The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1857-03-14
political.
SIP E ECH
Hon. ThOs. P. Akers, of Missouri,
In Reply 10 Hon. II. T.. Bowie,
DELIVERED IN TIE HOUSE, OF REPRESENTA-
rlvEs, January l4th, 1857.
(ConciHlcd.)

that was OppoScu 10 t1c iuIIHcI aSilhl'oiI VI
the slavery Question in Congress-; partly be-
cause of its mischicvous tendency, but. chief
", during the present short Session, because
it keeps in allegiance, and will probably de-
feat altogether, other and important public
interests. desire, during the residue Of my
hour, to speak somewhat In detail on each vi
tht,t two topics.
An eminent British historian. speaking Of
the American Republic. calls it the Young
Giant of the Vest" and considering its TN
rvalcd growth and expansion, it has certain
ly applied to it a very appropriate dcsigna-
ton. But this slavery agitation" is fear
iul gansrcnc on the limbs of the youthful
giant. climbing with dark, mortal omen TO-
| ward the seat of life. 1t was the hiss of this
serpent that alarmed our fathers when they
we've laying the foundation of the government
and from that day to this it has traicd its
Shiny length--its pathway Of shame-alone
all the years Of oitr growing greatness. 1t
has finally succeeded in coilng itself about
the body of the giant" Its strong folds arc
now contracting With crushing power, and
history has already recorded the first tragic
line of the final catastrophe.
We shall not fully appreciate the miscliicv-
Gus tendency of slavery agitation" unless
we look narrowly into its past history, and
carefully note its occasions and effects. Ii
| began far back in our national annals. 1t.
| first scure was enacted on the floor of the OLD
Continental Congress. For three successive
years 1t rocked the floor Of that Hall. and
shook the i'll conspactcd elements Of the Con
fcderacy almost to dissolution. 1t was raging
| crccy when the convention met to frame the
| Federal Constitutions: and it was transfcrrct
f! TO the floor If that convention. So fierce anG
violent was the contest there. that the hop,
Of uniting the contcnding factions into on,
common siStcrhund of States was for time
completely blightrd At length an amrahl,
adjustment was clrrt,d. The State of Nir
gina ccdcd to the United States that splcn
did domain KT0wn rs inc Northwestern Ter.
ritorv. from which five Furnishing States ilav,
since been formed. This lhnnifccnt bcqurS,
was at that time an citectual Qulctus TO the
slavery agitation. 1t was the great pacifica
tor. II said to the troubled elements. "Pracc,
be still - and instantly the sea went down
and the great vessel of our country's fortunes
was seen floating like a beautiful swan on tho
bosom of the quiet waters.
4 little attention to The slavery agitation in
this instance, especially to the manner Of its
adjustments will disclose the secret and LANE
full source of all subsequent and similar agi-
tationS. Before The Federal Constitution was
adopted, the area and population of what is
| now the slave country largely exceeded the
area and population Of the free States. Ii
was clearly apparent. therefore, that the slav,
States, under the hrcciilthS rule Of rcprcScn.
tation. would hold the balance Of power in
both branches Of the National Legislatures -
Hence the relentless opposition of the free
State delegates in that convention to the in
stituton Of slavery. The contest Men as III
subsequent instances, to which will pre-
sently advert. was a struggle for vested rights
on the one side, and political supremacy on
the o.her. This proposition is susceptible OF
a degree of proof scarcely inferior to demon
Stration. In the argument which propose
to make upon it, Shall leave ont of view the
interesting proofs that might be drawn direct
" from the contest itself, aud direct my at.
lcntion to such only as are deducible from its
final adjustment.
If the contest in question did not originate
in an unworthy grasping after political SUI
prcmacy Oh the part of the free States dele
gates, IN nhm, ask, did ii originate Did ii
spring from an inherent rcpugnance to the
institution Of slavery, considered simply and
in ITSELF Was it the offspring Of humanity
interposing in behalf Of the slave! Surely
such a contest could not have sprung from
either of these sources. In what, then, did
it originate There Is but one answer to the
question; and that answer is clearly deduct.
bic from the mode of adjustment by which
the struggle was terminated. The acquisi-
ton of the Northwestern Territory opened
out to The free States the prospect of future
expansion, and with that expansion, the
prospect of ultimate'polilica supremacy in
the councils of the nation. Hence the magic
power of the famed ordinance Of 81. You
remember how promptly and ciflctually it
appeastd the storm: how completely it bri-
died the wild rawlings of fanatcism how it
CLOSED up the temple of Janus, and furled for
the time all banners of battle. And yet the
condition Of the slave was nowisc affected by
its passage. The proof of the proposition
submitted above is full and com letc-that
the first slavery agitation was contest on
the part Of the free States for political supre-
macy. pass without further remark to the
rcycwal of its subsequent history.
The next serious agitation of the slavery
question occurred in the year 1912, when the
State Of Louisiana applied for admission into
the Union A bloody war with Great Britain
was just on the eve of bursting upon the
country; but the battle upon the slavery
question appealed so directly to interest OH
the one side, and to mad fanaticism on the
other, that even the ''pomp and circumstance
of approaching war were either UNDECIDED OF
lost sight Of, in the fury Of sectional agita-
ton. In this, as in the former instance the
contest was struggle for power.
The third, and by far the most frightful
agitation" that has ever transpired Since
our government began, occurred when Mis-
souri, applied for permission to form her State
constitution. commenced in the year 1919:
and for two terrible years the smoke of the
battle hung over the Capitol. The great heart
of the nation was beating tumultuously and
almost bursting with apprehension, when
suddenly the battle-clouds lifted. and all eyes
in both sections CT the Union, turned eagerly
to see on whose banner victory had perched.
They saw the contending hosts sitting quiet
ly around double faced monument, on the
one side and the other of which, each read the
inscription Gifts own victory Missouri was
admitted beneath the Ggis of the constitution
but slavery was restricted forever from all the
territory north and west of that State. d.
shall pass by the "agitation" Of 1886
which occurred, when the State Of Arkansas
applied for admission into the Union. Other
elements SO complicated the struggle as to
render its true source and character most
Il e al,