Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-02-25
FREEDOM OF SPEECH INDICATED
SPEECH OF
HON. J. R. GIDDIN GS,
In the House of Representatives.. Deem
Der 10, 1856.
IcoNcLuDED.]
on THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

lcoNcLUDED.
1 recently saw a statement OF the
amount of money expended by our
Southern Aid Societies. during the
past wear. Northern Christians and
pbilantbropists raise money in the free
States, to enlighten the heather of India.
of the Sandwich Islands, and of the
three millions of enslaved people in orr
Southern States. They put forth their
efforts and spend their money to extend
the lights of civilization and Christianity
10 all those who are groping in moral
darkness; and while they are doing this,
is the President to assail and denounce
them for agitating the subject, and dis
cussing the evils of barbarism?
1t has been asserted. on the opposite
side of the House. that radical Abolition
lists voted with the Republican party.
Iwish it were so. l think that duty
requires them TO voie with us; butt
should not apologize for any association
with them particularly, l would not
apologize to men who insist on carrying
Slavery into our free States. Nor have
any apology for Garrison and Phillips,
and those old school Abolitionists who
refuse to vote under our Federal Consti-
tuition. because ttey regard it as uphold
ing Slavery. They have the same right
to entertain their own honest opinions
that the President has TO enjoy his
They have the same right to proclaim
their doctrines which the President has
TO avow his. He has no more right to
reproach them than they have to re-
proach him. ''Errors Of opinion" says
Jefferson, "may be safely tolerated,
where truth is left flee TO combat them. "
The popular feeling of the North has
been too long held in subjection to slave
holding ,lictatiou. Submission to the
Slave Power has been carried so far that
even a Judge in my native State has sub
stantially decided that STAKEHOLDER may
bring and hold his slaves upon the soil
of the keystone State. 1 feel humbled
at this degradation, this servile submis-
sion to the propaganda of Slavery: l
would say to the people, speak out your
sentiments freely, but kindly; in the spirit
of manly independence and Christian
dignity. avow your own opinions COM
pare IDEAS with each o.her, and unfold
your own moral being learn more and
more OF nature and of natures God;
examine, discuss, and study the natural,
the God given rights of mankind. and
permit no dictator. no petty tyrant, to
limit your thoughts. Do not permit
yourselves to be influenced by arrogance
or usurpation. Bear in mind that public
men are your servants not your masters,
dependent on you for the official breath
which they inhale. They cease to hold
political existence when you frown upon
them.
1 win notice one further charge Of the
President. 1t is directed against our
State Governments and the people. 1t
reads as follows:
"The second step in this path OF evil
consisted of acis of the people of the
States, and in several instances of their
Governments, aimed TO facilitate the es-
cape of persons held to service in the
Southern States"
Not content with his charge against
Congress and the people of the Free
States, he goes one step farther, and
assails our State Governments. All are
aware that several of our Free State
Legislatures have prohibited the use of
their jails for imprisoning fugitive slaves.
They are unwilling 10 be involved in the
disgraceful business of aiding the pirat-
ical seizure of human beings who are
seeking liberty. Others have felt more
deeply the degradation of that infam Gus
work. and have prohibited their State
officers from disgracing themselves and
State by engaging in it. He does not
charge them with any violation of the
Constitution. or of any law. nor of any
moral or Christian duty. On the con-
trary. he charges them with thus per-
forming their duty to themselves and to
mankind. He seems tc have forgotten
that our Governors and members of the
Legislature hold their Offices from the
people, and not from him; that they are
accountable to the people, and not to
him.
But the President has no word Of dis
approval for those State Governments
who seize our freemen and enslave them.
His wrath is ali directed towards the
lovers Of Liberty. Why, sir, at this
moment, citizens ofmy own State, born
free. with the same inalienable right to
enjoy life and liberty which the Presi-
dent possesses, have been seized under
laws enacted by State Governments of
the South, enslsved, and now sigh and
weep in chains. doubt whether there
is a Free State Of this Union which has