The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-04-18

Ne'c Xork, delivered TN The House o,
Representatives, March 7, 1860.
CoNCLUDED.
Negro slavery in its infancy, That fact
must be consoling to those exceedingly
pious gentlemen who arc claiming for AT.
rican slavery Divine origin, from the
curse denounced against Canaan in the fran.
tic rage Of Noah s delirium In its infancy
When gentlemen justify it because it has
existed in all ages Of the world. The gen.
tleman from South Carolina. MIR. Keitt.
ON this floor, adds his testimony:
The sentiments which the great men of the
Revolution entertained upon the question of slave
ry are immaterial to me. The institution Rad
not been discussed its character and capacities
had not been tested; besides, Mey mere imJued
miM the influence Of the French encyeiopeiists,
and uere affected Jy the distractions of the Dee.
iaration Of Independence"
The gentleman from Virginia Mr..
Smith said:
"The gentleman refers to the sentiment of
distinguished revolutionary men, and asks me if
Irepudiate them. Sir, MANI Of those sentiments,
of course, repudiate; many j't.ose sentiments
arc false IN phiiosophy and unsoa"d in fact"
As gentlemen daily pass through the ro-
tunda Of this Capitol, do they ever pause to
consider the magnificent painting represent
ing their fathers in Congress signing this
now villified Declaration of Independence /,
Why. sir, since the world began. save the
band Of Apostles gathered with Christ at
the last supper, never has there been con-
vened 30 grave. deliberate, and determined
body Of men. When you are in the pres
snce of the lifelike representation Of your
patriot fathers, there must come down
withering rebukc from the silent canvas,
reproving your ingratitude and infdelity,
in stigmatizing the work before them as
distractions and the frenzies of French en-.
cyclopedists
Sir. such impiety needs only the rcbuke
Of silence. Where are the Dsnites who
assassinate men if they are suspected of
slandering the history of the South Who
now arc the cold-blooded slanderers of your
history and the memory of your great men !
Why not seize your canes, and clutch your
knives, and drive such men from your bor-
ders
Has it come to this-the solemn Dccla-
ration of your own fathers you call gcnerali-
ties and abstractions-thcir well settled
principles of freedom you stigmatize as de-
lusiOns-their established policy and laws
you rebukc. under the insolcnt arrogance
that the public men of the South did not
understand the system of negro slavery"
and this in the face of the fact that for
years they have been struggling against
the despotism Of royalty to suppress slave.
ry and the slave trade.
You have a right to change your views
and condemn your fathers. We have
right to pursue their policy and vcnerate
their memories For this you may re-
proach and prescribe, and deprive us of all
participation in the administration of this
Government yet you cannot control us by
threats or danger or Establishments of pow.
er. For us, =" Is not the cleaning of the
grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage
Of Abi-Ezcr?"
Do you ever reflect upon the treason of
your insane threats Said the member
from South Carolina, Mr.. Keitt i
| "The South viii resist, to the overthrow of
the Government, the ascendency of the Repub-
lcan party. Should the Republican party sue
ceed at the next Presidential election, my advice
to to the South is, to snap the cords of the Un'
ion at once and forever"
Said the member from Mississippi, Mr.
Davis i
"The Black Republicans showed their organ
lied rebellion when they presented Fremont as O
sectional candidate for the Presidency, as a rep
resenative of their system of free labor in oppO
sitiOn to our system of slave labor. Against that
REBELLION we intend to act; We mean to put il
down, even if we have to do it with the bayonet
Gentlemen Of the Republican party, l warn you
present your sectional candidate for 1860, cleo
him as a representative of your system of labor
and we of the South will tear the Constitution
into pieces"
Sir. craze your brain, nerve your arm
precipitate this issue upon US, and We ART
ready. Our Northern fathers were told b,
an English Officer. "Disperse. ye rebels
throw down your arms, and disperse.
Their answer, if necessary. shall be ou
answer.
He continued
81, to-day, have more affection for an En-
glshman than Black Republican"
Quite likely. Many Of the men in tn
South. during the Revolution, experience
the same thrill Of joy in loving britis
red-coat, or Hessian child-butcher, bette
than an American patriot or a colonia
: rebel.
3 You also threaten to dissolve the Unio
in case another demand is not compile
with. The member from Georgia MI
Crawford said
1--WE have now four million slaves. In som
n twenty-five years hence We will have eight mi
lion We demand expansion. We will hav
expansion in spite Of the Republican party"
The member from Mississippi Mr.. Si1
gletonl said:
/. ave have now four million slaves in fiftet
States; We will, in fifty years from now, ha,
sixteen million. But / will tell you the instit
ton of slavery must be sustained. Yes, sir; v
= will expand this institution We do not intend
be confined within our present limits; and the
: are not men enough in all your borders to c
cree three millions armed men in the South"
>, Have you, gentlemen, made any calc'
|, lation where you will expand your ins,
tuition when you have withdrawn from d
Union Have you the madness and fol
to believe that you could wrest it from Il