Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-03-06
Gov. sewnrd,. sneocl,.

able, logical, and exhaustive speech of Hon.
VIM. H. Seward, in the United States SEN
ate, on Wednesday last, in opposition to the
attempt to force the Lecompton fraud upon
the people of Kanzas. The opening portion
Of the speech is devoted to an eloquent and for
chile statement of the great issue which un-
derlies the Kanzas controversy, followed by
scathing review of the partisan jugglery and
nsurpation of the Supreme Court in the bred
Scott decision, after Gov. Seward concludes
his magnificent speech. as follaws:
HOW THE GREAT CONTEST CAN BE ENDED.
Nj. President, l have shown why it is that
the Kanzas question is attended by difficulties
and dangers only by way OF preparation for
the submission of my opinions in regard to the
manner in which that question ought to be
determined and settled. [ think, with great
Difference 10 the judgments of Others. that the
expedient, peaceful, and right way to deter.
mine it, is to reUerse the existing policy of IN
tercention IN favor of slaUe labor and slaue
States. 1t would be wise to res e tle Mis-
souri, Prohibition of slavery in Kanzas and
Nebraska. There was peace in the Territories
and IN the States until that great statute of
freedom was subverted. 1t is true that there
slavery, and that there were profound sympa-
thies among the people, awakened by or re-
spending to those debates. But what was
Congress instituted for but debate? What
makes the American people to differ from all
other nations, but this-that, while among
them power enforces silence, here all public
questions are referred to debate. free debate in
Congress- Do you tell me that the Supreme
Court of the United States has removed the
foundations of thar great statutei 1 reply,
that they have done no such thing; they could
not do it. They have remanded the negro
man bred Scott to the custody OF his master
With that decree we have nothing here, at
least nothing now, to do. This is the extent
of the Judgment rendered, the extent OF any
judgment they could render. Already the
pretended further decision is subverted in
Kanzas. So it will be in every free State and
every free Territory of the United States.
The Supreme Court. also, can reverse its spu-
rious judgment more easily than we could re.
eoncile the people to its usurpation. Sir, the
Supreme Court of the United States attempts
to command the people of the United States
TO accept the principles that one man can own
other men, and that they must guarantee the
inviolability of that false and pernicious prop
erty. The people of the United States never
can, and they never will, accept principles so
unconstitutional and SO abhorrent. Never,
never. Let the Court recede. Whether it
recede or not, we shall yeorganize the Court
and thus reform its political sentiments and
practices, and bring them into harmony with
the Constitution and with the laws of nature.
In doing we shall not only reassume our
own just authority, but we shall restore that
high tribunal itself to the position it ought to
maintain, since so many inalienable rights of
citizens, and even OF the States themselves,
depend upon its impartiality and its wisdom.
Do you tell me that the slave States viii
not aequiesce. but will agitate Think, first,
whether the Free States will acqujesce in a
decision that shall not only be unjust but
fraudulent. True, they will not menace the
Republic. They have an easy and simple
remedy-namely, to take the Government out
of unju and unfaithful hands, and commit
it to those which will be just and faithful.
They are ready to do this now They want
only little more harmony Of purpose and
little more completeness of organization.
These will result from only the least addition
to the pressure of slavery upon them. You
are lending all that is necessary, and even
more. in this very act But will the slave
States agitates Why? Because they have
lost at last battle that they could not win,
un wisely provoke ed, fought with all the advan.
field chosen by themselves. What would
they gain Can they compel Kanzas to adopt
slavery against her will? Would it be rea-
sonable or just to do it, if they could Was
negro servitude ever enforced. by the sword
on any people that inherited the blood which
circulates in our veins, and the sentiments
which make us a free people, If they will
agtate on such ground as this, then how, ors
when, by what concessions we can make, will
they ever be satisfied To what end would
they agitates 1t can now only be to divide
the Union. Will they not need some fairer
and more plausible excuse for proposition SO
desperate How would they improve their
condition, by drawing down a certain ruin
upon themselves Would they gain any new
security for slavery? Would they not hazard
securities that are invaluables Sir, they who
talk so idly talk what they do not know
themselves. No man when cool can promise
what he will do when he shall be infamed;
no man iDhamed can speak for his actions
when time aud necessity shall bring rehec-
ton. Much less can any one speak. tor States
in such emergencies.
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY THE REMEDY NOW
NEEDED.
But l shall not insist now on so radical a
measure as the restoration of the Missouri pro-
hibition. / know how difficult it is for power
to relinquish even pernicious and suicidal
policy all at once. We may attain the same
result in this particular case of Kanzas with
out going back so far. Go back only to the
ground assumed i'll lS54-the ground of pop
ular sovereignty. Happily tor the authors of
that measure, the jealous and energetic re-
sistance Of abuses practieed under it has so
far been effected that popular sovereignty in
Kauzas may now be made q fact, and lib
erty there may be rescued from danger
through its free exercise. Popular sovereign
ty is an epic of two parts. Part the first pre-
sents freedom in Kanzas lost. Part the sec
ond, If you will SO consent to write it, shall
be freedom in KanZas regained. 1t is on this
ground that hail the eminent senator from
Illinois Mr.. Douglas) and his associates, the
distinguished senator from Michigan, (Mr
Stuart and the youthful but most brave sem
ator from California, (Mr. BrodeIick.) The
late Mr.. Clay told us that Providence has
many ways for saving nations. God forbid
that should consent to see freedom wound
ed, because my own lead or even my own
agency in saving it should be rejected. l will
cheerfully CO. operate with these new defend
eTs Of this sacred cause in Kanzas, and l will
award them all due praise, when we shall
have been successful, for their large share of
merit in its deliverance.
Will you tell me that 1t is difficult to in
duce the Senate and the House of Represen-
tatiyes TO take the short backward step On
the contrary. the hardest task that an execu-
tive dictator ever set, or parliamentary mana
ger ever undertook, is TO prevent this very
step from being taken. Let the President
take off his hand, and the bow, bent SO long,
and held to its tension by so hard a nressure