The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-04-10
From che Washington Union.
SENATOR BUTLER's SPEECH ON KANsAs
AEEkIRS

connected with Kansas affairs. There are
two or three points III this speech which
made Il powerful impression in the Senate
Chamber when it was delivered, and they
have been admired 10y the whole country
for the lofty patriotism of their sentiments
rs we'll rs tho thrilling cloquencc of their
language. We refer particularly to his
earnest and impassioncd vlndication of the
character of General Atclison, and his
equally earnest and impressive rcLuke of
tho assault, made by Mr.. Hale upon the
Supreme Court. In the course of the
speech Of Mr.. lIarison, on Thursday last,
he alluded to the remark of Sfr. Butler
made III the spccc! referred to, in which
he said that he would rather that the
Union should be dissolved in preference to
being i'll Union without the protection of
constitution which gives Him c.,ualy.-
Mr.. Harlan construed this remark to mean
that Mr. Butler preferred dis, olution of
the Union rather than that the people Of
the Territory should have The power to ex-
cludc slavery from it. Mr.. Butler w:,s ab-
sent when the ausion was made but
after Mr.. Harlan had concluded, the follow
ing remarks wers made:
"Mr. Butler.-Sir, | say now calmly.
that when II northern majority shall ac-
quirc such contrul over the legislation of
this country as to distr,nchisc the slave
holding States in any respect in Which they
have an equality under the Constitution of
the country, | will not agree to live un.lcr
this Government when the Union can
survive the Constitution. That is nv
sentiment. l am not Il slave to submit
myself to legislation controlled hy mere
Ill ! w
ington and enjamin Franklin, and the
wlsest men who ever lived were to come
here and attempt to Iesislatc under the
dictates of me,c discretion, and should do
me An injustice would be craven and "A
traitor to the principles of .N"yna Churta
to everything which | have learned from
the highest sources of l,Story--if could
submit TO any measure that would place
my children the ninety nine hun,lr,ath
part of an inch beneath Tie children of the
Senator from Iowa.
Mr.. Bell, OF TcnncSscc.-I do not wish
to interfere i'll this matter, but will state
what understood the Senator from Iowa
to say.
"Mr. Butl.r.-I did not hear his re.
marks; | WAS not here when he made
it.
"Mr. Bell, Of Tcnncssec-Thc Senator
from Iowa took the distinct ground, that
the Interpretation Of the views of the c..l-
tleman from South Carolina WAS, that the
equality Of which he spoke consisted in
the citizens of the Southern States having
the right, during the whole period of terri
torial governments in the Territories, to go
there will, their slaves before Il State con-
Senator from Iowa 10 say that the Senator
from South Carolina had denied that the
people OF the Territory Of Narsas under
their organic law could exclude slavery if
they should think proper at the com
mcnccmc!it of their territorial government,
but must admit slavery until the Territory
shall be admitted into tle Union with Il
State constitution. That IS what | under
stood him to say.
Mr.. Butler.-'This is rather and am
hulatory kind of issue. ca,.not find out
what is the meaning of the Senator.
Mr.. llaran.-l will state tn the honor
able Senator from South Carolina what
said. The honorable Senator from Tcnncs-
ace has fairly presented the argument; but
my view WAS based on the statement Of
tho honorable Senator from South Carolina,
and the honorable Senator from Georgia,
Mr.. Toomhs. 1t was argulncnta,ivc mere
ly. quoted, as nearly as | could remcm.
ber, the substance of the remarks of the
Senator from South Carolina and then
interpreted the meaning of his plrascolocy
ny quoting from the speech Of the Senator
from Gcorgia.
Mr.. 1Iale.-Ti,at is it, exactly.
Mr. ISuilnr WILL e;,. ,.,,. -.
copar,nershp with anybody in making
speeches. If the Senator from Iowa were
on the tripod tomorrow at the DcIphic
oracle, | would not take his Interpretation
of my speech lie might place Pythia
there, and instruct her, and PhiIipsc her.
If he chose, lsit would not take his inter
probation. Why, sir, avoided that very
question in regard to the powers of the
territorial government. lie cannot find Il
word i'll my speech upon that question:
The potential faculty Of a territorial govern
mcnt is one over which we should exercise
very delicate control. I never cortcndcd
that desired a law to carry slavery into
any Territory, and | never wanted n law
to exclude it. All that have contcndel
for ID, that the common domain of this
government, acquired by the common blood
and treasure Of all parts Of the United
States. shall be just as free to one class of
citizens rs to another. When tho people
OF a Territory are in the process Of ap-
proacllng what may be called the maturity
Of their territorial cxistcnce-a State gov
ernmcnt-I say much is to Le pardoncd to
tho opinion Which prevails at the time
But sir, if an insulting Interference were
to he made by a majority of Congress, or
such an interference rs woull exclude a
Shareholder on the broad ground that hc
WAS unworthy of equality with non
slavelloIdlng population, do you suppose
would Stay Ill the Union if l could get out
of it2
"Ihat is the true doctrine. do not
wish to live snder this government when
the constitution persles. l believe the
gentleman is or has been in the church,
Nr