The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1858-03-12
CONGRESSIONAL.
senator Sew ards speech on the Esnsss
Question.
WAsuYvovov lfsreb


WAsHINoroE. March 3.
sESArR-Mr. Seward spoke AZ great
length. lie thoughS the excitement on
the slavery question due 10 peculiar cir
oumstanoes: First, that in the beninning
the ascendenoy Of the Slave States wa,
absolute; it is now bein { reversed. Sec
ond, that whereas heretofore the National
Government favored this change of bal.
anoe from the Slave States 90 the Free
Staies; it has now reversed this policy
aud opposes the change Third. that ma
tional Intervention in the Territories in
favor Of Slave labor and Slave States, u
opposed to the natural, social and moral
development Of the Republic lie argued
these propositions at some length. and in
the course Of his remarks he alluded to
deUiSions of members Of the Supreme
Court in the Dred Scott case, asserting
that they aud tho President alike forgot
that judicial usurpation is more odious
and intolerable than any other among the
manifold practices Of tyranny.
Having traced step by step the history
Of Kansas affairs, Mr. Seward gave a con-
else account Of national Intervention in
the Territories in favor Of Slave labor
since 1890, adding that no wonder the
question eSoites apprehension and alarm.
There is at last North side Of this cham.
Der, North side Of the chamber of Rep-
rosentatives. North side Of the Union,
as well as a South side Of the three; each
Of them is watohful, Jealous and resolute.
II II be trua. as has so often been asserted,
that this Union cannot survive the deois-
ion OF Congress Of direct question in
vnlyihy the adoption OF a Free State into
this Union, which will establish the as
tendency Of the Free States under the
Constitution, aud draw after it the restp-
ration Of tho influence Of Freedom in the
domestic and foreign conduct Of the
Government, then the day Of dissolution
is at hand. IL you attempt to ooerce
Kansas into the Union under the Lecomp-
ton Constitution. the people Of that Terri
tory will res ort TO civil war. IL Necessary.
You are pledged to put down that revolu-
tion by the sword Will the people listen
10 your voice amid the thunder Of your
cannon? Let but one drop Of the blood
Of free citizen be shed there by tho
Federal army, and the oountenance Of
every representative Of Free State in
either House Of Congress win blanch and
his tongue viii refuse to utter the vote
B6a6Sgiyotth tthsPslS&- &-c;iittifzcns. All par
ties in this country, that have tolel ated
the extension Of Slavery. excep, one.
have perished for that error. Already
che last one, the Democratic party. Is
hurrying on irretrievably towards tha
same fate. A pit deeper and darker ia
still opening to receive this Administra-
ton because it sins more deeply than lie
predecessors.
Mr.. Seward, in closing his elaborate
speech, said:-I nm sure that no patriot.
who views the subject as do, could wish
to evade or delay the trial. BY delays.
we could extend Slavery at the most
throughout the Atlantic regions of thu
continent. The Pacific slope is free. and
il always must-and viii be free. The
mountain barriers which separate us from
that portion Of our empire are quite enough
to divide US. too widely, possibly, 10 al
ienate us too soon. Let us only become
all slave-holding States on this side Of
these blrriers, while only Free States are
organized and perpeluated on the other
side, and then. indeed, there will come q
division Of the great American family into
two nations, equally ambitious for COM
plete control over the whole continent, aud
conflict between them over which the
world will mourn over as the greatest and
the last to be retrieved of all the calami-
ties that has ever befalleu the human
race.
Mr. Thompson. Of N. j., in alludiny
TO Kansas, said that now was the favora-
BILE opportunity TO eud her trouble by ad-
mitting her iuto the Union. He cou-,
cluded that the Lecompton Constitution
was the expression Of the will Of tho
people Of Kansas. He replied to the
many arguments made against that in
strument, and instanced fourteen States
whose Constitutions were not submitted
20 the people, II wrong had been suf-
fered by the opponents Of the Lecompton
Constitution, that wrong was in conse
quenoe Of their own misconduct. and
lhiefore they have no right to complain.
IL the Free State party has n large major
ity. as is pretended. they can change any
obnoxious features ia the Consultation;
but il they are in the minority they must
submit ike good citizens. 70 the viii Of
the majority. But this party do nos
want peace; they desire agitation. The
affairs Of Kansas, he contended. viii b.
infinitely worse il she be not admitted
into the Union. He was impa.iont and
ANXIOUS that Congress should be relieved
from the consideration Of this question.
and that the people Of Kansas should be
left to settle their own difficulties, 10 their
own way and under their own State Cow
erment. Then. he said. We shall hear
nothing more OF "bleeding Kan as"
The Senate then adjourned.
African slave Trade Actually optnsd.