The daily union., 1856-04-16
A QUESTION OF yERAoiTY FOR SENATOR BFyp
WILSON

i
While Mr.. Hallett was discussing the principles ., ,
Kansas act the right Of the people Of the Territor
make their local laws concerning domestic So
and the danger 70 the Union Of sectional an,isaTs
party, Mr. James Swett Of Milford, in the assem-
and addressing the speaker asked IL he might pat o
| ton 10 him. =
| Mr.. Halstt Certainly any inquiry you wish to ma,
/ Mr.. SWEET wish 10 call your attention 10 ths -
slavery resolutions OF the Massachusetts, democrats g.
convention of ls49 of which you chairman and ~ +
| you how you can reconcile what now read
II some OF Massachusetts, should be found eiyco
tng the resolutions Of the democratic State ooayepoS
ls49, written by Hon. b. n Hallet the chairman of ~
national democratic committee aud the district -
torney for Massachusetts, declaring that we are onnos
slavery in every form and color, and in favor Of S
and free soil wherever man lives throughout Gods ~
tagea pretty broad declaration that includes kansss
that if these resolutions endorsed by Charles
Greene the especial ayorte OF the President In New
land, national deoerdie doctrine should be circua,S
Kansas by of Massachusetts he would be sph
| to the punishment provided for in this section"
/ Mr. Halett Did you ever read the resolutions h.
mentioned Of the democratic State convention Of Ma
chusets In 1849
Mr. SWEET. l never have. s.#
Mr. Hallett BY what authority, then do Won air.
that the resolutions OF the democratic State coayed
in ls4a written by Mr., Hallet and endorsed by Colon
Greene, were anti-slayery resoutions2
Mr. SWEET My authority is the Hon Henry Wilson Of
the United States Senate.
Mr. Hallett So supposed, sir II is not the first Tina
he has fasihed that record You those resoo
ions and you have been grossly deceived in regard J
Nl
giving me this opportunity in the presence OF this aO
assemblage OF citizens TO expose his deliberate and
ed perversion Of them. The assertion you make ou
the authority OF Mr. Wilson, is that the resolutions of b
convention of ls49 reported by chairman of com
mittee and endorsed by Co Greene national democra
doctrine were antislavery resolutions such
and abouonsts willing to adopt and that they ara
inconsistent with the position and other democrats now
take upon the right Of the people of Territory 10 deter
mine the question of slavery for themselves Is that your
understandings #a..#t .a#a..
Mr. SWEET. It is t a#.. #.uf#.# .s.aa
Mr.. Hallett happen TO have those resolutions with
me, though certainly did not anticipate this nterroqa
ton. They are printed in the paper | now hold in nv
hand, and will submit them to this very large and in
eligent audience with their permission and we will then
whether abolitonts and the opponents Of the Kansas
act VIII endorse them You will agree with they
are to be taken as whole and not garbled and the true
meaning perverted by quoting single sentence or part
OF resolution, and leaving out all the on the same
subec-maiter This is what Senator Wilson has done
twice in his seat in the Senate, and repeatedly before that
position gave importance his public declaration,
The way he garbes those resolutions is this AT the con-
venton Of the fusion aboonists OF Mddlesex county IN
October last, which Mr. N. p Banks presided and
where Henry Wilson the maser-spirit he sanctioned
the Misrepresentation OF those resolutions in the same
manner and for the same purpose he has since twice done
in the United States Senate quote that resolution ofte
Mddlesex abolition convention as the specific form
which Mr.. Wilson makes his assertions: F4
Resooed That we heartily approve the doctrine promu
State convention Of ls4o In resolutions written by
allet and approved sound and national by the Boston
Post, and which resolutions follows:
:" That opposed to slavery in every form and
color and in favor of freedom and ee-so whereyer man
lives throughout Gods heritage that by common law
and COMMON sense well by the decision OF the Su
pseme Court of the United States the Of slavery
mere municipal regulation, founded upon and limited to
the verge OF the territorial awthat is the limits Of the
State creating 1T that slavery does not exist by any
municipal law in the Territories Oregon California
and Minnesota then being the only Territories in ls49
and Congress has power to institute it, the local laws
any State authorizing slavery never be transferred
there nor can slavery exist there but By local law Of the
Territories sanctioned by Congress or the legislative Of
State In its sovereign capacity that opposed
the eseneian Of slavery free Territories and in
the exercise OF all constitutional and necessary
restrict II TO the limits within which 1t does or nay exist
by the local laws OF the States ;---
There Henry Wilson stopped at semi-colon and beo
a "6ut which explained all the foregoing declarations
After that sem-coon directly followed this emphatic quail
heaon Of the whole preceding abstract Of northern
tonal sentiments upon slavery, viz: sss@a
Bm these sentiments are so universal at the North as
TO belong to no party being held in by nearly all
men north of sectional line, while they repudated BY
most men south of that line end therefore they eaaa bt
made national party test"
Now, said Mr. Hslett turning to his inerrogator viii
you go with me iu that doctrne2
Mr.. SwetL No, sir, | deny IT,
Mr. Hallett | thought so. Then you don't like this
national democratic doctrine which Senator Wilson has
dsuded you into believing the autsavery resolutions
Of the Democratic Convention of ls49 written by Mr. Hal
lett and endorsed by Coouel Greene2
Mr. SWEET No, sir do not agree with that but are ypa
in favor OF frcelom2
Mr.. lalletL Yes, all over. rs .- ......
Mr.. SWEET thought you were in favor Of slavery,
Mr.. Hallctt That is another of your unhappy deIl
sons how let rs test this camor of anti-kAnsas men
about freedom" by definitions Allow TO ask, are
you, sir In favor OF freedom
Mr.. Swett Certainly am. .....-.
Mr.. Hallett Are you in favor OF the freedom Of tbe
white people Of Kaneas Nebraska and other Territories
settle the question of slavery for themseyes2
Mr.. SWEET No, sir, not
Mr. iallett Then You g2tin favor Of phik freedom
bat only negro freedom That is the test point When
an aboonist or black republican shrieks out for free
dom, he means nothing but negro freedom. In all hN
government and the rights Of he see nothing bu
negro To fugitive slave be counses the mur
der Of the marshal and his posse the overthrow Of h
constitution and the laws, and the reign Of riot and
anarchy To free three millions Of negroes in tnsi
States Of this Union, be would willingly look sla
see seven millions Of white men, women, and ehiId
rem butcheres That Is his one idea Of freedom
and that is his philanthropy. But let tell you tbs
freedom consists not in the night Of fanatca men 'H
women to steal negroes violate oaths aud rample ID
constitution and laws Of the Union The only ae
lican Freedom is liberty regulated by law the liberty
the people OF every political organization TO them
selves by framing their form of government hn
making their own local laws under their organic laws
Territories and their constitution when States SubO
dnate in every State and Territory Of this Union 10
constitution and laws Of the United States to all grant
ed powers
That Is freedom" in New HAMPSHIRE that Is "cedou
in Missouri, that is freedom" in Kansas and that u "f
dom and frec-so wherever lives throughout God
heritage in any community where the majority enjoy
exercise that right in government That Is what the pot
ton OF the resolutions Of ls49 (quoed by Mr.. Wilson
without its quahcahon) affirmed absract propOsF
ton Of government BY including color il embraced n
northern sentiment common 10 all north OF q sections
line aud then distinctly declared that because
sectional sentiment as to slavery il could not be made
national party test
"Free-soilF Why what is 'free-solR' New England
freeso when she held slaves till they ceased to b
profitable The South is Gfre.-so thouoh contnung