Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-05-27
G5e 4atlg sqp,
Are " orhing Men " sIavesD!
THE EFFEoTs OF FREE AB)R AND sLAvELGBoR
CONFkASTED.
Gu OF
HON. HENRY WILSON,

tO'S COftStttNtGJNs
Sir, that pure, patriotic, and illustrious
statesman, John Quincy Adams, has left re.
corded in his diary these pregnant words cit
Is among the evils of slavery that it tsints the
very sources of moral principle" ''establshes
false estimates of virtue and vice." and "per-
verts human reason" Day BY day, as have
watched the startling events which have tran.
spired in the i'll. starred Territory of Kanzas-
day by day, as have listened to the studied
perverslons OF those deeds of fraud and VIC.
lenee, trlckery, and falsehood, l. have been
reminded OF the significant words of the great
statesman, whose rich learning, varied and
vast acquisitions, ripe experience, and matur.
ed intellect, were devoted to the high service
OF the Republic, at home and abroad, for half
century. In this age, and in this land.
where the lights of Christian civilization are
flushing upon our pathway, that moral nature
must be tainted, that heart must form false
estimates of virtue and vice, and that reason
must be perverted, before any citizen of
America could be impelled to enact such
crimes as have been' enacted in kanzas, or
uphold, defend, or apologize for them. Per-
verified reason and tainted moral principle may
lure or impel to the commission of such acts
as have stained the history of that Territory;
but let Presidents and Senators remember,
that from the hour the tempter glided into
Paradise and Kissed into the too willing ear
OF the mother of mankind disobedience to the
higher law" to the contamination of this
work, no genius, no learning, no eloquenee
could
BaSon eti deeds or consecrate crime"
+ Great advocates have won fame before the iu-.
dlcial tribunals of the world, in defence of
great criminals, but that page of human his
tory is yet to be written which shall record
p the enduring fame of statesmen won in the
Wndlcallon of crimes against the rights of the
people.
1he right of the people to frame their own
forms OF government to them shall seem
most conducive to their happiness is an
achieved American right. 1t was won, not
by your kanzas Nebraska act--it was won
elghty-two years ago in the fire and blood of
the Revolution. In amending old constitu-
tons, OF in framing new snes, we should,
either in the State or in Congress, rise above
little techicaities and forms. We should re-
member the words of James Madison, .'that
FORMS ought togive way to substance that
rigid adherence to forms would render nomi.
nal and nugatory the transcendent and pre-
clous rights of the people,. The "Old Thir-
teen received their charters from the crown
OF England; and when Independence was pro-
claimed, they changed their forms of govern
ment IN their own time and way. Eighteen
new States have formed, some by spon
taneous movements of the people, some by
legislative authority, and some by enabling
acts, constitutions, and joined this sisterhood
CT free commonwealth. The statesmen of
the country have generally risen above little
technlcalities and forms; they have generally
sought to learn the will of the people of the
new States and of the country, and to see if
n
Never have we witnessed such an exhibition
ofspecialities and technIcalities as in this case
of Kanzas. Sir, the records of both houses of
Congress, and the archives of the executive
department, will bear to all future time evil
dences of what Mr. Madison called "the lit.
tie Ill timed scruples, and the zeal for adher.
ing to ordinary forms under the masks of
which" the rights of the people have been sa-
erifced, and their will baffled. The people of
that territory have been stigmatized in official
papers, and in both houses of Congress, as
''rebels,' and "revolutionsts," and "trai-
TORS for exercising the cearest right of
American citizens. The Congress of the
United States is not the place for these exhi-
billions of the little technicalities and speeiali-
ties of third rate county courts.
Senators gravely insist upon the most rigid
adherence to the forms of law, when they
know that the transcendent and precious rights
of the people have been, and will be, sacrifc-
ed by adherents to forms. They boldly DENY
established historical facts, because these facts
not officially proven; and they viii not
allow them to be officially established Fraud
taints everything legal proceedings aud
contracts, even the marriage construct every
thing except this Lecompton constitution, aud
fraud seems to sanctity this deformed mon.
strosity. Sir; there is not senator here,
there is not an intelligent man in America.
whe does not know that this Lecempton con.
stitution is not sustained by the people of
Kanzas. There is not an intelligent man in
America who does not know that this consti-
tuition is tainted and yitiated by frauds and by
violence. The evidence of this is as conclu-
siye as is the evidence that the armies of
England, France, and Russia met at Sebasto-
pol; that the light brigade charged at Balak-
lava; that the Redan. and Malakoif were
stormed. The acts OF violence and fraud in
Kanzas are matters of history, proved by con-
gressional investigation; by the evidence of
Governors Reeder, Geary, Walker, and SIAN
ton; by legislative inquiry, and By the adj
mission of the actors themselves yet these
halls witness the boldest denias of the clearest
established facts, and the most reckless disre-
gard of the will, the acertained wishes Of the
people. Sir, this course is unworthy of the
Senate, and dishonorable to the county
have read, Mr.. President, with care, the
reports Of members of the Committee on Ter
ritones. The reports Of the venerable senator
from VT, (Mr. Colamer) and the senator from
Illinois, (Mr Douglass present the issues in-
volved in the clearest light. The report made
by the majority of the committee, by the sem
ator from Missouri, (Mr. Green) is spec-
men Of skillful and adroit Misrepresentation.
have read it with mingled emotions Of as
constituent, shame, and indignation. Sir the
Electricians tell us that nothing s beautiful,
which is not true. II the absence of truth is
the absence Of beauty, this must indeed be
the most hideous production OF our times,
for there is hardly a sentence in Ii that pre-.
sents truthful idea Of the points at issue. -
Sir, il was my purpose to have examined this
report in the light Of the truths of history
but l shall forego that labor, now rendered
needless by the full and mastery presenta.
ton of facts by other senator's especially BY
the distinguished senators from Kentucky,
(Mr. Crittenden) and Tennessee, (Mr. BelI)
whose lofty scorn Of fraud and trickeTy will
be applauded by hundreds Of thousands OF
fair minded men all over the Union. aant
Mr.. President, the senator from South Car.
olina, Mr.. Hammond 4 came to this chamber
one OF the acknowledged champions Of the
expansion, perpetuity, and dominion Of slave
ry in America. His election to this body was
heralded as the advent Of champion and
leader into the national councils, BY the per-
petualists and propagandists. The senator,
thus heralded, fastened to mingle in the de,
bate. lie spoke, not to enlighten the Senate