The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-08-13
SPEECH OF HON. MR.. CRAWFORD.

OF the many powerful speeches which have been deliver
ed in the two houses of Congress this session the slave
ry question few will compare with the speech recently
made by the Hon. Mr. Crawford Of Georgia. in the House
of Representatives in regard to historical research force
of argument cearness of dicton and the accumulation
of overwhelming facts. We give entire this morning what
we conceive be unanswerable argument favor of
the great principle mbodied in the act
1t should be extensively read and circulated every
ton of the Union.
The various positions assumed by Mr. Crawford in the
of this admirable speech sustained by him in
manner which cannot fail to bring conviction home to
every candid inquirer after truth He starts off with the
assumption which will attempt to controvert that
slavery agitation was unknown for the first thirty years of
our national existence During this period territorial gov
ernents formed first in Tennessee in $780, in Msss-
spp in l7ss in Orleans in 1904 in Louisiana in 1906 in
Missouri in 1872 in Alabama in 1917 and in Arkansas in
1872 and in the several actseatng these Territories
prohibition to slavery appears except prevent the i'm
poraon of slaves from foreign countries Preserving the
order dates Mr. Crawford proceeds to state that in
the North demanded that slavery should be prohibited
Missouri of the conditions of her admission into the
Union as State The South resisted this offensive evil
dence of aggression and seconalsm As will be recol-
leced of the most important struggles in political
history ensueda contest which displayed degree of
teect and patriotism which reverted to with
a feeling of glowing pride. The sequel is we'll known
The Missouri line drawn and the South sub
sd to compromise which Congress had not the const-
tutiona power to make
Although, continues Mr. G, the South dissatisfied
with the Missouri Compromise it is termed she sus-
tanned ii in good faith and defended it again and again
from northern assaults Finding that 1t was practically
ignored by large and rapidly growing sectional party
the North the South determined 90 back to the
tuition for guide and protection believing that Terrific
res were free settlers from all sections Of the Union with
to their own notions of expediency propriety When
the South avowed this determination all sound national
viewed it final settlement of the slavery ques-
ton The principle regarded fair and Just to all
sections Of the Union and essentially in accordance
with the spirit Of republican institutions Its imbodi
ment in the act creating the Territories of Kansas and Ne
braska has elected fierce opposition and bitter denuncin-
ton. But the opposition md denunciation have been
principally confined to those who have for years and
camored for the repeal of the very which they now
seek to restore.
Mr. Crawford closes his powerful speech by contrasting
the positions occupied before the country by Messrs Bu
chanan and Fillmore The whole speech should be carefully
read and carefully pcndercd by all who profess to be
guided in their political actions by the light of reason
truth and patriotism.