Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-05-23
SPEECH OF
SpEENH OF
MR.. HENRY VI FULLER, OF PENNSYLVANIA.
Differed in the House Of Representatives, Of The
United States Nay 10, ls56

|
af individual defence. but eirenm.ianoss ha,f
| occurred, declarations have been made here and
| elsewhere. Congressional letters have heen wit
ten aud widely circulated. now producing fair'
Impressions, which justice Ia myself nnd prop.
.r regard Tor my constituents we'll n the with
" lotn am here associated, will mol permit mo To
pass longer 10 silence.
On the fret Mouda, # December last came
here ~ discharge tue duiire Atneficnn Repre-
sentative ! cume here disappearing the terrific
rial legislation of the thirty tifd Gongres-' but
in view Of existing aud prospective difficulties
had determined 10 let il alanr. Ny dispo-iiioo
was for peace. | desired Ia forgive nnd fofgei
pa.f offrn~os--to heal. moi Ia iniinme, wounds
which had been nfoted-io compromise rre'i"h-
nj differences, aud 10 plant myself with my par.
! ~ upon II broad national platform, embracing all
| sections of,he Union. ana conservative "f the
rights and tie interests oi the whole country.
| Little suppnsed then that we were entering up
| on n drama in the performance OF which should
| unwillingly become prominent acfnr. The pnr.
TALLY of friends assigned me position To which
| felt could lay n, clam The peopls, in conse.
qnence of past legislation and IN expectat ION ii
| our probable action were in state nf high ex-
| element. DENY in the organization led Ia dec
larati"ns If opinion and nyowas Of intended nc.
ton. was unwilling 10 become party in ma
cling up n case for the North or in making up
onse for the South; but determined ~ lar n lay
in my power. 10 put an end 10 the nnProhlh-
bic confroversy-to make sacrifices. if need be-
10 restore harmony and secure the public pence
In advance of my coming here Ind 50 declared
to my friends nj home. ~
During the course Of debate here | fell myself
called upon to emhody these sentiments in pub
lie avownl to the House, declaring TINT | should
leave this whole question Of slavery whore tho
constitution had left il with the people 81 tho
States where it was tolerated. 10 regulate and de-
tcrmine for themselves Tint for evil or for good
il was their concern, not mine; anG Whatever IN
diyidua sentiments or my people might enter.
tain upon The abstract question ct mofals or Ut
private rights, it plain duty to leave the
subject, with all its accountability. and every
remedy it might require. 10 the wisdom aud the
conscience of those upon whom Providence and
the constitution had casi its responsibility
These were not recently formed opinions ~
Ny own limited experience and the history Of the
country had satisfied me that the agitation If this
question. in Congress and out Of II, had produced,
aud WAS producing nothing bui evil nnd mischief
heart burnings and bitterness; that II had been,
md must he, utterly barren Of public good, IN
.rious 10 both sections. and, if continued would
be destructive of the best interests Of both raees
| ! believe. further. that If this agitation should
cease, the generous influences Of our ffee insti-
tutions, in carrying our people onward III their
career nf high and rapid advancement. would lit
up the slave. improve lis condition.. relnX his
londs. and ultimately send lin baek, prepared
So reclaim mud redeem the lind Of his heaihen
fathers.
Tho efforts Of modern philanthropy, however
II intended, have in effect repres-ed and de-
fratcd the Mbnrs of those who, by their position,
aud it, federation, could nlone nuke fr II 'ttsc
tual provision. Twenty five years ngo, N,rginia,
Maryland aud Kentucky hid under serious con
sideration the adoption If measures lnnk'ng I"
gradual emancipation The influences nj freedom
were qnietlv. but not off n.vely. pressing upon
slavery. The policy IF emancipation WIS freely
discussed by the people of he southern States,
IN legislative a. 4emblics and constitutional COLI
v"uiions. Unfortunately, nj this very r"1i"d, an
org,ni1 don for the pufI~ col system tic agita
tun, under the l-ader-Aip If George Thompson
aud other foreign emi--aiie-. splung into "SlS-
trncr. Immediately there recnll of the
public mind, resulting in nm united sentiment at
the South, an | II divided o,,inion ut the No III.
Emancipation thus postponed the entire
system of prospective tgslalion turned back
There have followed charges oi aggression, with
ordinations aud recrminaiions, each section
| striking at aud woundiag the other, unit, the
sears of prejudice have become 81 deeply en-.
! craven on the popular mind, that II will require
| years, many years, To etaoe them. This eondi-
| ton of things desire to have corrected. The
! North and the South sh pud no longer be taught
to regard each other enemies, and that ii Is
necessary 10 employ their energies 10 resist nm
| tcipated nggressions.
| | would have preferred that the legi station of
| the sd Congress had not heen enacted. and TINT
| the people of all sections could have ahided by
the Compromise of 1850, a. measor" OF repose,
becouse, under the Compromise ot 1851 peace,
quiet aud social harmony had been generally
restored 1t might have averted the unhappy
difficulties ext ting in kansas-would have saved
the country the long scene of dinorganlzaton
through which we have recently passed. 1t
would have let the Compromise OF ls2O alone
and did not favor the repeal ecaose believed
its effect upon the public mind OF the country
| would produce injury and mischief greater than
any good it could possibly attain
Now that the repeating act has been passed
we have, practical Legislators, to meet the ex-
| listing facts and diff, rent state of case. W.
are not called upon TO abide by past legislation
hut asked To legislaie anew for the estah
li,hmeut of the restrictive clause. under the pier
Of u restoration to the status quo before the Kan
sas bin was passed. That restoration is nov
impossible. To attempt it can only produce If
riiaton, sect ional alienation, and disturbance
Of the public peace of the country.
Practically. SO far as the extension of shaver,
is concerned, the South has gained nothing; TN
North has lost nothing by its repeal. 1t Is con
ceded. believe, by intelligent men OF all sec
tons familiar with thu country. that neither tn
country that neither the soil, the climate, q
the natural productions of the Territories thu
thrown open eau offer any permanent indncemen
for slavery to enter there. The cotton planter
the sugar grower, and the rice producer will no
feel it bis interest to leave his warmer lati
tude. where, in the millions of acres of unoccn
pied territory, he has ample room for present a
well a. prospective expansion. The law otinter
est-the irrepeaeahle law of nature-must ope
rate there a. everywhere. True. there Is now
heated and angry controversy in the Territoi'
of Kansas. The men of the border. in natura
antagonisn. with aid societies elsewhere, hav
IL If.