The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-01-15
From the Washington Union.
COL. RICHARDSON ON THE NE
RRASKA BILL

COL. RICHARDSON ON THE NE
BRASKA BILL.
The speech of the Democratic candidate
| for Speaker of the House of Representatives
| in support of the Kansas and Nebraska bill,
delivered on the Goth of May, 1854, is now
before US, and the following passages are
SO pertinent and so manly, so patriotic and
| SO democratic, that we cannot resist laying
| them before our readers
''Since the introduction of the bill every
| expcdient has been resorted to, to intimidate
members from giving it their support. The
pulpits have undertaken to speak in the
name of Almighty God against it. The
abolition press have placed the names of
members in what they are pleased to call
the roll of infamy who have voted for the
bill. Such abuse is courted rather than
| avoided.
The opponents of the bill say the people
| will condemn us forever. / have heard the
same sort of talk before. Why, they have
| told me some years ago here, that | might
/ look for some green spot by the side OF some
gentle stream, where might find my politi-
cal grave. Sir, instead Of that they have
| found their political grave, and have been
continued here by the wish of my cOnstitu-
ents, and against my own desire.
But, sir, gentlemen of freesOil and aboli
| ton proclivities tell us, if we persist in
| urging this measure, they will leave the
| Democratic party. l hope they will; for
| in the hour of danger and trial they are
| opposed to us, and have ever been; and it
is only where the victory is certain, and the
spells 10 be divided, that they act with us.
| They have married the moral of the victory
| by their clamOr for the spoils. For one, |
have no desire to propitiate them. Sir, we
| shall pass the bill, settle great principle,
| and so settle it, that ia ali future time we
| can sustain it; the country will approve it,
and these gentlemen, now so clamOrous,
will acquiesce-yes, sir, believe that is
the word-or swear that they were always
for the principle, but opposed to its appli
cation to these Territories; and some of
them will doubtless be able to go back to
| some speech or essay where they main
want to say word or two to our friends
| before conclude. l want to say, to them:
that our danger, and our sole danger, con-
sists in our divisions. | want to say right
here to our northern friends, that our for
tunes are linked up with this bill. The
assault is made upon you. Your names
| are in every abolition sheet in the land in
what they call the roll of infany.' If we
falter under such fire as this, there is no
arm but that of resurrection that can reach
us. Take my word for it, you will find that
to be true. You never make anything in
one of these political fights by yielding
Fight it out, and fight it ever. Our safety
consists in standing together. If we fall,
let us fall together, and fall fighting. Let
us ask no quarter, and give none. have
a word to say, too, to our southern friends,
and what l submit to them is applicable to
our northern friends, too. In the details of
the bill there are great many things about
which We differ; there are great many
things that we would prefer to have other
wise. But we shall have to give up our
opinions about these details for the sake of
the great principle involved in the bill. If
we stand firm, and pass the bill, my word
for it, that the excitement which has been
manufactured at the North will blow over
before the elections next fall, or, at all
events, just after them. we appeal TO you
in spirit of generosity TO yield something
in details, to stand by the friends who have
stood by you; not stood by you because
we yielded to you, but because we believed
we were doing justice and right.
The principle will triumph from this time
forward, and the day will soon pass by when
no more determinations shall be drawn be-
tween the States of this Union-discrilnina
tiOns that ought never to have been drawn
under any circumstances, and which %ere
not made at the foundation of this govern
ment. Let me say to the friends of this
bill, that the best course we can pursue is
to vote down all amendments, stand by the
substitute, and pass it. If we once enter
upon a sea of amendments, there will be no
telling where We shall land. l have no
doubt, also, if they had good opportunity,
that they could pass bill which would suit
them exactly, but which would not suit us
at all.
Our safety, 1 repeat, is in standing by the
substitut as it is. Gentlemen need have
no apprehensions about the storm that will
be raised at the North. l stood here and
voted against the Wilmot proviso with only