, 1856-03-21
speech Of Hon. VIM. M. Morrow,

| acting as Teachers or Missionaries among
the Indians Of Washington Territory"
Mr.. SPEAKER-I arise in my place to
address the House on the bill 10 prevent
aliens acting as teachers or missionaries
among the Indians Of this Territory
cannot vote for this bill, for reasons which
l shall assign. 1t is o matter of deep re-
gret that am unable to go into detail on
the demeTits Of this measure commensurate
with its importance know my lack Of
perception and inability to discuss matters
Of so great importance to the public at
large, yet, as one Of the Representatives Of
the people, feel heavy responsibility
resting on me inthe premises. If / should,
in the course Of my remarks, seem 10 wan
der from a strict adherence to the matters
Of fact contained in this bill, trust that
shall he excused, Oh the ground that one
of the fundamental principles Of human
rights, guaranteed to US by the constitution
Of the United States, Is involved. In fact
do not expect to speak directly to the
points at issue, intending merely to speak
Of the unconstitutionality aud inexpedency
of the measure in general terms Neither
do expect TO say anything about the cir
cumstances by which we are surrounded,
in connection with this bill, as my friend on
my right, Mr. CROsBIE, and others, have so
ably argued those points, as wen as the
coDstitutionality Of the measure, that it
would be altogether gratuitous in me to
follow over the same ground. ! shall,
therefore, principally confne my remarks
to other matters involved. believe. sir,
that we have no account Of any other than
parental and patriarchal government in
the ffst sevent en- hundred years Of the age
Of the world, The history Of those times
is short, leaving us nearly entirely in con-
lecture. Enough, however, has been writ
ten for us to know that as the children Of
men began to multiply and Increase, a num-
Der of them journeyed westward, and find
ing beautiful plain, they formed kind
| Of political body, their language being
confederate, not monarchical, But MIN
rod, one Of the cOnfederates, became q
mighty one in the earth-formed a party
in his favor, laid the foundation Of his
kingdom in Babel and the adjacent coun-
try. II, however, he was not one Of the
confederates, and only formed party to
scatter the confederates abroad, so as to
to take possession Of their territory, it goes
To proYe, in either case, Vhat his govern
ment was not founded in grace. From this
rise Of government in the eighteenth oentu-
ry until the introduction Of christianity,
which was more than two thousand years,
all kinds Of dominion we're tested, from the
most absolute monarchy to the most licen-
tious mobocracy, and from that to the pres
ent time, the rise and fall Of empires, king
doms and states have been frequent.-
Kings, emperors and dictators have
strengthened their power by incorporating
into their Fundamental laws religious creeds
and confessions Of faith, prescribing all
dssenters as inhdels and heretics, thus
sowing the seeds Of discord, fanatlcism and
religious bigotry, always ending IN the
shedding Of blood, for the good Of the
church and public at large.
To speak after the. manner Of men, in
consequence Of religious intolerance, perse,
cutions and blood shed, our SAVIOUR gave
the world promise Of q country where
every man should sit under his own vine
and fig tree, and worship God according
to the dictates Of his own conscience, and
none to make him afraid. As prelimina-
~ movement in the fuifllment Of this prom
ise, it would seem that CHmsfoPHER CoLuN-
BUS was directed by the f0Eer Of God to
the shores Of the new world, where, in the
course Of human events, the oppressed Of
an nations could fee to as place Of refuge,
and sit under the wings Of the great AMEu-
CAN EAGLE in the full Enjoyment Of relig-
ous liberty.
But when he landed his crew, did be
find himself the free and sole possessor Of
the new world2 No, sir, he soon met, a
savage and treacherous foe, who, from that
10 the present time, have disputed every
inch Of ground. The march Of civilization
having Travelled westward, its every ad-
vance has been met with savage ferocity.
The whole length and breadth Of the Gland
Of the free and home Of the brave" has
been bcspattered with the blood Of the
hardy adveuturer. How could we in the
extreme northwest corner Of our glorious
confederacy, expect to plant the standard
Of liberty without paying our portion Of
the cost 1t must needs be that offences
come, but wo to those red demons in hu-
man shape by whom the offence cometh.
In the course Of time, the thousands Of
our ancestors who had fed from the iron
rule Of the tyrants Of the old world to the
new, became hundreds of thousands who,
in one long and desperate struggle for lib
erty through blood and carnage, obtained
i their freedom from under the ruling power
Of the kings who, up to this time, consid-
cred the country their own, and the people
as subjects to be controlled by them at
pleasure. osf fathers had emigrated from
different nations, bringing with them their
own peculiar notions Of religion-men Of
different languages and of various religious
sects-deelared that America should be
free and independent To this end, they
pledged their lives, their fortunes and