Litchfield enquirer., 1858-04-15

of the aborers of the North as white slaves, and the " mud-sills of society" I quote from his speech
 " In all social systems there must be class to do the menial duties, to perform the drud- gery Of life. That is class requiring but low order of intellect and but little skill. Its requisites are vigor, docility. fidelity. Such a class you must have, or You would not have that other class which leads progress, civiza- ton and refinement. It constitutes the very mud sill of society and of political government; and you might as well attempt to build 8 house in the air as to build either the one or the other except on this mud sill. Fortunately for the South she found a race adapted to that purpose to fer hand-a race inferior to her own, but eminent|y qualified in temper, in ] Vlgor, in docility, in capacity to stand the eli mate, to answer all her purposes. We used them for our purpose, and call them slaves.- We found them slaves by the common consent of mankind, which according to Cisero, ler natmra est :; the highest proof of what is Ma ture's law. We are old fashioned at the South yet 1t is word discarded now by ears po- lite l will not characterize that class at the North with that term; but you have 1t it is there 1t is everywhere ; it is eternal. K
 We do not think that whites should be slaves either by law or necessity. Our slaves are black of another and inferior race The status in which we have placed them is all elc ] yaton They are elevated from the condition | i'll which God first created them, by being made our slaves None of that race on the whole face of the globe can be compared with | the slaves of the South. They are happy, con- tent, unaspiriug, and utterly incapable, from intellectual weakntss, ever to give us ahy.trou- ble by their aspirations. Yours are white, of your own race /; you are brothers of one blood They are your equals in natural endowment of of intellect, aud they feel galled by their degra- ,daton. Our slaves do not vote We gNe them no political power. Yours do vote, and being the majority, they are the deposltaries of your political power If they knew the trcmcn!nous secret, that the ballot-box is stronger than an army with banners and ! could combine, where would you be? Your society would be reconstructed, your govern | mcnt over thrown, ytur property divided, not as they have mistakenly attempted to initiate such proceedings by meetings ill parks, with arms in their hand, but by the quiet process of the ballot-box. You have been ta,ikilig var upon us to our very hearthstones. How would you like for us to send l,cturirs and agitaters
 
 combining, aud to lead them p
 l, sir, am glad that the Senator has spoken thus. It may have the effect of arousiug in the working men that spirit which has been ly- ing dormant for centuries. It may also have the effect of arousi,g the two hundred thous- and men with pure white skins in South Caro- fina, who are now degraded and despised by thirty thousand aristocratc slaveholt,rs. It may teach them to demand what is the pow CT
 '' Linked with success, assumed and kept with skill,
 That mouds anoiher's weakness to its will; Yields with their hands, bu, still to them un known,
 Makes even their mightiest deeds appear their own.'
 suppose, sir, the Senator from South Car o'Ina did not intend to be pers onal in his re- marks, to any of his peers upon this floor. If had thought so, would have noticed them at the time. 1 am Sir, with one exception the youngest in years of the senators upon this floor It is not long since served an appren- ticeship of five years at one of the most labo- rious mechanical trades pursued by man-a trade that from its nature deyotcs its followers to thought, but debars him from conversation. l would not have alluded to this if it were not for the remarks of the Senator from South Carolina and the thousands who know that am the son of an artizan and have been me- chanic, would feel disappointed in me if l did not reply to him. 1 am not proud of this. l am sorry 'tis true. would that could have enjoyed the pleasures of life in my boyhood's days, but they were denied to me. say this with pain. l have not the admiration for the men of the class from whence l sprung that might have been expected they submit too tanely to oppression, aud are too prone to neg feet their rights aud duties as citizens. seBlt, l the class of society to whose toiI l was born, under our form of government will control the destines of this nation If Were inclined to | forget my connection with them, or to deny that sprung from them, this chamber would ; not be tine place in which 1 could do either. While hold a seat here have but to look at the beautiful capitals adornng the pilasters that support this roof, to be reminded of my fathers talent, and to see his handiwork. left the sceues of my youth and manhood for the far vest" because I was tired of the struggles and the jcalousies of men of my class, who could not understand why one of their fellows should seek to elevate his condition above the commoh level. 1 made my new abode among strangers where labor is hohored. had left without regret there remained no tie of blood to bind me to any being in cxisr teace. If IfIl in the struggle for reputation and fortune there was no relative on earth to mourn my fall. The people of California ele- yated me to the highest office within their gift. My election was not the result of all accident. For years had to struggle, often seei' g the goat of ambition within my reach it was again and again taken from me by the aid of men of my own class. had not only them to contend wi.l, but almost the entire partizan press of my state was subsidized by government mon.y M patronage to oppose mJ election. I siu- eerely hope, ST, the time will come when .u:h