The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-06-10
WASHINGTON, D. C.
SUCCESS OF THE ABsOLUrIsTs. THEIR
ID zALISn; WHAT AND WHENCE IS IT.
SPEECH OF HON. PHILEMON BLISS.
OF OHIO.
II THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
MAY "a 1858.

The House being in The Committee Of the
Whole on the state Of the Union
NJ. BLISS SAID:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: During the crowded Lee
compton debate, RETAINED from seeking the
floor, chiefly because desired to see the new
opponents CT the Kansas outrages, and espe-
cially my colleagues, learn to stand, and, if
possible, TO walk alone; and ALEC because the
sui jec. itself was enc could with great diff
Guilty coolly consider. could reason with a
lighwsyman, if had no more effective wesp-
on; ! might also demonstrate with pickpock-
Ell bat could find no fit words for discussing,
al a republican representative body, the pro-
priety Of forcing dark despotism upon a pro-
testing people, upon one of our own youpg
States, especially as this was to be dore in the
name Of Democracy and of popular sover-
eignty.' If the statement of the proposition
would not carry its own damnation, no parlia-
lneniary language of mine could ftly describe
it; and the mind that could for moment en-
terrain it, is entirely beyond my reach.
And when the Administration and its mas
lera. IcO In the nhheu WlcheuUesS, l0cuDaItC
with those whose plighted faith,* if not their
principles, should have been their guard, and
Matched the nasty substitute substitute es-
tablishing the principle of non-submi-s sion.
while claiming to provide for its effect, though
coupled with conditions fraud inviting, and
deeply insulting to KanEas, to Freedom, ard
the NORTH watched the newborn men, TO
gee whether a soul had been actually given
them. More in pity than in anger, saw them
cAl before they had well learned to stand saw
them, with mouths full of valiant words, swal
low naked and degrading insults; saw them
weld to a dominant absoutism, though not a
complete, vet a real, and to US and them de-
grading victory.
By lawless enforcement of lawless dictd,
Slavery exists in all the Territories and we
have now the precedent that such Territory
may at any time become slave State; but, if
it cannot be forced or bribed to receive slave
Constitution, it must continue slave Terrific
ry mrst wait for the last jot and title of pre-
liminary requirement.
had foiatly hoped to have been spared this
cup CT degradation but why should / ? Ever
since the slave interest has succeeded in over
riding every other interest: ever since the enc
mics Of free labor, the containers OF free
speech, the assassins of free thought, have es-
tabished The reign of terror in nearly half these
States, have ! seen but single purpose, e
"one idea" an absorbing object prompting
and guiding their every scheme.
Gentlemen seem astcnished at the bald
wickednes5 of striving to force upon An uuwil
ling, protesting people, despotic fundament
al law, and the b2lder meanness of rendering
them q brihe and threat TO receive what
ccald Tot thus be forced. Ye., where the end
is the supremacy of force, where that end has
been for years the steady, unremtted object,
with no variableness, and scarce shadow of
turning, how can We wonder? Shall the
means be more holy than the end? The lie
compton scheme of fraud aud nsurpation, the
preparatory outrages-the forays, the robber-
les the burnings the imprisonrn ents, the muir
ders-all perpetrated by, or under the eye of,
Federal officials all sustained, directly or in
directly. by Federal bayonets, and the disgrace
tul finale, may well astonish and alarm Yet,
they are but acts in the one grand drama.
TIE success Of these champions of force is
10 less surprising. Representing but q sectiou
Of THE Union, aud that section, rom the blight.
ing Influence OF their rule, com parstiYely weak
aud poyerty-s'ricken, men wonder to see them
able t. control the federation and realize every
sec;gIsl scheme; able to give construction
to the fundamental law one way, against the
wants of commerce, Of creative art, and the
necessities of personal pro ection, and another
way in favor of despite interests; to see them
make solemn contracts to subserve such inter
ests, and break them for the same end; to see
them able TO sectionalize and pack the Supreme
Judiciary; to strike down the hdbeaS corpus
and trial by jury; to involve us in war upon
the weak, TO rob territory for Slavery, while
yielding TO the strong that which was free, aid
10 which I" cur title was clear and unquesiion.
abe;' to see them able TO prescribe all high
minded men, driving from the public service
those of all sections who believe in the harmo.
ny Of the Decalogue, the Declaration, and the
COnstItrtion-maklng tests that would have
excluded Franklin and Jefferson and Jay from
tue pettiest Cllice; 10 them make cripgng
slaves Of Northern boosters, booming to the
curse of the'serpent, upon thy belly shalt thou
crawl, every applicant for Federal favor to
see hem cause in this Hall parliamentary law,
respected upon Other questions, to be so often
overthrown upon questions of Slavery, and
make the courts OF the federation, eager and
5lcodihirsty after fugitive from servitude,
poweriess against the piratical apostles Of for
egn propagandism. Men, too, wonder-ay.
they are sore ilmazgd-to see the apostles Of
force able 20 place this government in league
With conspirators against one of its Territories,
sustaining them in ballot stulings, forgeries,
and every political crime known among men,
70 cause IT to employ all its powers to fasten
uPon this Territory a form of State Govern
ment 1t loathes and 9etests, giving as the chief
reason for the damnlHg crime, the fact that il
does thus detest it! Ay, and their wonder
grows to advertisement as they behold Repre-
seniatives of spasmcdic virtue glad to be per
rnit;ed 10 aid to the fell end by bribes, by
threats, and by invited frauds
Whence this OJnnipotence for evil? Yet We
should not wonder. These are the necessary
results Of the different spirit and resolution, the
olnerent manner and purpose, tina, have hither
to distinguished the controversies between The
ir ends and opponents, if opponents they may be
cal-i, 81 human euslavement The friends OF
absoiuiism have been all will, all energy, al
perseverance, III their work; while their cppo
nents have net them by temporizing, now
eXPostulsirg, now family resisting, and finally
always Jleiciog. The former have seized :
great l5e2 as TIE basis Of their civilization: and
sieaoily keeping II IN view, have subor iiaatel
every other Consideration. The latter, in.en
upon gam, AID peace in lis pursuit, have guor
ed all liked prisupie, been bind to any grea
END, snc have substituted shr III pg expe diem
cy tlr an enduring purpose. The - will" O
the ofe Il met by the please don't" of HI
other and IN afraid cant" is the brave
response to the grim you shall; :" AID whi
the former nave bepI their representative mel
IN the middle Of the conflict, the latter hav
sought to seld into retirement; all whose eatue,,
ness of resistance has seemed to make realit
OF tie shan. Even the brave champions q
'tae equality of tie Sta.es " Ard "ihe soyel
eighty Of the people" after consistency ba
been made more safe than surrender, as TIE
meet the frown CT the accustomed mas.e
eagerly yield bo:h, by q dishonorabie discriu,
nauon against free Constitution, aud BY tel
dering brave people bullying bride to accsI
an oitrejec.ed slave one.
We often hear the shr fling and the incol
start dennunce the DECIDED as ahstractionist