Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-06-06
15ulifiral.
THE RIGHT INDICATED !!
SPEECH OF CHARLES SUMNER
senator from Massachusetts,
MAY 20 AND 81, 1856

For ictich he ,cas Jruiagy beaten by Preston
s. Brooks Member Of Congress from South
Carolina.
Mr.. PRrsfpENr.-You are now called 10
redress great transgression. Seldom in
tho history Of nations has such a question
been presented. Tariffs, Army bills, Navy
bills. land bills, are important, and Justly oc-
cuny your care but these al belong 10 the
course Of ordinary legislation, As means
aud instruments only, they are necessarily
subordnate 70 the conservation Of Govern
mant itself Grant them or deny them, in
greater or less degree and you will lnilict no
shock The machinery of Government will
continue To move. The State will not cca q
90 exist. Far Otherwise Is 1t with the emin-
ent question now before you, involving, as q
does. Liberty m a broad Territory, and also
involving the peace of the whole country,
with our good name IN history for overmore
raka down your map, sir, and you will
6n3 that the Territory oi Kansas, more than
any other region, occupies the mddle spot OF
North America, equally distant from the At
laruc on the east, and the Pacific on the
west; from the frozen waters Of lludson's
Btv on the north. aud the tepid Gull Stream
on the south, constituting the precise terrific
rial center of the whole vast Continent To
such advantages of situation on the very
highway between two oceans, are added a
soil of unsurpassed richness. and a fasclna-
ung. undulatng beauty OF surface with a
helith-givng climate, calculated 10 nurture
o. powerful aud generous people, worthy TO
be central pivot Of American Institutions.
A few short months only have passed since
this spacious mediterranean country WIS
open only 20 the savage, VINO ran wild ln its
woods and praires and now o has already
drawn to its bosom population of fecmen
Iartrrthiu Athens crowded within her hls-
turc yates, when her sons, under MiIuades,
won !. berly Tor mlnkud ON he field of Ma
rllblu, more than Sparta contained when
che ruled Greece, ami sent forth her devoted
children Quickcurd bya mIther's henstic-
tuu. 90 return with their shields or on them;
more than Rone gathered 90 her seven hdls,
when. under her kings, she commenced thlt
sovereign sway, winch afterwards embraced
tle whole earth; more thau London held
wien. on the fields of Crecy and Agincourt
ths English banner was carried VIGOROUSLY
over the chlvalrous hosts OF France
Agnns, tins Territory, thus fortunate 30
position aud population, crime has been
committed, which is without example IN the
records of the Past. No: 10 pundef'd PROV
inces or in the crucues OF Sc lish governors
w.Il YOU ind its parnlel and yet there IS 40
ancient instance. when may show at least
the psth OF Justice. In the terrible lmpelch.
m.nt by winch the great Roman Orator has
blasted through all time the name of NeTes,
amidst charges of robbery and sacrlege The
cnormity which most aroused the indignant
voice of h,s accuscr, aud which sul stands
forth with strongest dlstnctness, auesing the
sympathetic Indignation Of all who read the
story, Us, that away % Sicily he had scourg-
cd citizen of Rome-that the cry am q
Roman citizen had been lutcrposed 20 VAIN
araiust the lash Of the Nrant goyernor- -
Other charges were that bee had carried A.
way productions of art, aud that he had vio-
lated the sacred shrlnes. 10 was 90 The pres-
ence of the Roman Senate that ths arraigu-
mant proceeded 10 a temple OF the Forum
amidst crowds-such AS no orator had ever
before drawn together--ihronging the poru-
cls and colonnides, even chnging 20 the
hluse-tops aud neighborng slopes -and un-
der the anxious gaze OF witnesses summon
Cd from the scene Of crime. But an audit
once qrander iar-of higher dgnlty-oi
more various people ana of wider inielli-
romeo The countless multitude of succeed
ing generations, IN every land,' where elo-
qnsnce has been studied or where the Roman
name has been recognize i-has listened TO
the accusation. aud throbbed with condemna-
ton of tine criminal. Sir speakng M an
AGE of hight aud 10 a land OF constitutional
liberty, where the safeguards oil electlo rs
are Justly nlaced among the highest triumph3
of civil zttion, iearessIy assert that the
wrongs of abused Sicily, thus memorable in
btsf Fto atI la ff 81
of Kansas, where the very shrlnes Of popu.
Dor institutions. more sacred than any heath
en- altar, have been desecrated; where the
balot.box, more precious t1an any work, ln
iyorv or marble, from the cunning hand OF
art. has been plundered; and where the cry
81 am an American citizen" has been ia
terposed in vain against outrages of every
kind even upon life itself. Are yOn against
sacnlege? present 1t for you. eXecrauon
Are YOU against robbery mold It up to
your scorn Are you for the protection OF
American ctizens; show YOU how their
dearest rights have been coyen down, while
Tyrannlcal Usurpauon has sought To IN
stall itself on their very necks
But the wickedness which now begin Ia
expose is immeasunbly aggravated by the
motive which prompted h. Not m any com
mon lust for power did this uncommon trag
odv have its origin II Is the rape oi yir-
gin Territory, compelling Il to the hateful
embrace of slavery: and II may be clearly
traced to a deprayed longing for new slave
State. the hldsous offspring o. such criine'
In the hope Of adding 10 the power OF slave
~ IN the National Government Yes, sir
when the whole world, alike Christian au'
Turk. Is rising up To- condemn THIS wrong
and to make II Kissing 10 the nitlons, here
IN or Republic, force lay, sir, FOtCE-
has be openly employed in compelling Kan
gas TO this pollution, and all tor the sake o
poticnl power There Is the simple fact
which YOU will yaiuy attempt to deny, bu
winch IN itself presents an essential wicked
ness that makes other public crnes seen
ike public virtues.
But this enurmlty, vast beyond comparl
son. swels to dimensions OF wlckednes
which the Imagination tolls IN vain to grasp
when Vt is understood, that for this purp1s
nre hazarded the horrors of intestine ieud
not only IN this distant Territory, but every
where throughout the country. Already th
muster has begun. The strife Is no longe
local. but national Even now, while speak
portenls hang on all the arches of the hon
zon, threatening TO Garken the broad luur
which already yawns with the mutterings {
ciu war The fury OF the propagandists
Slavery, and the calm determination of thei
opponents. are now dlflused from the distar
Territory over widespread communities, an
the whole country, IN all It's exteni-ma
shllng hostile divisions, and toreshadowln
strife, which, unless happily ayerted by IN
trumph Of Freedom, will become war-ir'
tncldal, parrlcldll war--wilh an accumul'
ted wickedness beyond the wickedness OF d
ny war IN human annalsi justly proyokn
the ayenging judgnentof Providence an
the ayenglng pen of history, and constltt
ting a strife, in the language of the ancle
wuler more than foreign, more than soeit
more than ciuii bat something compound'
Of all these striics, aud IN itself more thi
lu.r I'll ...Ll.n c..Ln.ull.Ia nunI LIun ~. nLnu