The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-22
204


atOr suppose that Wn6n the distinguished leaQer
of that party announced to the world that the
wheat-feTds and the rye-felds of Massachusetts,
and New York mnst ultimately be titled by slave
labor, that he meant any such thing-that be
supposed for a moment that that was to be the
result of this " irrepressible conflict" No, sir;
bat the other branch of the alternative-that the
sugar plantations of Louisiana and the cotton
and rice plantations of South Carolina shall be
titled by free labor, and by free labor only. That
is a declaration of war.
1t IS declaration against the rights of the
people, secured by the compact and the Consti-
tuition of the country, and we are forewarned.
Notwithstanding this may be constitutional
election, that majority, according to the pre-
scribed forms Of the Constitution, have right TO
elect, and the election is valid, yet, rather than
submit TO a fate forewarned, they who think so
give timely notice that they do not intend to
submit to it. 1t is degradation by proclama-
ton in advance, to be met by counter-procla-
nation, without touching the inferiority of the
Northern States at ALL Sir il is not the men, II
is not the party, il is not the States, but it is the
principle, that we sHbjugate you; give US the
reins Of power and we will place you at our
feet: we viii take from you what you have, qni-
city if you viii yield, forcibly if you do rot; and
we viii hold you under the power of this Fed
ersl Government, subject to the domination of
party whose principles in violation accord
ing TO our judgment, of every principle of the
Constitution" That, presume, is the meaning
OF those who profess that sentiment.
Mr.. TRUMBULL. Mr.. President, it is just
such speeches as this we have listened to from
the Senator from South Carolina, based upon
Misunderstanding of the Republican party OF the
North, that has misled the South. The North
intends no encroachment upon the South. The
Republican party is party, in its principles, pub
lie and avowed to the world, snd il is because of
the misrepresentation of the objects and views of
that party that the prejudices of the South have
been excited against IL and chiefly by the mis-
representations which have been made by this
so-called Democratic party in the North. They
choose TO call every person that does not unite
with them an Abolitionist
I was born and bred up in the Democratic
faith, acted with the Democratic party, sustained
lis MEASURES and its men upon principle when
that party was divided from the Wing party
upon questions of finance, in regard to the com
mercisl interests Of the country, and other great
questions. But, in 1854, what was done? ]
was one of those who acquiesced in the measures
of 1850, and agreed to abide by the settlement
then made | heard with delight the declaration
OF Franklin Pierce, when inaugurated President, |
and in his message, tfat the settlement of 1850 /
should suffer no shock which he could prevent /
during his Administration. / glad when 1
the Kansas-Nebraska bill was introduced, &C |
companied by the report of a committee in this |
body, declaring that to repeal the Missouri com
promise would be departure from the meas
measures Of 1850 had given peace to the coun-
try; that the Slavery question forever after
wards TO be banished from the Halls of Congress,
and that no man was TO be tolerated who should |
under any pretence whatever in Congress or out |
Of Congress, attempt to stir up again this excl /
ting question.
l. ii good faith, supposed that these declara- !
tions meant something; and therefore when, in |
1854, notwithstanding these assurances to the
country, the proposition was sprung upon il to
repeal the Missouri compromise, and open Kan
sas 10 Slavery, and when the measure was made
the test and the only test of party faith | did
refuse TO cooperate with the party which made
that the only test Of its political faith. Then it
was that the old Democratic party and the Wing
party were broken up. They were both disband-
ed, and new question thrust upon the
country, which had not before been in issue be-
tween parties. When it was thrust upon US and
parties and persons took issue upon the question
of the repeal OF the Missouri compromise and the
opening OF Kansas TO Slavery, united with that
party which took ground against the repeal of
the Missouri compromise and in favor of stand
ing by what all parties had agreed to but four
years previously, sir, but two years previous,
when they nominated their respective candidates
for the Presidency To style the party that now
calls itself Democratic, the successor of the old
Democratic party, is a msuomer 1t is no more
the successor of that party than the Republican
Pefiy. The coartry seems to have forgotten,
and gentlemen who use this word Democratic"
as ii il had some meaning, at this day, seem to
have forgotten that majority of the members
of the House Of Representatives from the North
ern States OF the Democratic party voted against
the peal Of the Missouri compromise. Ii was
a minority of the Democratic party that favored
that measure and then il that these new
parties were formed, composed of persons who
had before belonged indiscIiminately either to
the Wing the Democratic party.
When the Senator from South Carolina at
tributes to the Republican party of the North the
views which he does he entirely misapprehends
the views of that party. They have been reit-
GRATED hundred times. ] wish / had a voice
that could reitera.e them so that every man in
the South should hear. I would say to every
man from the Gulf to the Potomac, tie RepubIi-
can party plants itself on this Slavery question
precisely on the ground upon which your own
Washington and Jefferson stood. We avow in
our platform of principles that will abide by /
the Constitution. We have no intention of in
terferlng with your domestic institutions and
when the Senator from South Carolina talks /
about the North interfering with the institutions
of the South l ask when, where? Never. sir. /
Oh but you exclude us from the common ter
rtory.p Is that an interference with YOUR insti-
buttons? Was II an interference in 1897? Was
1t an interference in 1889, when your own great
men passed the act TO exclude Slavery from the I
Territories You did not so regard it. Did .
those men put dlshonOr upon themselves? We
believe that these Territories are the common
property Of the United States, az much as YOU /
we tell you that mar who has no slaves has
as much right TO 20 there as a man who has
slaves; that one has just as much right to settle
in the Territories of the United States as another
but We tell you that no man can take the insti- /
tuilons OF his State, along with him wherever he
goes. When he goes beyond the jurisdiction of
his State, ana enters some other Jurisdiction, the
local laws which governed him in the State
whence he emigrated cease to operate.
The Constitution of the United States has ex
pressly conferred upon Congress authority TO
govern these Territories, and the authority has
always been exercised. It is altogether a mis-
taken notion that any inequality is put upon
Southern men by refusing TO extend Slavery in
to the Territories. Why, sir, in the Southern
States, majority of your white population are
not Shareholders. Not one in ten, only about
one IN twenty OF your population own slaves
and II you Will divide them into families | sun
pose that not one family in five in all the South
ern States owns slave. We believe that it is
for the interests of this great country for the
interests Of the people who are TO settle our
Territories, that they should be settled by free
white people. What interest have four families
out OF 1--WE in the Southern States in introducing
Slavery into Kansas, or into any free territory
VIII you tell me that it is putting degradation
on them, unless they permitted to introduce
slaves into the Territories? They have none to
introduce. They do not want Slavery. Nine
out of ten of your white population in Carolina
own no slaves, and at least four out of five of
the families of that State l presume have no
slaves. Is it degradation then upon them :?
Who. is it upon2 Why, if on any one, it is on
/. vour one-tweDtieth nerson on5 loo;.1o.:.. >.