The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-01-02
VOLUME xln-NUMBER 1.

Mr.. Fessenden. I do not know that I
have on the floor Of tho Senate, but / know
what Is said outside Of the Senate; and We
are judged outside Of tho Senate % well a.
in il. 10 be sure, am not disposed fre.
qucntly to pey great attention to that, un.
less l am compelled TO do 90 In self.1efence.-
But there are occasions when we cannot help
noticing these matters. We ore forced into
debate as we'll as you. have no disposi.
ton certainly land think, II gentlemen OF
the senate will judge me with calmnes, they
will concedc that I have shown no undue
disposition) to agitate these matters here.
l have never spoken upon these subjects un-
less ON occasions when certainly might be
excused in doing % from the necessities Of
my position, and the principles hold and
mean to maintain. Yet I deem II hardly
right that, when we are forced into these
positions, and obliged to defend ourselves BY
the men whom you sustain, and who speak
for you and for you alone, and never for the
section Of country from which I come, We
should ut least have liberty 10 speak for ID
ourselves, without being accused Of any
reasonable want Of courtesy or respect to
the powers that be.
or the samo character is his message With
regard to Affairs in Kansas, and the origin
and progress Of the difficulties there. Look
at the message calmly. The President as
sumes that the people Of this country have,
by recent elections, settled certain general
principles-all very correct principles-such
as non interference with slavery in the States,
the equal rights of the States, and Of
the citizens OF the States. II. has been
we'll said, that nobody here ever dispu
ted them nobody pretends to dispute any
thing OF the kind. Yet he goes on immcdia-
tely to speak Of the doctrines of the Repub.
lican party affirming the right OF Congress
to leglslate for the Territories, Us contrayen-
ing those well-settled principles which no.
body disputes. Every one can very well SEQ
that the conclusion does not follow from the
premises; that the questions are as perfect
ly distinct from each other rs white is from
black, or light from darkness. They have
no similarity, no connection. Southern men
may argue, and do argue, that the conse-
quences will be the same. 1t is not for mo
to say-I do not wish to say in this connec-
ton. whether they will be 50 or not. But
the questions themselves arc widely different;
and still, throughout his message, the Prcsi-
dent studiously attempts to convey the idea,
that when the Republican party in the North
have undertaken to say that slavery ought
not to be extended over territory now free.
they have been contending for tho right to
interfere with slavery in the States OF the
Union, and to produce an inequality in the
rights of the States, and of the citizens Of tho
States. That is tho only fair and reasonable
inference to be drawn from his argument
Any one can SEQ that the whole argument Is
false. I do not undertake to say that he Is
fa!se-the senator from Texas will mark me
well-but say the argument Is false. The
conclusion does not, and cannot follow from
the premises. The questions arc widely dis.
tlnct from each other. He ayails himself OF
his position to send forth TO the country tho
impression that the people Of tho United
States, in deciding this presidential election
against the Republican party, hayo settled
against that party right claimed by them
to interfere with the institution OF slavery in
the States, and have rebuked desire upon
their part to produce an inequality between
the free & slave States Of tho Union. Is there
any such thing in the creed of the Repub.
lican party? Not ut oil. 1t can be found
nQwhcre-adyocated nowhere by any indi-
yidual or any press of the Republican party.
The President has taken pains 10 say, that
tho people also rcbuked tho idea of q Geo.
graphical party. My honorable friend from
South Carolina-l hope he will excuse me
for calling him so; have no right to ad-
dress him otherwise than the honorable Sem
| ,tor-b,s alahnra te1 the ilea
Mr.. BUTLER. assure you, sir, have
always been upon friendly relations with
you. -
between US, but still 1t is not my habit to
claim any relations between myself and 9TH
or gentlemen than such Us feel, from asso-
citation, that am entitled 10. Did the
President mean, in speaking Of geographic
cal parties, party that nominated its can
didates for President ard Vice President
from one section Of tho Union alone? Is
there any man who really believes that tho
nomination of tho Republican candidates
for President and Vice President from the
free States, was designed or intended as On
affirmation that no gentleman from the slave
States of the Union ought to be nominated
for those Offices. Not at all.
Mr.. BUTLER. The gentleman Is pre-
sentinc the case fairly, but l ask him to say
with equal candor, whether. If, at time this
election was going on, q Shareholder had
been q candidate, any portion Of what he
calls the free State people, would have yot.
ed for him?
Mr.. PESSENDEN. For my single self
can say that, if stakeholder could have
been fonnd, of emincnce in the country who
had come forward and stood with US, and
ayowcd, rs almost understand the Senator
from South Carolina to ayow, that he was
opposed to tho further extension OF slavery
over free territory-
Mr.. BUTLER. hope that will DO put
right. said that was in what We lawyers
cali state of Indifference on tho subject
| If slavery went to the Territories, be 1t 20.
but if il did not 20 there would not quar-.
rel about the matter. =,
Mr.. FESSENDEN, Indifference would
not have answered our purpose. The Sena.
tor would not have satisfied US. Laughter.
Mr.. BUTLER. said that you wanted
TO push Il Of, and that did not want TO
push It on, but let It 60 or not as the people
interested might determine.
Mr.. FHSSENDEN. Weunderstand each
other. What mean TO say for myself Is,
that II q slayeholder had boon presented asa
candidate for the Presidency who avowed,
aud was ready TO maintain, the sentiments
of the Republican party, Of opposition to
the extension Of slavery over fro, territory,
would havo voted for him just rs soon,
and with a. much pleasure, as for any man
of the free States, he beng otherwise unob-
iectionable. Il would have been no objec-
tion, / venture TO say, 70 the great Repub-
licnn party In the free States. The objection
Is not TO slaveholders as such. II could
possibly believe such thing Of gentlemen
OF character and manliness | might some
times be tempted to suppose that there was
a settled determination 70 make the people
Of the South believe falsehood. We have
never maintained the doctrine that We had
a right to interfere, or desired 10 interfere,
With the institution Of slavery in the States.
We have never had any desire TO prevent tho
al stn,, nf snu thara naU In oIlce. We