Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-11-24
x.,.,or uammond,. speech.

"BJt this Dill, IN ane8s'Neufasha oiiJ
with these new features, neither OF them OF
aov practical import ,oce, msgni6ed and eI-
n LIBERATED by orators and newspapers into
great Sju;bern victory, led the Sluth into
the deIu,ion that Kansas might be made
slave St.te, aud induced il to join IN false
and useless issue, which has Kept the whole
country 10 turmoil for the last four years, and
gave lite and vigor to the Abolition party.
Through the most disgusting, as well as
tragic scenes of farce aud fraud, the Terrific
~ of Kansas at last came before Congress
for adm ssiou as State with what Is known
az the Lscompton Constitution, embodylng
slavery among its provisions. But at the
same time the Curven ton, by an ordinance,
demanded of the United States some twenty
three millions OF acres of land, instead OF the
four millions usually allowed to new States
contaluing public lands. IL was almost GER
tain that maj ority of the people of Kansas
ware opposed to this Constitution, but would
not vote on it, and this additional nineteen
millions, which, if allowed. would probably
have kept them again from the recent polls.
was what the 5 ,uth was expected TO pay for
that worthless slavery clause, which would
have been auuuled az soon 90 Kansas was
admitted.
Il confess my opinion was that the South
herself should kick that Constitution out OF
Congress. But the South thought otherwise.
Tine only principle Involved 10 this whole
Kansas otiliI--if au affair 80 rotten from be-
gianipg to end can have aprinciple at all
vas thIs--WOud Congress admit Slave
State into the Union? The Senate said ye-!
The House, by adopting the Crltenden sub
luta, said ye., if We are assured majority
Of the people of the State are 10 favor OF 1t.
For this substitute all the opposition voted
in both houses, 80 that every member OF Con.
sress of all parties first and last, committed
themselves to the principle and policy that
State should be admitted into the Union,
with or without slavery, according to the
will OF its own people--:hus re-enachng one
feature Of the X ansas and Nebraska bill. l
should myself have been willing to rest
there and let Kansas rest also. Whatever
there was of principle or honor in the matt0r
vas secured by the vote already Rivea. The
English bill, however, came up 10 due course
aad voted for it cheerfully; believing that it
WIS better calculated than any that bad been
offered TO close up this miserable business
which has furnished much The most Disgrace
iul chapter, 81 far, IN our history"
) Tnere are some further remarks on this
. subject in Mr. llamnond's speech the pur-
port OF which is that he Is not willing 10 cd.
nit Kansas At present, but would make her
wait until she has q larger population. We
have referred briefly 10 these opening pssss.
ge, in his address, mainly, however, to show
that ,uthern Statesmen are beginning clear
; IL 10 perceive the error cOmnitted IN the at
remDt 10 cut vote the North in the matter Of
KnuSA6 IL is for the Dauly exposition OF
b. views of the future that Mr.. llammoud's
speech is deserving Of calm and candid con-
/ sideratlon-his "opinion Of the course the
e SOUTH should pursue under existing eircum-
stances" lie admits that the idea OF the
slave States recovering An equality with the
free States 10 either branch of Congress- j,
very remote; and that the idea of increasing
the population OF the South by the re-opening
5 Of tire slave trade must be abandoned, the
S ,uthern States themselves being divided
on that poles and the Northern States unan-
imously opposed 10 1t; and further
"Bu. if we could introduce slaves, where
could we find suitable territory for new slave
, States? The indian Reserve, West Of ar
kansas might make one. But We have SOL
en- ely guaranteed that TO the remnants Of the
rcd race Everywhere else, l believe, the
borders OF cur States have reached the great
desert which separates the Atlantic from the
Pacte Safes Of this confederscy. Nowhere
i. African slavery likely to flourish 10 the
little oasis of that Sahara Of America. Is 10
much moro likely, think, to get the Pacific
slope, and to the North 10 the great valley,
than anywhere else outside of its present linn
1 Ea i.n
AID Ceotral America TO make slave States 7
Atrio IN slavery appears to have failed there.
P,rIaps, and most probably, is will never
succeed III those regions. If 1t might, what
are we TO Go with the seven or eight millions
OF hardly seml.cisilzed Indians. and the
TWO or three millions IF Creole Spaniards
and mongreIs who now bold those counttie.?
We wOuli not enslave the Indians EKps-
Renee bus proven that they are Incapable OF
steady labor, and are therefore unit tor sla-
very. We would not eIterminate them,
even If that inhurnau achievement would
not cost ages OF murder and lncalculable
sums Of money. We could hirdly think Of
attempting to plant the black race there, Gu
periJr fer labor though inferior perhaps In
Intellect, and expect TO maintain . perms-
nept aud peaceful industry, such as slave
labor must DO u be profitable, amid those
idle, rsstlsss, demUraizsd children OF Monte
yuma, scarcely more civilized, perhaps more
suak IN superstition, than 10 his age, and
now trained % civil war by hslf century
of iucersant revolution. What | say could
we do with these people or these countries to
, add to Southern strength? Nothing. Could
We degrade urselvos 80 lar rs /, annex them
on equ terms, they would be sure to como
into this UuJn free S:atos all. To touch
them ID any way is to be contaminated
, Englsni and France, have no doubt, would
gladly see us take this burthen on cur back,
It re would secure fer them their debts and
neutral route across the lsthmus.
~ might tx and the area OF slavery by
acquiring Cuba, where African slavery Is
already established. Mr. Calhoun, from
} Sio.e Da,ured opinions, whether on constr
tu;Innel principles or southern polity, it will
rarely be found SAT. to depart, said that Gu
ba was forbidden iruit," to ns, unless pluck
ed 10 an exigency Of war. There i, no rea-
-oEab!e ground to supUse that u G can acquire
ii IN any other Way; and the war that will
open 10 Us such gu occasion will be great
and gesera bringing about results that the
keeGcst inrcilec. cannot now anticipate. But
i we bad Cuba, We would not make more
than two or three slave states there, which
would not restore tb; equilibrium Of the
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