New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-07-14
NO MORE COMPROMISES ON SLAVERY
SPEECH OF HON. WILLIAM Y. SEWARD,
AGAINST
MP. DOUGLASS SECOND ENABLING BILL
The Immedate Admiesion q Kansas Into hs Unicr
pa,reres in tho Senate Of tie Unted Stats, Jiya
AND IN FAVOR OF


already reached lbs fourteenth hour. Ii do not has
tn, the CLEAN. Of the morning sun will pae the lights
the chandelier before shall have closed my speech
The honorable and distinguished Sen ,.or from Ken
lucky lMr. CrittendeI) has appealed eoquestly AMI
esuesl, to nv love OF peace, and 10 my devotion to
the Union Certainly every consideration weighs upon
me as strongly as upon any other American Senator OF
citizen 10 make me desire tha: peace and harmony may
pevail throughout this broad land; that my s"n
country wNthier of my love than any other country
under the sun. may be united now, henceforth, and
forever; and that il may by means Of such harmony
and union, continually rise IN prosperity, greatness,
and glory.
The honorable Senator has based on that sp2ta
remopstrsnce against ny remark, that the time for
couprouises hse passed" The honorable Senator
from Georgia Ny. Toombs), 10 whom this bill owes
its principal features has disc aimed for Il not Only the
form but alse the character Of compromise. As-un-
ing, however with the Senator from hentucAy, tsae
this its true character must say nevertheless tnat
be misund erstands me, when he supposes that am
opposed TO all compromises of all questions, on All
occasions. My position concerning legislative com
promise. is this, namely: personal, partisan, Tempo
fary and subor questions, msy lawfully be coi-
prom sed; but principles be justly or wlsey
made the subjects Of compromise. By pr'ne'Pes
~. an the elements in public questions OF moal night,
political Justice, and high national expedlency' Does
subject Of legislative compromise ,
Unlike perhaps that honorable Senator, regard
Slavery as morally unjust, politically unwise, and go
ciay perpicous IN some degree, in every community
where il exists. Slavery once and no, long ago, was
practically universal. IL may be doubted whether
among all the distinguished men whose eolaoorer AN
in this august assembly, there one who more IN III
myself if he could trace his inc .ge upward tmouyh
period of five hundred six hun red years, would 40,
reach the bar sinister owe II TO wiSe viruous, aud
bold legislators, who have gone before me, thai an
pot yseh a slave, and that within the STATE where
live Slavery has forever ceased 70 exist. oFe II
10 mankind and 10 posterty, tina, being legrlsor
now my elf Slavery shall by act of mine be estao-
lshed or extended; and by act OF mine, God slviss
me grace no human being shsll ever breafter be
made or held slave. This is principle; and, beiag
o principle, cannot compromise Y. Nevertheless;
am not for that reason, 10 be supposed wiling - be
either turbulent fsci)us in resisting the mJolty oil
nv countrym.n when, overriliug me, they eonlro-
mise principles even sacred as this. abide mat
reconsideration which always hopefully beseve near,
and am sure il ultimately certain.
II was my frtune TO have Just come TITO Congress
when California, free State, applied tor admission
| into the Union. insisted on her ADMISSION, without
coudtoe qualification, or compromise Others here,
on,he contrary, demanded compromise, when 'houid
settle as they said al actual and al possible ques.
tons arising out of the subject of Slavery in the United
States then thehceforth, and forever showed thst
| such compromise iDpracticable l maintained
| that questions arsng out of Slavery, from time to
time under different circumstance, aud in different
pa,s of the Republic could only be Justly and wisely
settled and indeed could only be settled - all seve-
rally and ditiI city on the occasions on wnich they
| occurred. ! was ovelruled; | was censured, how
wcely how severely all the world knows, for my re-
fusal to Join in measure Of peace and harmony as
was called which as | thought a: the COS, of sscri-
fees Of freedom and lnslce, was eApec,el 70 'e,ni,
nate the discussion of Slavery in Congress. and to re-
store harmony and concord throughout the country,
and perpetu ate them forever.
That compromise m.ie here about THE time, IN
q midsummer might, ike THE, at the close OF a long
sld stormy debate. Loud mOgthed artillery, from the
terrace of the Cspol announced 10 the people OF the
United s, ates that the Wilmt Pfoviso bur ed I'M
der the floor Of the Senate Cbamoer and that the agi
| taiion OF Slavery was buried with j.. Wherever
| went, here abrosd, was pointed out as chief
mOurner-the last TO leave that soemn ceremonial
| Only four years had elspsed when those who bad
tf.ct.d that compron found il necessary to open TO
civilization the Territories of Ne,raska and Kansas,
ard they introduced into the SeI ale hill for that
purpose. Then all at once the Wimot Ptoviso ourst
The cerements of its grave and staked through the
Senate Chamber, clad IN the same fearful horrors tha'
| it bad worn before its intermen..
| The Slavery question thus reopened, certainly by
no act of Nine, of those who at vito me, the Com
| promise Act Of 1850 was reviewed. Those who ia
vored the extension of Slavery in the Territories maia-
tanned tina. that Compromise drew after 1t, as con-
sequ. nee, an abrogatOn Of the prohibition OF slavery
| in Kansas and Nebraska, contained in the Missouri
| Compromise Act Of 1920. Those who opposed the
exteision of Slavery denied tkst consequence. was
| among that number, AID was again Overuled. The
majority here then hit upon new cXpedient to bind
down and confne the Wlmot Pfovso in its tomb, and
prevent s possible resurrection forever That expe.
dent was that Congress should renounoe, in favor Of
the inhabitants Il the Territories, ell jurisdiction
the subject Of Slavery therein. Having no faith 10
the jWtice or the wirdom Of that expeoent, calmly
warned the Senate that they were only sending this
perpleXiDg question of Slavery down to the TerntO'
ries TO involve their inhabitants in factous and fruit
lees col tests; and that it would come back again to
the Senate red with the heat Of those sIlfes TO be
settled hese q. last ] insisted then that Congress
ought TO discharge it's proper responsibility, and decide
| whether Kansas and Nebraska should be Slave Terri
tories Free Territories The Compromise ordnance,
from the terrace Of the Capitol, announced to the
Throughout the length and breadth Of the land, dis,
appointed and oveithrown agitator Two years have
elapsed. What the result Of this, TIE second Com.
promre made within six years-a Compromise con-
sitting in the abnegatiOn of Federal power over the
subject of Slavery IN the Territories Of the United
States The result in its nature, is just what pre-
dicted while in is aggravatons It surpasses al that
my fanatical imagination lad conceived.
Sir, say again, and with emphasis, we have had
enough OF compromises the subje y of Slavery The
Day tor them las passed DO You ask what would
| DO on there disturbing questions | answer, that
would do on these what would do on all other ques.
turs. hold this TO be Government Of majonties,
modified indeed by complex constitutional limitations,
| but ne yerth.less Government OF mnJorties.
Il the business of Congressto ADJUST aud deter
mine all questions which les ,mately come before it,
! and not to compromise them OF 10 dev Dive their de-
cision upon others True, know very well that
might be overruled, and that Slavery might be estab
lished in Territory by Congress, where should vote
| TO establish Freedom Ia that case, Slavery must
main there until in constitutional way, it shall be
removed. So on the other hand, If Freedom shall be
established in the Territories where others vote to
establish Slavery, they too must submit, and abide the
cI ange they desire. True, know that there nigh.
be ference Of opinion bttween the House OF Rep
IeseH ,tives and the Sens.e in such In such
an event, must wait until the two Houses can
| II m rpw y o. vel