Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-11-17
THE RAFTsMAN's JOURNAL,
A COMMON sExsE SPEECH.

One OF the most remarkable public speeches
Of the day, was tina. delivered on the 18th Oct
BY Senator Hammond, of South Carolina at
BarnwelI in thai State. upon the present and
probable future cations Of parties, as affected
by the Kansas question, aud the question OF
slavery Al large The Senator utters some
pretty plain truths, considering that be was
addressing South Carolina auditoEy-truths
that must, 10 some extent. undo the popular
(NortheTn) impression, that to be public man
in South Carolina necessarily involves q belief
IN the principles Of notification and disunion.
The Senator commences with hard kics az
that darling measure Of the Administration
the kaRsas-N ebraska Bill. which, he tells Us,
contained two peculiarly Objectionable fea-
tU-eS-iESt, that IL Te-en2c.ed principle IS
Odd and firmly settled az the constitution it
self-ssweakened the whole structure Of cur
government by digging up, for the purpose Of
yeTIacation, lis fOundaGIon;s and second, the
repeal Of the Missouri Compromise adding,
that this ssbjlI. Iaaguified and exaggerated by
orators and newspapers into great Southern
victory. led the South into the delusion that
Kansas might be made Slave State. and in
duced IL TO join in 4 false and useless issue.
which has kept the whole country in turmoil
for the last four years. and gave fresh life and
TigOr 20 the abolition p4Fty-''
The LecOmpton Constitution is next hand
led without gloves Mr. Hammond on this
&
Of ii he uses pretty plain English. He thinks
iAS SoEtaerH HsIH5tTs OEskt 10 hGrs kicked u 0ut
o. CozgTsss.
In regard to the admission Of Kansas rs 4
State the Senator says be is in favor Of let
ting her into the Union when she has the re-
quisite population-but not before And then,
As 10 the dream Of Southern politicians and
Southern statesmen, that IL is possible to main-
tain an equilibrium Of power in the Federal
Government, with the Free States, Mr.. Ham
uond talks If he hsd for IL but very little
respect He thinks the possibility Of recover
ing the political power which the Slave States
have i0St-bo,h in the Senate and House OF
RepreSentatiyes-is, 10 say the least Of IL
s-rcIDote - wkils the notion OF increasing the
| population Of the South by the re-opeuing Of
/ the Slave Trade. he tells his friends must be
zbando8ed-the Southern States themselves
being divided on that policy. and the Northern
States unanimously opposed to it.
The Senator next proceeds TO show that
there IS. in fact, available territory left, on
this continent, from which new Slave States
could be adyantsgeouxiy carved He Is also
opposed 20 InedliBg with Cuba, which Nr. Cal
2 bOuB called forbidden fruit. and from the
matCTed opinions OF that statesman. .-Ehether
or Constitutional principles or Southern
policy" Mr.. Hammond thinks SIT will rarely
be found safe TO depart The acquisition of
that island, lie thinks, would eventually
weaken, Rot strengthen, the Slave States. II
regard 10 secession from the Union. he thinks
4 day posSl0 0iy may come when the South will
have 70 look tha; contingency iUll il the face !;
/ but thar time is not yet.
In conclusion the Senator counsels the cuI-
/ tiyation Of friendly understanding with the
people Of the Free States Here all conserva-
| tive men OF the North are ready 70 meet him.
/ Let the South cease its aggresSions, and the
North will cease TO agitate. We are not dis
posed TO wage war upon Slavery 3. II exists
under the Constitution. While IL keeps with
/ in its prescribed limits IL should not-ant viii
| not 50 far as we are eoncerned-be molested.
I Bat when the Slave Power encroaches the
mass of the people OF the free North will re-
sist il, as i has been resisted in the infamous
attempt 10 put the yoke Of SIavery upon the
aecks OF the free citizens of kansas-TL