Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-05-30
Mr.. Summers speech.


d fore made such an impression in force
3 manner and emphatic style. He wa:
u animated and glowing throughout. The
galleries were crowded and the ante,
: rooms thronged. The correspondent o.
y the n. Y. Tribune says that some passa-
ges quite electrified the chamber, and
gave a new conception of the man, and
that finer effect has rarely been pro-
duced. We give one or two extracts be-
low:
"You are now called to redress a great
: transgression in which is involved not
only the liberty of distant territory but
5 the peace of the whole country. Against
D Kansas a crime has been committed with
out parallel in the records of the past,
worse than anything done by Verres
against Sicily. This crime hazards civil
war. 1t all proceeds from the slave power
which is the criminal. In opposingi it we
are not "fanatical'' or sectional" as said
: by the senator from South Carolina (Mr.
: Butler,) who is the Don Quixote of slave
r ry. The senator from Illinois (Mr.
+ Douglass is the squire of slavery, its
Sancho Panza, ready to do all its humili-
ating offices. He cannot compel obedi-
ence to this usurpation. He initiates the
British officer, who, with bold swagger,
said he would cram the stamp down the
Threats of the American people; and he
will meet similar failure.
Are you against sacrilege? 1 present it
for your execration. Are you against
robbery? I hold it up to your scorn.
Are you for the protection of American
citizens? show you how their dearest
rights have been cloven down, while a
Iyrranieal Uusurpation has sought to in
stall itself on their very necks! But the
wickedness which now begin to expose
Is mmeasureably aggravated by the mo-
tive which prompted it. Not in any COM
mon lust for power did this uncommon
tragedy have its origin. It's the rape of
virgin territory, compelling it to the
hateful embrace of Slavery; and it NAV
be clearly traced to depraved longing
for new slave State, the hideous off.
spring OF such crime, in the hope of adj
ding to the power of slavery in the Ma
tional Government. Yes, Sir. when the |
whole world, alike Christian and TURK. is
rising up to condemn this wrong, and to
make 1t kissing to the nations. here in
our Republic, torce-aye, Sir, FORCE
has been openly employed in compelling
Kansas to the pollution of Slavery. all I
for the sake of political power. There
Is the simple fact, which you will vainlv
attemptto deny, but which in itself pre-
sents an essential wickedness that makes
other public crimes seem like public viz
tues. But this enormity, vast beyond
comparison, swells to dimensions of wick
edness which the imagination tolls in vain
to grasp, when it is understood, that for
this purpose are hazarded the horrors Of
intestine feud, not only in this distant
Territory, but everywhere throughout
the country. Already the muster has
begun. The strife is no longer local. but
national Even now, while I speak, por-
tents hang on all the arches Of the bor;-
zon, threatening to darken the broad land
which already yawns with the mutterinos
OF civil war. The fury of the propagan-
alstS OF Slavery and the calm determine :
ton Of their opponents are now difnsed
from the distant Territory over wide
spread communities, and the whole conn
ny IN all Its extent-marshaling hostile
and foreshadowino strife L
WHICH, unless happily averted by the tri-
lmph OF Freedom, will become war i
ratrlcidal, parricidal war-witb an 90 u
'umulated Wickedness beyond the wick II
9dness OF any war in human annals--;iust Il
} provoking the aTenging Judgment of Il
providence and the avenging pen of his u
ory' and constituting strife, in the Ian .
,uage OF the ancient writer, more than 81
0Ts'g"' more than social, more than 10
'v"' but something compounded of all liz
nese strlies, and in itself more than war
ga 00f'"s commune q1s0ddana e:c omnibus +
Pl1s guam belZlsm. Such is the Criin,o ~
men you are to judge. But the Grim !
lal also must be dragged into day. thar -
Oh may see and measure the power bv 80
men all this wrong is sustained. From -
common source could ii proceed. In -.
preparation was needed a spirit of %
auntIng ambition which would hesitate =
nothing hardihood of purpose which =.
as Insenslble to the judgment Of man :.
nd; amadness for Slavery which sbopld VI
sregard the Constitution, the laws and
l the great examples of our history a.
so a consciousness of power such as 70
mes from the habit of power; a con,bi
'lioh OF energies found only in a him. 90