The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-17
SPEECH OF WILLIAM H. SEWARD
Mr.. DOUGLASS SECOND ENABLING BILL

AND IL Favor OF
Tile Immediate admission. Of Kansas into the
Union.
Delivered Senate OF the United States July 1886
Mr. PRESIDENT: The daily sessions of the
Senate usually last three or four hours. The
present one has already reached its fourteenth
hour. IL do not hasten, the CLEANS of the
morning sun will pale the lights of the chande-
lier before shall have closed my speech. The
honorable and distinguished Senator from Ken
lucky Mr.. CEITTEsDES has appealed eloq uently
ard earnestly to my love of peace, and to my
devotion to the Union. Certainly every CON
sideration weighs upon me strongly AZ upon
any other American Senator citizen to make
me desire that peace and harmony may pre-
vail throughout this broad land that my own
country, worthier of my love than any other
country under the sun, may be united now,
henceiorth, and forever; and that it may, by
means OF such harmony and union, continually
rise ia prosperity, greatness, and glory.
The honorable Senator has based on that
appeal a remonstrance against my remark, that
Z" the time for compromises has passed" The
honorable Senator from Georgia, Mr.. TooMBs,
to whom this bill owes its principal features,
has disclaimed for it not only the form but also
the character OF a compromise. Assuming,
this is its true character, must say, never
theess, that he misunderstaEds me, when he
supposes that j am opposed to all compro-
misses of all questions, on all occasions. My
position concerning legislative compromises is
this, nsrneIy: personal, partisan, temporary,
and subordinate questions, may lawfully be COM
promised; but principles can never be Justly
or wisely made the subjects of compromise. By
;,riHcipies | mean the elements in public ques-
lions of moral right, political justice, and high
national expediency. Does any honorable Ben-
ator assert u different maxim on the subject OF
Legislative compromises?
Unlike, perhaps, that honorable Senator ]
regarti Slavery morally unjust, politically
unwise AID socially pernicious, in souie degree,
In every community where it exists. Slavery
once, and not long ago, was practically univer
sal. 1t may be doubted whether, among all
the distinguished rnen whose co-laborer / am
in this august assembly, there is one who more
than myself, if he could trace his lineage up
wards through period of five hundred or six
hundred years, would not reach the bar SIMS
Ter. | owe it TO wise, virtuous, and bold legs-
lators. who have gone before me, that am not
myself slave, and that, within the State where
1 live, Slavery has forever ceased to exist. 1
owe it to mankind and to posterity, that being
a Legislator now myself, Slavery shall by no act
act of mine, God giving me grace, no human
being shall ever hereafter be made or held
slave. This is principle, aud, being princi-
pie, cannot compromise it. Nevertheless, |
am not, for that reason, to be supposed willing
90 be either turbulent or factious in resisting
the majority OF my countrymen, when, overru-
ling nae, they compromise principles even 80
sacred az this. ] abide that reconsideration
which always hopefully believe hear, and an
sure is ultimately certain.
1t was my fortune TO have Just come into
Congress when California, free State, applied
for admission into the Union. / insisted on
her admission, without condition, qualification,
or compromise. 0theKs here, on the contrary,
demanded a compromise which should settle,
AS they said, all actual and all possible ques.
lions arising out of the subject of Slavery in
the l. nited States, then, thenceforth, and for,
ever. / showed that such a compromise was
impracticable. 4 maintained that questions
arising out of Slavery, from time to time, I'M
der different circumstances, and ia different
parts Of the Republic, could only be Justly and
wisely settled aud indeed could only be set
tied at all seyerally and distinctly, on the occa-
sions on which they occurred. / was over
ruled | was censured, bow widely, how severe.
ly, all the world knows, for my refusal to join
an "a measure Of peace and harmony s it was
called, which, as 1 thought, at the cost Of sac.
rifices OF freedom and justice, was expected to
terminate the discussion of Slavery ia Con
gress, and to restore harmony and concord
throughout the country, and perpetuate them
forever.
That compromise was made here sbout this
time, IN midsummer night, like this, at tee
close of long and stormy debate. Loud
mouthed artillery, from the terrace of the Cap
iiol, announced TO the people of the United
L Il
der the floor of the Senate Chamber. and that
the agitation of Slavery buried with it.
Wherever went, here or abroad, / was point
ed out as n chief inourner-the last to leave
thai solemn ceremonial. Only four years
elapsed, when those who had effected that com
promise tound II necessary TO opsn to civiliza
ton the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas
aud they introduced into the Senate a bill for
that purpose. Then, all at once the Wilmoi
Proviso burst the cerements of its grave, and
sialked through the Senate Chamber, clad IN
she same fearful horrors that it had worn be
fore ia interment.
The Slavery question thus reopened, certain
ly by no act OF mine, or of those who act with
me, the Compromise Act of 1850 was reviewed
Those who favored the extension of Slavery In
the Territories maintained that that Compro
mise drew after II, as q consequence, 81 sbro
CATION of the prohibition OF Slavery i'm Kansas
and Nebraska, contained in the Missouri Com
promise Act OF 1870. Those who opposed the
extension Of Slavery denied that Consequence
I was among that number, and was again over
ruled. The majority here then hit upon new
.npedient to bind down and confne the Wipo'
Proyiso in Its tomb, and prevent its possible
resurrection forever. That expedient was, thai
Congress should renounce, in favor of the In
habiants of the new Territories, all jurisdiction
the subject of Slavery therein. Having nc
Saith in the justice or the wisdom of that expe
dent calmly warned the Senste thst they
were oUIy sending this perplexing question OF
Slavery down to the Territories, to involve then
inhabitants in fsctious and fruitless contests
aud that it would come back again to the Sen
ate, red with the heat of those strifes to be set
TIED here at last. 1 insisted then tkat Congress
ought to discharge ITS proper responsibility, spd
decide whether Kansas and Nebraska should
be slave Territories or free Territories. The
Con, promise ordnance, from the terrace of the
Capsloi, announced to the people new triumph,
aud 1 WAS again pronounced, throughout the
ienglh aud breadth of The land q dsappointed