The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-17
THE NATIONAL ERA: WASHINGTON D. c, JNLY II 1856.

hand, more than one of those States, which
had some Territorial or Provincial experience
of Slavery, have firmly and perseveringy ex-
cluded it. Within the same period, Slavery has
been abolished by Mexico, by all the Central
American States, by Chill, and by Peru, and it
now exists only in one State on the american
Continent, and that is the Empire OF Brazil.
During the same period, no European Sta1s
has established Slavery. Great Britain has
abolished it; France and Denmark have abol-
shed it; Spain is abolishing it; Russia, and
even Turkey, a. abolishing it. What wretchea
sophistry is this, to charge me with exercising
tyranny over the Territories of the United
States-the children of the Federal Republic
because deny to them the ruinous privilege of
choosing an evil and curse, which no matured
State, already exempt from it, will adopt, and
which all such States afflicted with it relieve
themselves from as speedily as possible
/ am opposed to this bill for these reasons,
which are drawn exclusively from its bearings
upon the people of Kansas. am equally OPP
posed to it, for reasons drawn from its bearings
upon the whole Federal Union. / think that
the addition of every new slave State Increases
and prolongs the disturbances of peace ane
harmony in the country. l know of no evil
social or political, which is ever supposed to
threaten the stability of the Union, that does
not arise Immediately out of the existence o.
|
South, it is because the rights of Shareholders
are supposed to be endangered. If it il threat
ened in the North, it is because the power Of
Shareholders is supposed to be on the increase
1t is clear, that the more we multiply slave
| States, the more this fountain of bitterness will
overflow. Again, the more we multiply slave
States, the more we hinder the emancipation
of slaves in the old States. That epandpas
ton, although it is to be instituted, managed
and conducted, by those slave States them;
selves, is a reformation due from them 10 them
it depend the highest possible development OF
national wealth, and the highest possible in
crease of national strength and power While
l do not maintain that Slavery is Incompatible
with the attainment of certain stage Of prosl
perity in some States, under some circpmstan,
ces, do insist, on the contrary, that, sll other
things being equal, every State flourishes just
in proportion as its laboring population are in,
tellgent, inventive, and free. l am opposed
to the policy Of the bill, because the addition
of slave States tends to continue and increase.
the dependence of our country upon the manu-.
featuring industry and the financial systems of
foreign countries, and thus to build up those
great interests in foreign countries, Instead
of making our systems of manufactures and.
finance continental and independent. During
this debate, the bill has been altered Qscannot'
say, in Parliamentary language, amended) by
the incorporation of feature which, if it were.
otherwise entirely acceptable, would Decessa-
rily deprive it of my support. The organic
law conferred the right of suffrage, not only
upon aliens who had become duly naturalized,
but also upon alien inhabitants who Fave in
the forms of law declared their intention to
become citizens. The bill before US now dis
franchises this latter class. / am not to say
now, for the first time, that regard this Know
Nothing or American policy as being equally
unjust and unwise. / hold that the rsght of
suffrage is coextensive with the obligation of
submission to constituted republican authority.
| While this bill overthrows that principle essen
tial to Freedom on the one side it strikes a
blow equally dangerous to Freedom on the
other, by an indirect invitation to the. slave.
holder to bring bondmen into the Territory,
and thus practically exclude the DISTINGUISHED
European emigrant AS general fact labor
in Kansas, as in all our her Territories and
States, must be performed either by slaves or
by European immigrants. The American
People, educated and trained as they are, do
not furnish an adequate supply of native labor.
This bill encourages slave labor, and discoura-
ges immigrant labor
There is another broad objection to tie bill,
when regarded as a measure which may result
in the establishment of Slavery in the Terrific.
ries. If | were asked what think is the real
ground of whatever antagonism exists between
the free States and the slave States, I should
say, that it consists in the unequal extent
within which the pure Democratic principle
has worked out its proper results in the two
sections. In the free States, labor being eman-
cipated, seizes upon the Dem oeratic raacaihefy
OF the Government, and works out the results
of political and social equality with great rapid
ity and success. Thus labor rules In the free
S4okna r. tIn Gle Cto4n 1,h1 III,
shaved, the operation of pure Democratic
principle is hindered, and the consequence is,
that capital is more successful in retaining its
ancient sway. am opposed TO the policy of
la.oring the multiplication OF slave Statesi on
the ground, broader than any have yet taken,
that it is injurious to the cause of human So
ciety itself. l think it clear, that if the sense
of mankind in all civilized nations could be
.4kaa, u yovl4 be faunA 70 require that Siayefy
should be brought to an end wherever it exists,
not Immediately, or suddenly, by violence, or
without indemnity, but with moderation, pru-
dence. and sagacious administration, and as
| soon Us 1t Can he Qo4e, consistently w,ta equal
justice, am unwilling to oppose myself or
to place my country in an attitude of defiance
against the Judgment and benevoence OF man
kind.
Mr, president, have sought to find ous what
of slave State in Kansas, by the act OF with
the consent of Congress. The only ground
which seems to me to reach that dignity Id, that
the existing slave States require room for ex-
pansion beyond their borders. l know that
growing States need room. The State OF New
York, before it ever comprehended its own des
tiny, or had assumed its true character, had al
ready reproduced itself in Vermont. Since that
time, it has practically extended itself in the
| forms of new and additional States upon the
shores of all the upper lakes.
| do not however, see necessity for more
room on the part of the slave States. OF course,
speak with much hesitation, but, nevertheless,
according to the facts as 1 understand them.
| The free States have an area Of 6l2,597,
square miles, and sustain population Of
| 100000. The slaye States, With only
| 100000 of inhabitants, have an area of
| S5l ,5O8, square miles. The free States have
population of % to square mile. The.slave
States have a population of only ii to square
mile. The increase of the white population
within the last sixty years has been l6 ,380,6O4,
or SIG per cent; while the slave population
has increased during tho same time only
$780, 4l6, or 359 per cent. 1t may be eafely
| inferred from these facts that the slave States
will actually need no more room within the. next
half century. Again, if do not mistake, re-
garding the extension of slave Territory merely
in an economical aspect, as affecting the price
of slazes think it clear that further expaasion
| would be injurious to the slave States them
| selves The cost of an able-bodied slave, though
he is inferior in capacity and intelligence to the
white laborer, already exceeds the full cost of
the education and maintenance of q white Ia
| borer in Europe. If. then, free immigrants ex-
| listed in sufficient numbers, and had the cispO-