Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-05-24


OF the human heart; against him is nature in
all her subtle forces; against him is God. Let
him try to subdhe these
But pass from these things, which, thou oh
belonging to the very heart of the discussion.
are yet preliminary il character, and press at
once to the main question.
l. 1t belongs to me now, in the first place.
to expose the CRIME AGAINST KANzAs, in its
origin and extert. Logically, this is the be-
| ginning of the argument. say crime, and
| deliberately adopt this strongest term, as bet
ter than any other denoting the consummate
transgression. would go further, if language
would further go. 1t is the Crime of Crimes
| surprising far the old crinsen mafestatts,
| pursued with vengeance by the laws of Rome,
and containing all other crimes, as the greater
contains the less. do lot go too far, when
call it the Crime against Nature, from which
the soul recoils, and which language refuses
to describe. To lay bare this enormity, now
| proceed. The whole subject has already be-
come twce-told tale, and its renewed recital
will be renewal of its sorrow and shame !;
but shall not hesitate to enter upon it. The
occasion requires it from the beginning.
1t has been well remarked by distinguish
ed historian of our country, that, at the Thu
rial touch of the Missouri discussion, the slave
interest, hitherto hardly recognised as dis
hnct element in our system, started up por-
tentous and diated, with threat and asSump-
tons, which are the origin OF our existing ma
tional politics. This was IN 1920. The dis
cussion ended with the admission of Missou-
II as slaveholding State, and the prohibition
OF slavery in all the remaining territory west
ofthe Mississippi, and north Of SD 30m, leav-
ing the condition of other territory south of
this, or subsequently acquired, untouched by
e
legislation, called at the time a compromise, a
covenant, compact, first brought forward in
this body by a veholder-vindicated bv
Shareholders in debate finally sanctioned by
slaveholdng votes-also upheld at the time
by the essential appreciation of slaveholding
President, James Monroe, and his Cabinet of
whom maj ority were slavholders, including
Mr.. Calhoun himself; and this compromise
was made the condition of the admission of
Missouri, without which that State could not
have been received into the Union The bar
gain was simple, and was applicable of course,
only to the territory named. Leaving all the
other territory to await the Judgment of
another generation, the South said to the
North, Conquer your prejudices SO far as to
admit Missouri as slave State, and, in coz
sideration of this much coveted boon, Slavery
shall beprohibited forever in all the remain.
min; and the North yielded.
In total disregard OF history, the PRESIDENT
in his annual message, has told us that this
compromise "was reluctantly acquesced in
by the Southern States. Just the contrary is
true. 1t was the work of Shareholders, and
was crowded by their concurring votes upon
reluctant North. At the time it was hailed by
Shareholders as victory Charles Pinckney of
South Carolina, in an oft quoted letter, writ
ten at three o'clock on the night of its passage,
says, ut is considered fere by the slavehold-
ing States as great triumph" At the North
1T was accepted as defeat, and the friends of
Freedom everywhere throughout the country
bowed their heads with modification. But
little did they know the completeness of their
disaster. Little did they dream 4hat the pro.
hibltion of Slavery i'll the Territory, which
was stipulated as the price of their fatal cap
ltulation, would also at the. very moment If
its maturity be wrested from them.
Time passed, and it became necessary to
provide for this Territory an organised Gov
ernment. Suddenly, without notice in the
public press, or the prayer IF single petit.
ton, or one word of public recommendation
from the President-after an acquescence of
thirty three years, and the irreciaimable pos
session by the South of its special share under
this compromise-in violation of every obi
CATION OF honor, compact, and good neIghbor-
hood-and in contemptuous disregard of the
out-gushing sentiments of an aroused North,
this time honored prohibition, in itself Land
mark OF Freedom, vas overturned, and the
vast region now known as Kanzas and Ne
braska was opened to Slavery. 1t was natu-
raj that a ms ASSURE thus repugnant i'll charac-
ter should be pressed by arguments mutually
repugnant. 1t was urged on two principal
reasons, so opposite and inconsistent as to slap
each other i'll the face-one being that, by the
repeal OF the prohibition. the Territory would
be left open to the entry of SHAREHOLDERS with
their slaves, without hindrance and the other
being, that the people would be left absolute.
ly free to determine the question for them.
selves, and to prohibit the entry II slayehold-
ers with their slaves, il they should think
best. With some, the apology was the al
legged rights of shareholders; with others, it
was the alleged rights Of the people. With
some, it was openly the extension of Slavery
and with others, it was openly the establish
ment of Freedom, under the guise of Popular
Sovereignty. OF course, the measure, thus
upheld in defiance Of reason, was carrie
through Congress in defiance of all the secur-
tiles Of legislation; and mention these things
that you may see in what foulness the present
Crime was engendered.
1t was carried, first, by sohippiag IN to its
support, through Executive influence and pata
ronage, men who acted against their own de-
clared judgement and the known will Of their
constituents. Secondly, by foistiag out Of
place, both in the Senate and House of Rep
resentatyes, important business, long-pend-
ing, and usurping its room. Thirdly, by
transplsag under foot the rules of the House
of Representatives, always before, the safe
guard of the minority. And foHthIy, by
drifting it to close during the very session in
which it originated, so that it might not be
arrested by the indignant voice Of the People.
Such are some of the means by which this
snap Judgment was obtained If the clear
will of the People had not been disregarded
| it could not hsve passed. If the Government
had not nefariously interposed its influence,
| it could not have passed. Ii it had been left
to its natural place in the order of business,
it could not have passed Ii the rules OF the
House and the rights of the minority had not
| been violated, it could not have passed. Ii 1t
had been allowed TO go over to another Con-
gress, when the People might be heard, it
would have been ended and then the crime
we now deplore, would have been without Its
first seminal life.
Mr.. President l mean to keep absolutely
within the limits of parliamentary proprety.
make no personal imputations; but only
with frankness, such as belongs TO the occa.
sion and my own character, describe great
| historical act, which is now enrolled in the
Capitol. Sir, the Nebraska Bill was in every
respect a swiudle. It was a swindle by the
South of the North. 1t was, ON the part OF
those who had already completely enjoyed
their share Of the Missouri Compromise,