathers, mothers, husbands, wives pa
rents, and children. When they came TO nv
door, hungry and faint cold and but partially
clad, did not turn round to consult the Fugitive
Law, nor to ask the President what should do
| knew the Constitution Of my country, and
would not violate it. obeyed the divine man.
date, to feed the hungry and clothe the naked.
fed them. | clothed them, gave them money
for their journey, and sent them on their way re-
Joicing. obeyed God rather than the President
obeyed my conscience the dictates of my heart
the law of my moral being, the commands of
Heaven, and, | will add, of the Constitution of
my country; for no man of Intelligence ever be-
lieved that the trainers of that instrument in
tended to involve their descendants of the free
States in any act that should violate the teach
ings of the Most High, by Selling fellow being,
and returning him TO the hell of Slavery: If
that be treason, make the most of it.
Mr.. BENNETT, of Mississippi. | want to know
If the gentleman would not have gone one step
| further?
Mr.. GIDDlNGS Yes, sir; would have gone
one step further. would have driven the slave
catcher who dared pursue them from nv prem
| ises. / would have kicked him from my door
yard, If he had made his appearance there or.
had he attempted to enter my dwelling, would
have stricken him down upon the threshold of
my door.
do not speak these things to give the Presi-
| dent unbappiness. | mention them to show the
people of our free States the rights which hold
| to be clear and sacred under the Constitution.
There is neither Constitution nor law that for
bids them to speak their opinions in regard TO
Slavery. As already stated, the master holds
the power of life and death over the slave; he
not only robs the slave of his earnings his intel
| ligence, his manhood, but murders him if he re-
| fuses TO be fogged-a tyranny revolving to every
sense OF justice to every dictate of Christianity
tyranny more unmitigated than any despotism
of the Old World
Mr.. BENNETT, of Mississippi | want the
| member from Ohio TO draw the distinction be-
| tween the Shareholder bringing his slave into
| suoJection by the lash, and the Northern men
bringing their poor people into subsection by
starvation.
Mr. GlDDlNGS. The gentleman understands
| that the wife Of a slave held by the master is
liable TO his pollutions, and dare not resist her
| masters approaches. He sells her children, ay.
his own offspring, born of his slave, for paltry
pelf. There is no such thing in our Northern