San Andreas independent., 1858-05-08
SENATOR BRoDER1cKs SPEECH


the debate in the Senate, | heard none more
effective at the time than that of Broderick, of
Caiifornia. After preliminary sketch of the
history OF the Missouri Compromise, in which
ne showed that ii was passed by Southern
votes, that at the time it was considered a tri-
umph and victory by the South, and that the
North reluctantly gave in its adhesion to it !;
he showed that in l845, joint resolution was
introduced into the House of Representatives
obtaining almost the unanimous votes of the
southern members. 1t passed the Senate also
, by Southern votes, and the South exultingly
claimed 1t as another victory over the North.
Among the Senators who spoke on the occa-
sion of its passage was Mr.. Buchanan the pre-
sent President, who spoke warmly in its favor
as the grand panacea tor all our ills."-Cor-
respondence Of The Boston Journal
In 1854, Mr.. Douglass introduced the Ne
braska bill, to which Mr.. Dixon, of Kentucky,
offered an amendment, the effect of which was
to repeal the Missouri Compromise. This
amendment was accepted by the Committee on
Territories, and adoped by Southern Senators
who objected to the bill and report of Mr..
Douglas as | have been informed, for not be-
ing sufficiently ultra in their provisions. do
not know, sir, why the Senator from Illinois
accepted this amendment, but | was inclined
to believe at the time that he-representing a
free State-saw the beneficial results that were
to flow from it to the people of the North, and
it was not for him to object when he found al
most united South indorsing a repeal of the
Missouri Compromise, the effect of which re-
peal was to devote the whole Territories of the
Union to the control of free labor But
will do him the credit to say that always
thought that he saw at the time he accepted
the amendment of Mr.. Dixon, that there were
to be no more slave States. The South achiev-
ed another victory, as she supposed; the bill
became a law. From the moment of its pas
sage, slavery and freedom confronted each
other in the Territories In the passage of
this bill the people of the North felt that a
great wrong had been committed against their
rights. This was mistaken view the North
should have rejoiced, and applauded the Sem
ator from Illinois for accepting Mr.. Dixon's
amendment. The South should have mourn
ed the removal of that barrier, the removal of
which will let in upon her feeble and decaying
institutions millions of free laborers. In the
passage of the Kansas-Nebraska BILL the ram
part that protected slavery in the Southern
Territories was broken down. Northern opin-
ions, Northern ideas, and Northern institutions
were invited to the contest for the possession
of these Territories. How foolish for the South
to hope to contend with success in such an
encounter. Slavery is old, decrepid and con-
Sumptive Freedom, is yonng, strong and
vigorous. One is naturally stationary and
loves ease. The other is migratory and enter
prising. There are six millions of people in
terested in the extension of slavery. There
are twenty millions of freemen to contend for
these Territories, out of which to carve for
themselves homes where labor is honorable.
Up to the time of the passage of the Kansas
Nebraska Act, large majority of the people
nf Nnrtl n ii Al
South to control the destines of the Terrific
ries South of the Missouri line. The people of
the North should have welcomed the passage
OF the KansasNebraska Act. am astonished
that Republicans should call for restoration
OF the Missouri Compromise. With the terrible
odds that are against her, the South should
not have repealed it, if she desired to retain
her rights in the Territories. Has it never
occurred to Southern gentlemen that millions
OF laboring free men are born yearly, who de-
mand subsistence, and will have it: that as
the marts of labor become crowded, they will
spread into Territories and take possession of
them. The Senator from South Carolina un-
dervalues the strength and intelligence of these
men, whom he denounces as slaves. Would
dissolution of the Union give these Southern
Territories to slavery? No, sir 1t is a mis-
take to suppose that it would. A dissolution
of the Union would not lessen the amount of
immigration, or the number of free white men
seeking for homes and a market for their la
Dor. Wherever there is land for settlement
they VIII rush In and occupy it, and the COM
! pulSory labor of slaves will have to give way
before the intelligent labor of free men, Had
the Missouri line been retained, the Northern
laoorer would not have sought to go South of it.
But this line having been abolished by the
South, no complaint can be made if the North
avails herself of the concession. Senators had
better consider before they talk of dissolution,
and first understand if the perpituty of their
beloved institution will be more securely guar
anteed by 1T. The question of dissolution is
not discussed by the people in California. |
am not at liberty to say, if the people in part
represent are denied by Congress the legsla-
ton they require, they will consider it a bless
ing to remain part of this Confederation
The Senator from South Carolina very boast
lngly told us, few days since, how much
cotton the South had exported, and that /" cot
ton is king" He did not tell US that the price
of cotton fluctuated, and that the South was
at the mercy of the manufacturers. Suppose,
sir, the sixteen free States of the Union should
see tit to enact high protective tariff, for the
purpose of giving employment to free labor,
would cotton be king then? Why, sir, the
single free State of California exports the pro-
| uuN1 iOi WHlCu COIIOu Is Tdlscu, 10 an amount
of more than one-half in value of the whole
exports of the cotton of the slave States Cot
ton king No, sir. Gold is king. represent
State, sir, where labor is honorable where
the Judge has left his bench, the lawyer and
doctor their Offices, and the clergyman his pull
pit, for the purpose of delving in the earth
where no station is so high, and no position so
great, that its occupant is not proud to boast
that he has labored with his hands. There is
no State in the Union, no place on earth, where
labor is so honored and so well rewarded no
time and no place, since the Almighty doomed
the sons of Adam to toll, where the curse, if it
be curse, rests so lightly as now on the peo-
pie of California.
Many Senators have complained of the SEN
ator from South Carolina for his denunciation
of the laborers of the North as "white slaves"
and the " mud-sills of society" quote from
his speech:
In all social systems there must be a class
to do the menial duties, to perform the drudg-
cry of life. That is class requiring but low
order of intellect, and but little skill Its |
requisites are vgor, docility, fidelity. Such
class you must have, or you would not have
that other class which leads to progress, civil
ization and refinement 1t constitutes the
very mudsll ofsociety and of political govern
| nd ,irrbt oil