The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-07-11
SPEECH OF MIR. STEPHENS.

SPEECH OF MR.. STEPHENS.
The Hon Alexander Il. stephens, OF Georgia, made a
speech 10 hs eorstuouu az augusta, week
Oh the 0cCgGi0n of his retiring from Congress-.
ANNEXATION or TEXAS.
After some preliminary rena, ka on toe subject Of State
pocy he alluded 70 bis connection with the snnexaoo
Of rex@one Of the most momeEtous questions, and the
hrsi which be had over met with. ~as fiery ordeal,
for be then stood in cppoeon 10 his friends; but
secret h.sory OF the subject has never been written
TIE annexation OF Texas cured four slave States to the
Union without claiming any honor for himself he stated
That the resoaor mat passed the Senate
by himself snd Mr. Brown OF Tennessee, and tina. Mr.
Calhoun aud Mr. Tyler them until they we're in
print In 1850 Mr. Hale asked Daniel Webster the great
coIttutonal expoandsr, whether he thought il con-
stituticne 10 admit territory eth guarantee Of four
slave states into she Union. MI Webster ,epned do'
qnin one Of the most gratifying OF his life.
L. years, .thstandipg the disagreement and dlf
cutes through which he passed. he lived the ablas
sxpounder admitting in the face Of the world that the
tct Of admission Was constitutional, and now men Of all
parties and agree Lhsi IL right.
NON INTERVENTION In TERRITORIES.
greater fearful crisis arosethat the question
Of the pow OF Congreos NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
slave States should ne admitted whether The South
should expsns enlarge whether Institutions
should be starved out whether the South should submit
to degradation. He would n0s give ,ne history OF those
times, but simply say IN regard 10 the path he took is
past what he dd is done, but whether right or wrong
the record IL made up The South successful; she
asked nothing wrong IRON Tho North and got only what
was right. He was perfectly willing To remain in the
urop but simply ead stay the hano Of oppression An
r,uch &c loved and admired the Uuiou Tho South
DO hemmef aud hedgcd in he was for resistance
sooner than to submit to practical or ateorca, questions
Of ,crog, he oos Jor resistance. He believed truth would
triumph; all the South wants is decison union, patriot
ism BE beev ed in the poser and competence OF truth
and would ask Tor nothing wrong The great principle
be carried out ia xIansiontbe right II tue people
South 10 60 10 th5 territories their slave property
protected ny the constitution, on platform Of equal
rights The question WAS fully settled q principle
Congress should make no discrimination in regard
tonal rights IN The territories, but that the people o! each
serritory when about form cousti uon as State
tlav 81
INTO the Union free Slave State The Missouri
promise cecirine the Texas Doctrine the tsrrtoaI doc
OF Rufus King ,Sl7, have all been abandoned
the admission tins principle, II no. triumph Of the
South. but triumph OF jGsIce truth and right TIE
t,ment fully up the demands OF the Soutn Sue
never asks but for what 10 right The principe
settled that congress shai abstain from all legislation
the subject OF slavery Ill the territories whether the
North the South; and the territories open
All sectons aud have the privilege Of adopting slavery
not. The people may choose when they form
Constitution. measures however did 20 as far
as he withed he ,cousd haps Congress 20 ci,s pro.
tsction TO stere properly IN the public domain
l"g as rs"aned IN n s,,. territorial 1rndi'ion
than twenty FIVE men IN Congress agreed with him
but he finally yielded to the doc.rue Of intervention
because it not aggretsve and il for
ali practical purposes what We wanted. II climate and
soil do Lot favor slavery 1t will into the Territories
Many thought all the discussion on TIE slavery question
had nothing in 1t, slavery wouldn't 20 TO Kansas Ne
braska &c; what harm would be done the Wmot pro.
passed? II s true, It abstract principle
which bad been gained; bn Of the greatest ques-
the Of the world have been abstract
BE would ADVISE as stroDg resistance to abstract TO
practical questions. Nations which submit to abstract
Queetiots or wrong will not long maintain their ndepen
dence Let 10 man, then say that all their discussion
about slavery the Territories for persona
motives and that all the details amounted TO nothing.
Fstts OF empires have been settled by abstract ques
tons. The bred Scott decision only in regard
to one slave, nu' il contained an abstract question
Of great importance. Mr. Stephens cited several
law cases where The interests Immediately at stake
small, but wherein great abstract principles
were contsned and asked where would have been the
Ircu but " Ias
place too light estimate upon theoretical ques
sionE. He cited Revolution, which, Mr.. WEB
ster ssye, thought upon preamble" The DENIAL
Of the colonies for the removal Of the tea snd stamp
granted by the British government but right OF
mon TIA, the Revon,,on pss so5yb Wr Senen. he
paid passing compliment TO Ireland and her patrols
orators and quoted the language OF EnuDd Burke In
gard to the action If the British government On the
principle, let deceived place small
innate public men in their discussions, when
they threaten dissolution q Unon and even on an
abstract principle BE would not advise the South, or
airy portion confederacy, 10 raman members Of
body il which they we're not equal in all the principles Of
lueiice.
ALL SOUTHERN QUESTIONS sErTIgp.
His tor retiring that All these questions
are NOV seiled. Everything human rs passing away
there is nothing eternal bu change, Our bodies yield
lns law Death IN incident 10 all aut governments are
liable to the same law The powerful OF the present
day, own, must pass away. We know not when
/. nist obey this Of Cnsnge; be would hasten
dssoution, but rather yrolopg ess.euce and oduge
10 .be hope tha. ar more glorious poson Iban the
enccav0red to discharge his 6u.t faithfully. Tie
settlement Of tie questions 10 which be had alluded
temont was affirmed By the judiciary as well az the exec
uve; snd divide Texas into i've slave States,
ct Chihuahua, Sonora SO, If We have tue slave popu
laticn.
PROSPECTS, FOR THE FUTURE.
He bad been a.ked what tho poets for the ~
ture what is recoc1e Of aMt slavery sentiment Of
the NORTH and whether slavery is secure ii
As he said IN 1850 he would repeat no1-there is
ue'y little prospect Of Tie South @tsin9 any hr-
ritay oMSids Of Trns in fact lrls or no pros
at alt atntess African stock. fhs
question ma hearers saoud examine it's length aud
BREADTH he would do nothing more than present but
ia as oan ythpg that unless the number Of African
stock be increased have not me population snd might
we'll abandon the with brethren the North
in the colonization OF the Territories II not tor him
10 advise these questions he only presented them she
people should think and act upon them. If mere ba
few stGce States, Is MT because Of aboltin7isrn
the Wilmot proctso, bI SIMPLY for TIE nd1 OF psope 10
settle item. They could not make States without people
mountains do make them and slave Sta.es
cannot be made wfncut Africans not telling you.
ne said 70 Do II, but Is serious queston conceraing
political and domcttc poiicy ard do not want voters
and decamtrs much as thinkers and reasoners II IL
useless TO wage about abstract rights to quarrel
and each other OF unsoundnes unless get
Africans. Many he'd ssked him what ne thought OF
pubic sentiment on this question? He would reply
thss The insitpton Of slavery ~ now stronger than
y was sixteen years ago, when he entered Congress-
No.bing improved Ike i--and il liked firm
and secure ia its position. In his judgment, the
only government consistent with nature He did not
agree WITH some ss u The manner of meeting our opoo
heps winnie many persons offended ana astonished
at the higher Law doctrine OF Seward he believed him
SELL IN higner law He believed In higher law OF tic
Creator, and 'he constitution sustain aud rest no u
This higher law. The opponents Of slavery were enaes.
vorpg to make things equal (olacl ana white people)
which the CIeator mad r,A1e upeoui. Our oooonents
trou, are warr'ng agans Principe while nc are war
rirg Tor II.
IGNORANCE or TIE ASrHDILuvTlys
Negro slavery is bus in its infancy is \ mere problem,
Of government; orr fathers DIDN'T understsnd II
grdt thht oil the public " South ays,s pcs ro1i,s
az BAT taey aaint sogs,d.,d IT, II s for TO mce angs
tons with The fnuess which they did. The problem is
YET upsoived Ours II not only the beat. but II Is
the only government founded upon the principles Of
nature. Aristotle snd other ancient philosophers aa1
failed ia her theories OF government. Grada.ior is
seen in everything nature-in tho lowery world,
from the japo,ice down TO the violet, In tho yegeta Die
kingdom, IL the strs and even in men. All government
comes from the Creator Sstemen looked To this
principle OF gradesCn. but governments s The oaly
founded Oh IL; aud our policy, our institutions and African
slavery s founded IL is nos tof US 10 inquire into
the great sieries Of nature ana u Is mo ioosn W al
tempt 10 make things better tran God made them Cap-
p,ause) Statesmen aod private should take thugs
God founded them, making the greatcs amount OF