Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-09-08
Speed, Of Hen. EliThayer, Of Mass

1t NAV be expected, Mr. CHAIRMAN,
that at this time should say something in
defence of the Pilgrims, and of the Sta e
of Massachusetts,; for they have been re-
peatedly assailed on This floor, within
lhG last two weeks. Bat l shall make
no defence. There are some things
which never attempt to defend. Among
these are the Falls of Niagara, the
White Mountains OF New Hampshire,
the Atlantic Ocean, Plymouth Rock,
Bunker hill. and the history Of Massa-
cbuselts. Any man may assail eitherOr
all of them with perfect impuniiy, so far
as am concerned. Any words of dis
disparagement or viluperation directed
against either Of these objects, By any
assai!ant, excite in me feelings very diff
/ ferent from those of indignaliOn-wheth
| er the assaiant comes with bow as long
as that of The bold Robin Hood, or with
bow of shorter range, Ike that Of the
gentleman from Alabama, Mr.. Shorter.
/ Lau !hter But I deprecate the dispo-
si,ion that impels these shafts agaius!
the sister States Of this Confederacy. l
depreca!e this sectional animosiiy hen
ever and wherever | see il eyinced. l
have heard too much Of the aggressions
OF the North and Of the aggressions Of
the South, in the past, to be very much
in love wiki ei;her OF these ideas. l have
never been accustomed TO speak of The
aggressions Of The slave power, and l
have no purpose Of doing it now or here
after. If the one hundredIh part of the
people of his country can make danger
Gus aggressions on the rights and inIer-
ests OF the other ninety nine bundreih
paris of the people, either By the force
OF strength or by the arts of diplomacy,
assure you that viii be the last man
TO complain of it. think that this
Slavery question is altogether too small
question 10 disturb so great a people
as inLabit the United States Of America.
For myself, was always in favor OF
popular sovereignty, rightly called. l
am ready, for one, TO agree to- day that
tie Territories belonging to this Gov
ernmeni shall be open 10 settlement at
any time when Congress thinks fit SO TO
open them, and that the people Of all
parts OF the country shall so into them
with the assurance of absolute and com
plete non Intervention; with the assurance
that whenever any chief Executive. ofli
cial, or non resident, shall interfere, by
fraud or violence, in their affairs, he shall
either be impeached or hanged; with the
assurance that when the people shall
have tie ratio Of representation required
by law, and shall come to Congress with
a Constitution republican in fOlm. they
shall be admitted into the Union as
STATE. This. sir, is popular sovereignty
and it is what vas practised in this coun-
Try two centuries ago.
The people of the Plymouth economy had
the privilege of choosing their own Gov
ernor, and Of making their own laws
The same was true of The New Haven
colony, and OF The colony OF the Provi-
dence Plantations. They always did it.
1 believe the Crown of England never
appointed a Governor for these colonies;
certainly not for the last two. But were
those people without ever having exer-
cised the right Of seli-government, bet
ter prepared TO govern themselves than
are our people, educated under our State
Governments, who go into our %errito
ries? Why, then, should we continue to
have an "Ahab to trouble Israel" while
he lays the blame of his own miscon
duct upon the emigrant aid societies.
Why not cul off these Territories from
all connection with the General Govern
ment, legislative Or executive? Then
We shall have no mere agitation in Con-
gress, and no more contention in the
Territories. But so long as this connec
ton continues, so long as We have
President trying to bias, by his appoint
ments, and perhaps by the United States
troops, the will of the people. So long
shall we have agitation. and we shall
have enough of it.
Well, sir, I have nothing to find fault
about. AN very well pleased with the
present tendency of events. But, Sir,
there are those who are dissatisfied, and
who are inclined to invoke certain del
ty-I think false deily-which pre-
sides over portion of this Union; del.
ty which has been invoked by great men
on great occasions. and by little men on
little occasions, for long time pasta
deity in whose expected presence both
the people and the politicians have some
times stood aghast-''when be-" in pros
pect only, "from his horrid Eair shook
pestilence and war" This sulpharous
god is DisunioH. This Capitol Hill has
been a yelitable Mount Carmel for. the
last quarter of century, upon which
experiments have been tried with this
bogus deity. One day upon Mount Car
mel was sufficient 10 determine the desti-
ny OF Baal and his prophets. But here,
we. the most patient people in the, world
witness these invocations gear after year,