The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1860-06-21


| it became my duty to expose the Crime
against Kansas, and to insist upon the
| Immediate admission of that Territory as
State of this Union, with Constitution
forbidding Slavery. Time has passed
but the question remains. Resuming the
discussion precisely where | left it, am
happy to avow that rule of moderation,
which, it is said, may venture even to Tx
the boundaries of wisdom itself. | have
no personal griefs to utter; only barbar-
Gus egctism could intrude these into this
chamber. | have no personal wrongs to
avenge; only a barbarous nature could at
tempt to WELD that vengeance which be-
longs to the Lord. The years that have
intervened aud the tombs that have been
opened since | spoke have their voices
too, which I cannot fail to hear. Besides,
what am What is any man among the
living or among the dead compared with
the Question before Us? 1t is this alone
which | shall disctss; and | open the ar
gument with that easy victory which is
found in charity.
The Crime against Kansas stands forth
in painful light. Search history, and you
cannot find its parallel. The Save trade
is bad but even this enormity is petty
compared with that elaborate continuance
by which, in a Christian age and within
the limits of Republic, all forms of con-
stitutional liberty were perverted; by
which ali the rights of human nature
were violated, and the whole country was
held trembling on the edge Of civil war
while all this large exubcranee Of wicked
ness, detestable in itself, becomes terfold
more dctestable when its origin is traced
: to the madness for Slavery. The fatal
partition between Freedom and Slavery
, known as the Missouri Compromise; the
subsequent overthrow Of this partition
and the seizure OF ali bv Slavery; the Vi
olation of plighted faith; the conspiracy
: to force Slavery at al hazards into Kan
sas successive invasions by which all Sc
: curitv there was destroyed, and the elect
oral franchise itself was trCdden down
the sacreligious seizure Of the very polls,
and, through pretended forms of law, iht
imposition of foreign Legislature upon
this Territory; the acts of this Legisla
ture, fortifying the Usurpation, and
among other things, establishing test
! oathsj calculated to disfranchise actua
: settlers friendly to Freedom, and seeur
ing the privileges of the citizen to actua
=. strangers friendly to Slavery; the whole
crowned by statute" the b6-all anC
the end-all" of the whole Usurpation-
; through which Slavery was not only rec
ognized on this beautiful soil, but made
to bristle with Code Of Death such a:
, the world has rarely seen; all these | have
fully exposed on former occasion. Anc
yet, the most important part Of the argu
mcnt was at that time left untouched ;
J mean that which is found n the Charac
ter Of Slavery. THIS natural sequel, witt
the permission Of the Senate, propose
! now to supply.
Motive is to Crime as soul to body
and it is only when we comprehend the
= motive shat we can truly comprehend th'
Crime. Here, the motive is fouhd ii
Slavery and the rage for its extension
Therefore, by logical necessity, mus
= Slavery be discussed not indirectly, tim
idly, and sparingly, but directly, openly
and thoroughly. 1t must be exhibited
as it is alike in its influence and in it
animating character, so that not only it.
outside but its Inside may be seen.
7 THIS is 10 time for soft words or ex
cuses. All such are out of place. They
may turn away wrath but what is til,
# wrath of man? ? This is 30 time to aEan
+ don any advantage il the argument. Sen
y ators scmetimes announce that they re
If sist Slavery on political grounds only anc
L remind us that they say notbiug of IN,
t moral question. This is wrong. Shaver,
n must be resisted not only on politlca
5 grounds but on all other grounds, wheth
a er social, economical, or moral. Ours i
= no holiday contest nor is it any strife o
rival factions; of White and Red Roses
: of theatrie Neri and Bianchi; but it is
n solemn battle between Right and Wrong
. between Good and Evil. Such BATH
G cannot be fought with excuses or witt
f rosewater. There is austere work to b
done, and Freedom cannot consent to aiu!
away any of her weapons.
+ If were disposed to shrink from thi
e discussion, the boundless assumption
0 now made by Senator'S on the other sid
Y would not allow me- The whole eharao
ter of Slavery as pretended form of cir
0 ilization is put directly Ill issue, with {
pe-tnaeity aud a hardihood which banisl
/ ali reserve on this side. In these as
e sumptions, Senators from Soath Carol;R'
e materially take the lead. Following Mr.
: Calhoun, who pronounced 8 Slavery th'
: most safe and stable basis for free institu
t;o,a -, +ba world - and Mr. Mo Hu fFp