The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-03-11
Thursday, March 4, 1888.
SENATE.

Thursday, March 4, 1888.
SENATE.
Mr.. Bayard from the Committee on the in.
dietary, submitted report, accompanied by
the following resolution:
Resolced, That Minnesota is not State of
the Union under the Constitution and laws.
Mr.. Toombs submitted the following resolu-
ton, which was considered by unanimous con-
sent, and agreed to:
ResolUed, That so much of the annual mes
sage of the President of the United States as
relates to the subject of uniform bankrupt
law be referred to the Committee on the Judi.
ciary.
admission of KdKSaS.-The Senate then
proceeded to the consideration of the bill for
the admission of Kansas into the Union, when
Mr.. Hammond, who was entitled 10 the floor,
addressed the Senate in favor of the admission
of Kansas, and upon the relative capabilities of
The North and South.
Mr.. Doolittle followed in opposition to the
admission of Kansas under the Lecompton Con-
stitu:ion; but, without concluding, gave way
for a motion to proceed to the consideration of
Executive business.
The Senate then proceeded to the considera.
ton Of Executive business, and after some tme
spent therein, the doors were opened, and the
Senate adjourned to Monday.
We find in the Latelligeacer o brief synopsis
of the remarks of Senators Hammond and Doc
little.
Mr.. Hammond said that with him the SIa.
very question was no abstraction, and he would
therefore discuss IT as practical thing-s thing
that is and must be.
The South possessed eight hundred aud ffty
thousand square miles of territory-an impe-
rial domain, rich in varied and unrivalled pro.
ductions. Through it ran the mighty artery
of the Mississippi, holding in sfilistion with
the South the tributary region dependent upon
that great outlet of the Northwest 1t WAS idle
TO talk Of checking the spread of Slavery
throughout the valley Of the Mississippi, and
along the branches which feed its current.
The population of the South was four times
that of the Colonies which achieved cur ma.
tional Independence. A million of men were
registered on her muster. rolls-men brave by
nature and familiar with the arts of war He
wonld not disparage the population or the soil
Of the North. The former were energetic and
intelligent but the latter produced no great
staple which was not common TO the South,
While the South had monopoly Of two or
three o! the great staples which control the
commerce CT he world. 1t is the surplus pro-
duciion of q community which constitutes its
wealth, and enables it 10 essay great enterprises
of peace or var. How stood the two sections
o. the country in tia regard? TIE statistics
Of our foreig commerce showed that the South
possess and enjoy a surplus production Of two
hundred and twenty millions of dolars-being
at the rate Of sixteen dollars per capita through
out the whole population, while that Of the
North reaches the sum Of only twelve dollars
per capita.
Organized separately, the South would gath
& !
tariff schedule, which might be reduced to
one-fourth for all the purposes Of Southern
Confederscy. Secured from war by her natu-
raj defences, and by the indispensability of her
productions, the South would need no armies
and no navies. Cotton can bring the world TO
its knees. Cut off the cotton supplies for three
years, aud Great Britain would topple headong
from her seat of power. 1t was cotton which
had saved the country from the prolongation
OF the late monetary revulsion caused by
Northern speculation and overtrading. "Cot.
ton is King"
But the greatest strength of the South icon.
tinued Mr.. 81 resides in the harmony of her
social system. No other people euioy a civil
freedom SO perfect and gecure Elsewhere
there IL, in a greater or less degree, a want OF
harmony between Governments and the people.
In the South, tkis relation of the two is such as
TO insure happy, con.ented, and harmonious
state. In every civilized community there must
be mental class, which requires fer it's allotted
place in society low order Of intellect. It's
requisites are physical vigor, docility, and fdel-
ity. In connection with these must be found
another class, posse ssing intelligence, culture,
and refinement. The people of the South have
menials, whom they cali . slaves" The people
of the North have the Same clasa, who are slaves
in fact, if not in name. Day laborers are every
where slaves, by whatever name they nay pass
in the civil community. The slaves of the
SOUTH are hired for life, and know neither beg.
gary nor starvation. The slaves of the North
are hired by the day, with none to care for them
or insure them against the approach of want.
The slaves of the South are black, and of an
inferior race, which has been elevated by sla-
very, and is insensible to feeling of degrade.
ion. The slaves OF the Nosth are white, and,
as the brethren and natural equals of their mas.
terra, feel CALLED by a sense of dependence The
:laves Of the South do not vote. The slaves
OF the North are the dePositaries of political
power, and will make themselves felt aud fear
Ell so soon as they learn the tremendous secret
of the bellotbox.
Transient causes have heretofore swollen the
prosperity of the North. Hordes of barbarian
immigrants from the Old World have filed the
Wes-. la population there has been progress,
but 1t 10 a progress towards anarchy on the one
hand, or vigilance committees" on the other.
Heretofore, the people of the South have en-
ployed the people Of the North as factors, TO
fetch and carry fer them. If the South should
take its business out of the hands of the North,
it would reduce the latter to poverty. Hereto
fore, Southern statesmen have controlled the
policy OF the Government. 1t was Shareholders
who took our country in It's infancy, and who
have governed her during sixty out of the
seventy years which have filled our national ex.
istence. They have kept the national honor
untarnished ard if now destined to see the
sceptre pass into the hands of the North, they
will at least enjoy the satisfaction of pointing
to its present unexampled prosperity as proof
of their wise and conservative craftsmanship.
What the North shall make of all this prosper
ity remains TO be seen.
Mr.. Doolittle deprecated, in this debate,
style of discussion which seemed addressed
rather to the apprehensions of the Senate than
its reason. He could not be brought to believe
that any one seriously contemplated dissolu-
ton of the Union as among the possible con-
sequences of any action or inaction of Congress
with reference to the admission OF Kansas under
the Lecompton Constitution. Reared under e
political instruction which had taught him to
reverence the Union next to his God, be could
never listen to serious threats of its destruction
NTH other than sentiments of profound emo