Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-05-10


from Missouri Mr.. Geyer, that there existed
more comfy between any two foreign nations
now on the face of the earth, than there exists
on the part of the Northern States towards the
South. Why is this? 1t is because it does
not cost the North one cent; it is because the
North makes no sacrifice; 1t is because, disre-
garding the obligations of the Constitution and
treading them under foot, she dares to attack
the honor and the interests Of the South, which
are protected by the provisions of that Constitu-
tion, whilst the South, loyal to her duties and
to her faith, is bound hand and foot by the
same Constitution, and prevented from making
reprsals or evincing resentment.
But, sir, suppose these bonds we're to fail for
q moment-suppose this common compact
once repudiated by all-think you that the
North would be found pursuing this warfare
upon the Sonth? Think you that she would
not be compelled immedisssly 70 ask NJ to ac-
cept treaties of extradition for our fugitive
slaves? Think you she would not come and
tender such treaties to us, and pass laws for
bidding our slaves crossing their frontiers?
Let me not be misunderstood. | am not here
to pretend for moment that the South is equal
in population or military strength with the
North. do not refer to that at all. / speak
of that compulsion which would be exercised
upon the North by regard to its own inter
ests, by the necessity of avoiding the destruc.
ton of large commercial and manufacturing
properties at the North.
Why, sir, if the people of New England had
to pay tax for every word they utter with
view of aggression upon the South, how many
words would they utter? But that would be
the case ifthere was disruption. We should
be compelled in selfdefence to wage a continual
unremtting war in which no sacrifice would be
too costly because we should be bound to it by
all the bonds of which gentlemen have spoken;
we never could abandon such warfare because
our very safety and existence would be at stake.
What would be the interest of the North2
Would she pay tax after tx Would she
meet the expenses of dreadful war, continued
through long series of years, for the pleasure
of exercising her philanthropic propensities in
receiving some fugitive slaves? Not at all,
sir. Those are ignorant of human nature who
believe such thing to be possible. Therefore,
it is idle to talk to us about the risks we run
in regard to our particular institution that would
result from disruption of the Union.
] see that my friend from New York is study
ing the law of nations. will give him another
little passage from Cooper's Justinisn
Slavery is where one man 10 subjected to the
domination Of another according to the law Of
nations"
Mr.. SEWARD. Have you no more ancient
authority?
Mr.. BENJAMIN. 1 give you the earliest
and the latest.
Mr.. SEWARD. / beg to correct the honor
able senator. He did not read the whole Of the
passage He ought to be candid and read
the whole sentence. a HcH9sl3
Mr.. BENJAMIN. "Slavery is where one
man is subjected to the dominion Of another,
according to the law of nations, though contra
ry to natural rights"
Mr.. SEWARD. although cohtrary to ma
tural rights"
Mr.. BENJAMIN. The proposition of the
senator from New York did not touch natural
rights. He spoke Of the laws Of nations.
Mr.. President one Of the principal causes
which operate in inducing the masses of the
people in the North to sustain the leaders Of
the black republican cause is their ignorance of
fact; their having been mislead BY so continu
GUS, so persistent perversion Of truth on this
subject that they have finally been induced to
hate white men and love black men in prefer.
ence. IL q traveller or q philosopher came to
this country, and we're desirous Of ascertaining
in what manner a body Of nearly four millions
Of the people of the country were treated,
whether they were well fed, well clothed, kindly
treated, and exempted from suffering, to what
source would that traveller or that philosopher,
IL he we're man Of intelligence, address him.
self for the purpose Of arriving at a correct re-
suit? He would take the statistics of the
he would say to himself "All expe-
rience has proved that this rule is unbending
physical comfort and kind treatment will pro-
mote the increase Of population, whilst the
absence Of that physical comfort, want or suf.
fering, will produce the contrary result" Then,
IL be took up the statistics which the officers
Of this government have been paid 40 much
money for collecting-most Of whom have
been employed from the northern States
be would find, strange as it may appear,
that since the year 1910, at which period
importations Of slaves into this country bad
ceased, IL you deduct from the white popula-
ton its increase resulting from emigration, and
II you add to the black population the de-
crease which has resulted from the emanci-
patton of slaves, the ratio of the increase Of
slaves is greater than that Of the whites.
Sir the philosopher or traveller to whom
have referred would at once come to his con-
clusion and note it down ~ an established fact;
but your Black Republican is not to be misled
by any such chicanery as thisl He has read
in novel the authentic fact that Mr.. Legree
whipped Uncle Tom to death, and that is
thousand times more satisfactory than any such
foolish things as official documents.
Sir, we are told, " il, however, your negroes
are 80 well treated, If the same humanity is
displayed towards them as you wish to lead US
to believe, why is II that so many of them run
away7' have looked to the census to find
something on that point if i could, and found
that out of this population, one in twenty seven
hundred runs away. II struck me that it might
perhaps be an interesting inquiry for our ami
able pbilanthropic friends 10 ascertain whether,
in their own beloved North, there might not be
one restless man in twenty seven hundred who
would abandon even wife, children, and the
comforts Of homo, whatever might be the COM
forts of his position, and 90 and seek some
strange fortune elsewhere If that be so, and
If this calculation be not exaggerated, do
not think the fact of one in twepiyseven bun
dred running away amounts to great deal
towards proving that southern slaves are harsh
ly treated.
But, sir, there is another significant fact to
be found in that same census. The State of
Massachusetts has opened wide her arms for
xl~ So,