The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-03-23
SPEECH OF
BENZ. +. WADE,
Delivered in tie Senate of tie United
States. March 7th, 1860.

relative 10 territories were taken up.
Mr.. Wade thought these resoIu ions
worthy OF notice, as they seemed 10 en-
body The views Of the Democratic pariv,
and they were entirely opposite to the
principles for which he should coniend.-
The public mind is greatly agi,ated in the
consideration Of the principles contained
in these resolutions and other similar ones.
1t is little remarkable that the loudest
complaints come from those who have
had the power and administration Of the
government for many years, and have
moulded its policy and been 10 possession
Of the vas, revenues. The party to which
| belong have been for many years with.
out any power 10 control in any way the
policy of tile government. |, is singu-
lar fact that those that have the army, the
navy and the treasury under their control
now stand complaining and they come
forward TO tell us that maladministra,ion
is such, or their principles are such, that it
will be better 10 tear down the pillars OF
the government and involve US all in one
common ruin. The question might well
arise, how happens it that you, who have
been in possession Of the power Of the
government for at least seven years,
should have so conducted il that you are
now apprehensive of ruin =? lear deduce
no other conclusion than that those who
have been in possession Of this power have
shown themselves incapable Of admins
tering the government on such principles
as it should be administered upon. l do
not believe any Senator here from the
Southern States can look me in the face
and say that he has not, aud his section
has not had their full share Of political
power from the organization of the Gov
ernment until now. No, sir. II io per.
fec'!y obvious thai your power in this
Government has been altogether in dis
proportion TO your numbers.
l do not blame anybody, because l
know it is the nature OF us all 10 make
use of all the powers we have 10 the ad
vantage o! our own principles, our own
interests, and our own views. Undoubt-
edly. sir, would do the same ihing.-
And you, sir, complain Of the adminislra-
lion OF this Government and say that il is
total failure. TO such degree, that you
are meditaling its utter and entire de-
struction. Who is to blame for all this
excep, those WHO had the power and have
controlled all the policies Of the govern.
mant to suit themselves ? This is most
manifest from the confession of those who
complain. 1t is but the shadow Of the
great principle which l contend for,
thrown across the political horizon. that
disurbs the equanimiiy OF our southern
brethren. The Senator from G, orgia
(Mr. Toombs) ,old US that they were in
the possession. and he was proud Of it
and well he might be-of $50, 900 square
miles of the most beautiful country God
ever bestowed upon man and he in.
formed us, sir. that il was capable OF sus'
tanning population greater ihan that o.
Europe and / believe he spoke within
bounds when he said so. lie told us
there were but twelve millions Of people
inhabiling that country. And we al
know that the slaveholding States in poin
of area are one third greater than .he free
States, while they contain now not more
than one-half OF the population. He
showed their prosperity and that. too, is
so. Is it not, then, anomalous, ihese
winnings and complaints about the ag-
gresslon and oppression of the Nor,h
who are entirely out Of power. and when
we know that the property claimed BY
these gentlemen was never SO prosper ou'
as to-day? Slaves are higher than they
have ever been before, and their employ
ment is more profitable to the owner lh al
it has ever been. In one moment, it j:
the glory and boast Of Southern gentle
men, and in the very next breath, all i:
ruin and dependency.
How is il, sir II the North have con
Quoted themselves so shamelessly toward
southern institutions. how is it that your
property has risen in the market. and
now stands higher. by your own boastins
and showing, than II. any former period
These things cannot be. One thing
would notice. The Senator from Georgia
(Mr. Toombs) rose in his place, Nnd will
a kind Of despair on his counlenancc said
that we on this side of the chamber wert
the enemies Of the country. He felt then
TO be enemies Of his country, and powe
would be unsafely lodged in our hands
, Why unsafe, sir, if we have not endan
\ gered the Government so far He com
! planned that we were failhless in the exc
! cu,ion Of his Fugitive bill. and yet he tolt
us that such was the loyalty OF the serv
: ants OF the people Of Georgia that since
the DAYS q the Revolutionary war to th,
present day, not one hundred for an!
r cause Whatever had escaped. Sir, had
rot that Senator small reason 20 complain
, Of anybody? Scarcely negro a yea
had escaped from the great State OF Geor
e gia, yet she comes here and is ready il
5 her rage to make war on the Union. II
r tear its pillars dnwn, and involve us all il
! one common ruin. And why, sir ? Be
: cause they have lost one poor niger
year. He does not tell us whether the.
/. lost them by aboIi;ionists or not. Blu
E when the gentleman comes here to main
5 tain that kind Of argument, It is perfect.
evident that there is something else thar
the consciousness Of any real losses b.
, the unfaithfulness OF those whom the.
+ abuse. Well, sir, as tho Senator from
, Georgia seemed TO be the Attorney Gen
( errl 10 bring in a bill Of indictment agains
, this side OF the Senate, propose, for
. brief period, to review some Of the argu
! men,s, some Of the declarations. and som
! of the vituperstion contained in tia
8 speech, for I acknowledge him to b