Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-06-21

WHAT ARE WE CONTENDING For But few of
our readers are aware of the great extent of that
Territory where the South is now seeking to
plant Slavery. 1t is 900 square miles ; equal
to twelve States of the size of New York, or
forty two Of the size of Massachusetts,. 1t is
situated midway between the Atlantic and Paci-
fc oceans, AMI is the very garden OF this CONT
nent.
Hon. T.. d. Culver, in late speech in the
Tabernacle, n. Y. speaking of this matter said ::
"Thc proposition is to take this fair field and
curse it with Slavery, making it waste and bar
rem like Virginia, instead of fertile and fruitful
| like New York to convert it into lan'l Of pis-
| tolls ami bowie-knives like Arkansas, instead of
u land of thrift and wealth like Wisconsin; to
convert it into land of whisky and rifles like
Missouri, instead of cultivated fields, farms, and
railroads, like Ohio. (Applause). That is what
| the South propose. 1t is u contest worth eur
grapple; there is something for us to do. Let
me ask YOU one question further. Who was it
that sprung this measure upon us? Who called
for it? am glad to tell you that it was not the
people (Applausc). And will give tho South
the credit they deserve, when | say they did not
dream of asking such thing. Who then did
| spring it upon us? If you search the papers ut
Washington to find the petitions for that infa-
nous enactment, venture to say they could all
be put in lady's portfolio and carried to school,
while it you will gather up the circumstances
against it they will loom up in bulk to the mag
nitude of II Connecticut hay-stack (Applause). -
Senators desks grOaned with the weight of these
| remonStrances; and when that one, signed by
the three thousand clergymen of New England
was presented (Applause) it was not because il
was signed by cIergymen but because it was un-
| derstood to be the embodiment of the great moral
and religious sentiment of the North, that they
| al, ID
presented it (Laushter). 1t was because it was
the embodiment of Northern sentiment that the
authors of this scheme--like certain Gadarine:
in ancient tmes-cred out, why hast thou
laughter). But who was it that demanded thi,
measure? | will tell you. 1t was three politica
! demagOgues. | don't want to name them. 1t i.
not polite in great assembly to call Names
| But will give you their habitatiOns. One is q
man that registers his name at the west end Of
Lake Erie at DetrOit-a wheezy, fat old horse
that they crowded OF the race in advance t.augh
| teri. Another is man that came from tn,
white hills of New Hampshire and the prospec
is that he will 60 back to the place whence he
| came and take his entire Cabinet with him anC
| he will not be the first man that went b. ok, tax
ing with him seven spirits worse than the frs
daughter and applause). The third, and by nj
means the least of the trio, is a man who was
born near the foot of the Green Mountains, bu
| left his native home very early and moved to tn,
West. And lest you should not know whom
mean, will tell you that one of his names bears
a close affinity, rs do his heart and soul, to tina
Of the who in l179 made proposition t.
betray the fortress Of West Point to the British
(Applause)."