Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-01-23
NIr. Renlon,n Leotnre.

some of the honored citizens of the place. He
then introduced some "reminiscences of his boy
hood, connected with the culture of cotton, and
the laboriOus and expensive process to which at
that time it was subjected in order to prepare it
for the market, and to his own participation in
the tedious labor of picking the fibre from the
seed. Then, cotton was an almost worthless pro
duction. Most families had little garden patch
of the plant, with which to supply their immedi-
ate wants, and few had fields; but then it did
not enter at all, now, into the calculations of
the political economist or count as a constituent
element in the wealth of the country The great
change that had been wrought in the production
of that article had been effected by the genius
and industry of citizen of Worcester county,
and the whole Southland not only the South,
but the whole civilized world-owes to Eli Whit
ney, native of your county, debt of gratitude
that the imagination could scarcely comprehend,
for his invention of the cotton gin had done more
than any other in the world to increase the wealth
and multiply the couvenences and comforts of
mankind.
From these Introductory remarks, Mr. Benton
entered directly upon discussion of his subject
the means of preserving the Federal Union from
dissolution He said it was not for him to parcel
out praise or censure to any one section, but he
took it for granted, that all intelligent persons
would admit that the Union was in danger. He
continued to sketch the condition of public af-
fairs, and the state of feeling that prevailed at
the close of the Revolution. The Federal Union
and the United States Constitution were the re-
suits of a compromise between the conflicting
elements of Southern and Northern States; and.
having diverged widely from that condition and
that state of feeling, the only remedy to ensure
perpetuation of the Union, was a renewal of
the spirit of the old time. The Constitution sets
out, said Mr.. B., with the declaration that slaves
property; they have been taxed as property in
two Instances since the government was formed,
and being taxed as property, it was in vain to ar
que that slavery was not recognized by the Con-
stitution Being recognized as property, the
South demanded that it should be represented,
and this was one of the results of that compro-
mise that led to the establishment of the Federal
Union. Again, the South demanded a clause for
the recovery of their fugitive slaves and this
yielded without dissent. Without these conces
sions the South would never have come into the
good will that then prevailed among the men who
had inaugurated the Revolution and carried it to
successful contamination, that no harshness of
feeling was manifested on either side
Mr.. Benton next commented on the fact, that
at that time Massachusetts held slaves, and that
in the beginning of the last century she placed
law upon her statute book, prohibiting the manu-
mission of slaves. He inferred from this, that
Massachusetts men now, whose ancestors, more
than hundred years since, had been guilty OF
legislation savoring of barbarity, should be very
lenient towards their Southern brethren, who re-
tain similar laws in full force at the present time.
This part of the argument appeared to have
great weight with the speaker but the audience
he was addressing were, think, too intelligent
not to see that Massachusetts,, having outgrown
her inhumanity, and established more humane
and Christian code Of laws, it was reflection
upon the South, that she hal not-stil adhering,
as she does, to the dark and bloody institutions
Of century ago.
Mr.. Benton next alluded to the reverence of
New England men for the fathers of the republic,
and exhorted his audience to look back to their
example, at the time the government framed,
for their views, opinions, and votes, upon matters
relating to slavery and cultivate the spirit,
and initiate their example.
Mr.. Benton next sketched the history of the
ordinance of 81, which he characterized as the
most extensive abolition of slavery the world had
ever known. The South, he said. voted for it to
a man, and even took the lead in its enactment.
The South and the North were united in that
measure; no discussions and discords marred the
unity of purpose, that animated the men who had
reversed the lessons of all past history and taught
the world that the men who could inaugurate a
revolution could establish government. In the
very first year after the government was estab-
lished, petitions presented to abolish slavery
in the States, but of the free States took the
lead in opposition to them, for the whole thing
had been settled; it was not an open question,
and could not be entertained in Congress, without
msrring the objects for which the government
was framed-and with this statement the petit
tons we're withdrawn, and the whole thing set
tied down by act of members from the free
States.
"Next," said Mr. Benton, "came the agita.
ton of the subject of recovering fugitive slaves.
In the first year of the government, Washington
himself brought the subject before Congress, and
recommended the passage of law to carry out
the provisions Of the Constitution, and in 1913
such law passed without debate. There
was unanimity, my friends, said Mr.. Benton, and
for thirty years after that the country had peace
until the question relating to the Missouri Com.
promise came up, in 1919. But that was settled
amicably, and now we may see the origin of all
our troubles They grew, not out of slavery, but
out of protective tariff To Mr.. Webster be-
lOnged the honor of having first detected the de-
signs of the South to break up the Union.
Mr.. Benton next sketched the rise and progress
of the South Carolina notification scheme, which
he admitted was nothing more nor less than a
scheme to destroy the Union, but which ended in
compromise in regard to the tariff which from
its very nature could not be lasting. Web
ster was against it-Benton was against it, and
Webster said then that he was against It, for he
believed the time had come to try the strength Of
this government. The South soon saw that dis.
union was not to be had on the tariff issue, and
then it was resolved to change the issue, and
labor for disuniOn upon the issue of slavery.
Mr.. Benton quoted from Mr.. Calhoun's first
speech on his return home after the notification
troubles in proof Of his statement that it was the
determined purpose Of Mr.. Calhoun and other
Southern statesmen who acted with him, to break
At. ~.