The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-04-22
SLAVERY AGITATI0N-EULLIFI
ia THE LEC0MPTON CONSTITUTION.
SPEECH OF HON. MASON w. TApPAN
OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, NJ
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 81 1853.

Mr.. CHAIRMAN: rise to-day to put upon rec
ord the protest of New Hampshire against what
| conceive to be the most stupendous political
fraud that was ever before attempted to be per-
petrated upon any peoplel
Not that it is necessary, in order that her DO
sition should be fully known, for New Hamp-
shire, here and now, to utter her voice against
the Lecompton iniquity, for in her recent State
election she has already spoken in language
more significant and potent than any words
which can utter on this occasion.
The State which but few years ago was
known as the very Gibraltar of Northern Democ-
racy, has just been carried against the Admins
tration by majority of FIVE thousand and, if
the so-called (" Democratic" party there had not
entirely ignored this issue, or as was the case
to some extent taken anti-Lecompton ground,
instead of five thousand, the majority against
it would have been ten thousand-sweepine the
party into oblivion
Mr. Chairman, it is not my purpose to discuss
wholly or mainly, the Kansas auestion, or to 90
into detailed organization of the Leoompton
Constitution, as | might perhaps have done a: an
been done by others, until Jng suuecL Is wen
nigh exhausted. But while intend to refer, in
the course of my remarks, to some of the moro
prominent features of the great question which
is so soon to be decided, Intend also to vindi-
cate the people of the North from the charges
which are constantly made, here and elsewhere,
of Slavery agitation, of aggression upon the
rights of the South, and of entertaining senti-
ments hostile to the union of these States
Sir, in behalf of the Republican party, for
whom on this question think / can speak, and
of the people Of the North, deny all and every
of these charges. And, in turn, charge hone,
where ! think it properly belongs, upon the
Notification and pispnieA party Of the South,
Or as it is pleased to call itself in these latter
days, the Secession party, with being the real
aggressors with entertaining views and SEN
timents hostile to the Union, and with being
the cause of all or nearly all the Slavery agtav
ton in this country for the last twenty years
Mr.. Chairman, the people Of the North have no
wish or design TO IMPROPERLY interfere with the
as it exists in the States, is beyond their control
True, they may hope, through the influence of
public opinion and the progress of Christian
ity and civilization, to one day see .As system
ameliorated or entirely dape away. But further
than this, they have no designs upon the "pecu-
liar institution" of the Southern States Aye
they know that that institution has its chief
strength and support, to-day, an tie aason Of these
States, and they are loyal and faithful to that
union, But at the same time, sir, they love Lib
erty, and cherish in their heart of hearts the
great principles which called this Government
into being They know, too, what the system of
Slavery is, and, in common with the early and
great men of the South, they hold it to be grsa;
moral social and political evil-a foul Alot upon
the otherwise fair eseHtcheol Of our common
country They know that, at the formation of
the Government, Slavery was regarded by all the
great and good men, South as well as>North as
a temporary evil, and so inconsistent with the
principles upon which the war of the Revelation
was fought, that the Fathers would not allow
the word Slavery te go INTO the Constitution,
I'll kppW e0mathluO Qf the nf
the system. They knew that it impoverishes the
SOIL that it retards progress, that it opposes edu
cation and mental development, that it degrades
labor (which is the insignia of NOBILITY 4 tbs
North, and brings everything down Ia its own
level. And within z few years they have seen
the early policy in relation to Slavery abandoned,
and ia place of the doctrine, which formerly OBJ
tanned, that II was local institution, existing
only by positive law, they now see an attempt
made to NATIoNALIzE the system, and through
the doctrines of the President's message and the
bred Scott dsciqsn, 10 plant it in the very heart
Of the Tree States,
Sir one after another we have seen the old
landmarks and barriers erected by our fathers
against the encroachmeDts of this system re-
moved we have seen the plighted faith OF the
nation trampled upon, that it might find scope
and verge; and now, when with bold and def
sns attitude 1t threatens to invade our very fire.
sluSS du0 nchftu-stoucs1 ocCduSc we TeSlSL auQ
defend ourselves, we are denounced as fanatics
and agitatorsl"
No gig; we of the North are not responsible
Tor this Slavery agitation but the responsibility,
as have said, belongs 10 the extremists--the
Notification party of the South, who, through
their mad and offensive schemes of Slavery
propagandism, have brought about the present
state of affairs.
When / speak OF the disu1ton part Of the
South do not include the SSauitire people Of the
Southern States, 9ar do Join in an indiscrimi-
nate warfare upon all who may happen to hold
2lsvss. know there are thousands upon thou
sands of moderate, conservative, and patriotic
men there, who at heart condemn these ultra and
offensive schemes as much as we do. But
speak of that portion of them who threaten US
with Southern Conventions and dissolution Of
the Union, in case the Congress of the United
States should fail to give its sanction to one of
the most hare-faced swinales that ever dsgraced
any age or any country believe that party
exists at the South, headed by violent men, who
seem bent on controlling the Government to
their own purposes, and, failing in this, to with
draw from the Union, and set up Southern
Oonfederacy. Whether they mean thisor not, they
preach It. to effect Interior objects and system of
terrorism has been established, before which the
moderate men ofthatsection can make no headway.
And, what lie more alarming still, this marty
which General Jackson in 1888 put his heel