The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-01-02

rise for that purpose. lrose to defend my
,ection of the country, tho people whom /
nresented here, the old Democratic State OF
Maine. in its present position, with its twen-
ty.6ye thousand majority for Fremont, from
he charge which has been made by the Pres
ident against it. Ny object was to deny the
truth Of his statements - to repel them, %
far as / can repel them, from my place here
in the Senate, and oil charges Of tho same de-
scr;ntion. come from what quarter they may.
I am mot to be deferred from doing 20 by
auy warning given by the honorable Sena.
tor from Texas, against making imputations,
when those imputations, are called for by
the message itself.
The honorable Senator from Texas says
be deprecates the introduction Of the slavery
question into the Senate. have no doubt
that he does. So do |, unless It is neccssa-
ry. But let mo ask him. as my honorable
friend from Ohio inquired, who brought 1t
here? Who brought here in the first place,
the agitation that hos torn this country as
sunder during the present. Administration
Was 1t not tho President of the Uuited
States, acting in conjunction with those who
repealed the Missouri compromise line 7 Did
Il exist before the Kansas Nebraska bill was
brought into the Senate? Was not the
country quiet? Was not the House OF Rep
rosentatives quiet? Was there any agita-
ton any disturbances anywhere? There
were none.
Mr.. Rusk. Does the Senator desire an
answer?
Mr.. Fessendcn. I shall DO happy to re-
ceivc one.
Mr.. Rusk. The Senator certainly can.
not have forgotten that long before the Ne
braska bill was thought Of there was oppo-
stion to the fugitive slave law. Petitions
for its repeal were presented, and there was
a constant agitation on that text before the
Senate and the country, and in public news
papers. It was used for political capital.
Now it has become popular to say that the
Kansas Nebnska bill introduced the agita-
ton Of slavery. Why, sir, IL has been go
ing on for upwards of twenty years. This
was better text than the fugitive slave law,
and therefore tho fugitive slave law was
abandoned and this taken up.
Mr.. Fessenden. Very we'll; | under
stand all that but let me ask the Senator
again, in my turn. had not all those mat
ters been settled by what were called the
compromise acts? Had not the country
been quieted, or was 1t not supposed to have
been auieted, by the resolutions of the two
conventions held ut Baltimore in 1852, by
both of which it was resolved that there
should be no more agitation on the subject
that neither party wOud agitate the ques-
ton rs it then stood and SO long rs 1t 70.
maincd in its then existing condition =
Was not that tho conclusion, arrival ut by
both tho great parties of the country ut that
time? =? When the first Congress under Pres
ident Pierce's administration met, was there
, any disturbance from the commencement OF
, IL up to the time when the Kansls-Nebras.
ka bill was introduced into the Senate OF the
United States? No, SIR; none at oil. The
country had been quieted, It had acquiesc'
ed, and IL was we'll known it had acquicsc-
ed. A very general disposition existed ev.
, ery where lit was announced here upon
, the floor of the Senate - that these ques.
, tions should not be mooted again, bat th'
country be left to rest IN quiet, and form
, its own conclusions. Was 1t not SO?
think shall be losne ous by ample tosti
n,ony on point.
Mr.. Adams. l call the attention Of the
Senator to the fact that somc States, Ver
mont for instance, had, by their Legisla.
lures, before the introduction OF the Kan
sas-N ebraska bill, passed laws against the
execution of the fugitive slave law?
Mr.. Fesscnden. That may be. Suppose
they did so. an speaking of agitation
+ hero, on the floor Of tho Senate, and in the
other branch of Congress. Mr.. Jones, OF
Tennessee. Will the Senator allow me to
interrupt him for moment, to give him
some information which he seems not to
have?
Mr.. Pcsscnden. am much obliged to
the Senator. am always glad to be in
structed.
Mr.. Jones, of Tennessee. l hope So
The Senator inquired whether there was ag.
I itation here. Two propositions were made
in the Senate to repeal the fugitive slave
law, after the passage Of tho compromise
measures Of 1850, and vote was taken up
on them in the Senate.
Mr.. Fcssendcn. If the Senator had at
tended to NE he would have known that /
was speaking Of the first Congress that met
after the Inauguration Of President Pierce.
I say that the platform Of tho two party
conventions, held in the summer preceding
his election. deprecated all further agita-
ton, VIXEN he delivered his inaugural ad-
dress he alluded TO that fact, and claimed that
no further agitation should take place upon
that subject in the country. Congress met,
and nothing was said. There was gene
|, raj disposition to acquiesce in those meas
ures to do nothing and say nothing
30 loug rs matters remained in that con-
dition. It was the introduction OF the
Kansas-Nebraska bill which re.kindled tho
frcs of agitation in Congress and in
the country. 1t was his act, because he
endorsed and sustained it, and used the
power of his Office in order to carry il
|, through. Well, sir, IL has passed and
|, VIC have gone through another election
II was hoped, perhaps generally, that VIC
should escape from any unnecessary aSita'
tion on this subject now. But what DO we
find? On the second day of the session
comes in message from the President, cal.
i. culated rs well rs any document in the world
could be calculated, TO effect the same object.
and stir this Congress again into a blaze /;
characterized by violent, although covert,
attacks upon the principles and motives Of
the great majority Of the people Of the free
States. one Of which he is an unworthy sons
insulting to men, many Of whom, to say the
least, are quito as good, quite as wise, and
as able as himself; document intended
flor give him credit for reasonable de-
GREE OF sense) to stir up agitation, and be
iieyc. upon my conscience, intended {, do
40 @ for the purpose Of accomplishing his own
;ndiyidual objects in the future for | can
sce no other reason for the course he has ta.
kan. When that document comes into the
senate. and some gentlemen do not choose
n set silent under It's imputations thus
thrust upon us, gentlemen from the South
ast wby this eternal agitation7 Why not
Loep silent on this subject' Why Is It
asain brought before the country, and 10
tSS consideration of tho Senate = Sir, Of
what stuff do you suppose we are made =
r. VIC are disposed to DO quiet, you call us
craven. wc are afraid to speak, We have not
spirit enough to protect or defend ourselves
-. m Oit md desire