The Feliciana Democrat., 1858-04-10
Tbe frlitiana 9ehotrat.
REMARKS OF THE Hon. JOHN SLlDELL,

delivered during the night session. Monday March
Is, 1858.
Mr.. Slidell said The protractcd debate on
this exciting question is now drawing to close,
and hope we shall very soon come to the final
vote The discussion has been 80 generally
participated in by Senators every point, ma
terial or mmateriul, has been so thoroughly in
vestigated that were disposed to offer an
elaborate argument, l could not hope to say
anything that has not been anticipated by
those with whom concur, if not in all their
premises at least in the conclusions at which
they arrive. But | owe it to myself if not to
the State which sent me here, to give, as |
shall do very briefly, the reasons that will con-
troll my vote. l shall enter into no details, if,
for no other motive, because have not the
presumption to suppose that at this late hour
| could command the attention of wearcd
Senate
voted reluctantly for the bill that passed
this body in February, 1856, by the vote of
every Democratic Senator, not that did not
heartily approve the principle on which it was
based, but because was opposed to admitting
any new State until it had attained at least
the population which is established as the ba-
sis of representation in the other house. /
yielded that point, as am always prepared to
yield on any question Of cxpediency, to the
opinions and wishes of the majority of those
with whom ] am politically associated and
especially to the Judgment of the Senator
from Illinois, whom we were all then proud to
recognize as our leader and champion.
shall vote for the admission Of Kansas
with the Lecompton Constitution, not that
now have or ever have had any strong hope
that slavery will be permanently established
there, but because feel myself bound to dis
charge in good faith the obligations which
assumed in 1854 and 1856, and because, should
she now be refused admission, know that,
whatever may be the pretcxt, the real motive
is that she has presented to us a constitution
recognizing slavery. Some rare exceptions in
either house may be found of members honest
ly casting their votes against her admission on
other grounds, but if that admission he now
refused, the existence Of slavery will be the
determining cause. and such will be the unani-
nous Interpretation Of the South. We of the
slavcholding States can have no reliance for
safety in the future but on stern, uncompro-
missing adherence to the absolute, unqualified
principle Of nonintcrvention on the part of
Congress in the question Of slavery. In this
case we are the more imperatively called upon
to insist upon the application Of this doctrine,
because we are contending only for the alb
stract principle, while our opponents will pro-.
badly enjoy all the immediate party advan.
tagcs resulting from the admission. 1t is this
circumstance which makes the course of our
opponents more offensive to us with us it lisa
point Of honor--we are struggling for the
maintenance of principle, barren, it is true,
of present practical fruits, but indispensable
for our future protection-onc which we are
lotn a. o,,iol not
ling even that Kansas shall become free State
unless you can at the same time inhict a gra-
tutous insult on the South In this am as
sumng to be correct the assertion SO repeated
ly and confidently made, end which, in fact
forms the staple Of nearly all the argument
and defamation which we have heard almost
daily since the meeting Of Congress, that
vast majority Of the people Of Kansas are op.
posed to the existence Of slavery within her
limits. If, then she be refused admission be-
cause it nominally and temporarily exists there
what may we expect when application shall be
made by State of which it will be a real and
enduring institution (? The scale Of political
preponderancy is constantly grayitating with
increased rapidity in favor of the free States
If even now they are disposed to treat us with
contumely and injustice what may we expect
fenceless? AS yet we have abundant means
to protect ourselves from aggression and, if
the issue is to be made in our day or that of
our children, it is wiser and safer for us to
make it now. But we are assured that there
is no reason for our apprehensions that there
is no considerable party at the North disposed
to Interfere with slavery in the States. No
one who has observed the course of things
there will place the least confidence in these
asseverations They are constantly falsifcd by
the votes of Senators, and as they gather
courage from success by their deliberate decla
rations, they now throw off the mask which
has heretofore disguised their purposes.
will cite very recent instance A bill was
reported from the committee on Foreign Rca-
tions to pay from an unexpcnded balance in
the treasury sum of money to certain per.
sons for whom it had been received in trust,
under provision of the treaty of Ghent, for
slaves carried off by the enemy in the last war
with Great Britain. On what ground was it
opposed by the senior Senator from New York?
On the ground that the proof of loss and
ownership was detective or that the fund was