The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-05-07
Northern ~xud sills"

Ssuator Hammond, of South Carolisa, in
recent rpeech in defencs Of slavery. spoke Oh
The laboring classes in the community q nhe
s'mnd- all" OF socisty, end plseed tne .e
iaborers of the North on q level Win 'he
-slayss OF the South To his insoient aunsss
Mes.r.. Broderick, Of California, and wilson,
of Massachusetts. both Of whom passed tneu
youth and early manhood in laborious oceu-
pations, made manly responses. Sena'o'
Broderiek spoke rs follows: ca,
81 suppose, sir, the Senator from south
Carolina did not intend to be personal IN ms
remarks. TO any of his peers upon this nooi;
IL had thought 80. would have noaeea
them at the time. am, sir. with one exceP-
ton, the youngest In years OF the SENATORS
upon this door. IL 10 not long since seiveu
an apprenticeship Of ave years At one OF the
most laborious mechanical trades pursued oy
mana trade that from It's nature devotes Jus
:. follower to thought. but debars him rom
conversation. I would not have alluded 70
this, lift were not for the remarks oil the SEN
ator from South Carolina; and the thousands
who know that am the son OF an aIusan
and have been mechanic, would feel dissp-
pointed in me If did not reply to him. am
not proud Of this. sm sorry It's true. i
would that could have enjoyed the pleasures
of lie in my boyhood's days. but they were
denied 10 me. say this with pain. have
not the admiration for the men OF the class
from whence sprung that might be expect
ed; they submit too tamely TO oppression.
and are too prone to neglect their rights and
duties as citizens. But, sir, the society 10
whose toll was born. under our form OF Gov.
eminent. will yet CONTROL the desinies oil tins
nation. II were, inclined to forget my con-
nection with them. or to deny that sprung
from them. this chamber would not be the
place in which could do either. While l
hold a seat here, have but to look at the
beautiful capitals adjoining the pilasters that
support this roof, 10 be reminded OF my faith
ers talent, and 10 see his handiwork."
Senator Wilson's response to the r'ud-sM
taunt was in the following striking language !:
.Sir, / am the son of 'hireling manual
laborer,' who with the frosts OF seventy win
tiers on his brow, still Lives by daily labor
/. too. have lived by daily labor l.. too,
have been 'hireling manual laborer. Pow
erty cast its dark and chilling shadow over
the home OF my childhood, and Want was
there sometimes an unbidden guest. Al the
age of ten years, TO aid him who gave me
being in keeping the gaunt specter from the
hearth of the m ther who bore me. LEFT the
home of my boyhood and went to earn my
bread by daily labor among strangers. Many
a weary mile have travelled
To beg brother Of the earth
To give me leave TO toll.
Sir. have toried as 'hireling manual Ia.
borer' in the field and in the workshop, and
tell the Senator from South Carolina that
never felt CALLED by my degradation. Per-
haps the Senator viii ascribe this TO obtuse-
ness OF intellect and to blunted sensibilities.
Sir, was conscious of my manhood. l was
the peer OF my employer, knew that the
laws and institutions OF my native and adopt
ed States New Hampshire and Massachu-
setts) threw over him and over me alike the
panoply OF equality. knew. too, that the
world was before me with its wealth, It's
garnered treasures OF knowledge, its honors,
the coveted prizes OF life, within the grasp OF
brave heart and tireless hand; and &C.
cepted the responsibilities Of my position all
unconscious that was a slave have en-
ployed Others. hundreds Of Others, some OF
whom then possessed. and now possess, more
property than ever owned; some of them
better educated than myself, better educated
and better read than some Senators on this
floor, and many of them in moral excellence
and purity OF character my admitted suPeriors'
have occupied for more than twenty years
the relation of employed or employer. and
while never felt 'salled by any degradation
in the one case, in the other was never con-
scious that my 'hirelins laborers' were my
interiors. That man is a snob who boasts oil
being hireling laborer, or who is ashamed
OF bs;"s - hirshas lsborsr. That ma" Is "
snob who feels any inieriority to any man be-
cause he is a hirehns labOrer, or who assumes
any superiority over Others because he Is an
employer. Honest labor Is honorable, and the
man who is ashamed that he is or was Ia.
borer has not manhood enough to feel CALLED
by his degradation