Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-03-09
political.
SPEECH OF
Hon. WILLIAM III. SEWARD

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RErUn1IcANrsM AND ITS PLATFORM!
THE KANSAS QUESTION.
The "IrrcprcssiJlc Conflict" Fully Stated.
DEMOCRACY AND the DEMOCRATIC PARTY
DlSSECTED.
ADMISSION or KANSAS.
Mr.. President, the admission of Kansas
into the Union, without further delay, seems
to me equally necessary, just, and WISE In
recorded debates have already anticipated
the arguments for this conclusion
THE NArroNAL EXCITEMENT.
In coming forward among the political as
trologers. it shall be an error of Judgment
and not of disposition, if my Interpretation
of the fcverish dreams which are disturbing
the country shall tend to foment, rather than
to allay the national excitement shall say
nothing unnecessarily of persons, because, in
our system, the public welfare and happiness
depend chiefly on institutions, and very little
on men. / shall alude but briefly TO Incl
dental topics, because they are ephemoral'
and because, even in the midst of appeals to
passion and prejudice. it is always safe to
submit solid truth to the deliberate consider
alton OF an honest and enlightened people
1t will be an ovcraowing source Of shame,
as well as Of sorrow, if we, thirty millions
Europeans by extraction, American by birth
or discipline, and Christians in faith, and
meaning to be such in practice-cannot so
combine prudence with humanity, in our con-
duct concerning the one disturbing subject
Of slavery. as not only TO preserve our une-
qualed institutions of freedom. but also to
enjoy their benefits with oontentment and
harmony.
HERE AND now.
HI -. Ia,
Caucasian. American. Malay. or African, he
is tho subject of two distinct and opposite
ideas-ono that he is wrongly. the other that
he is rightly a slave The balance Of num-
bers on either side, however great never COM
plotelv extingushes this difference of opinion,
for there are always some defenders Of slavery
outside even If there none inside of a
free State, while also there are always out
side il there are not inside of every slave
State. many who assert with Milton, that INC
man who knows aught can be so stupid as "a
deny that all men naturally were born free
being the image and resemblance Of God him
self and were by privilege above all the crea'
lures, born to command aud not to obey il
often. perhaps generally, happens, however
that in considering the subject Of slavery
society seems TO overlook the natural right
or personal interest Of the slave himself, and
TO act exclusively for the welfare Of the citl-
zen But this fact does not materially affect
ultimate results, for the elementary question
Of the rightiuness or wrongfulness Of slavery
inhores in every form that discussion concern
ing it assumes. What is just to one class o
men can never be injurious to another and
what is unjust to any condition Of persons il
state. is necessarily injurious in some de-
gree TO the whole community. An economi
cal question early arises out OF the subject o
slavery-labor either Of iroemen Of slave,
is the cardinal necessity OF society. Some
States choose the one kind, some the other
Hence two municipal systems widely different
arise The slave State strikes down and af
fects to extinguish the personality of the la
borer, not only as member of the politca
body. but also as parent, husband, child
ncighbor, or friend. lie thus becomes, in
political view, merely property without mora
capacity, and without domestic, moral. anc
social relations, duties, rights. and remedies
"a chattel, an object of bargain. sale, gift
inheritance, or theft. His earnings are CON
pensated and his wrongs atoned, not to him
self, but to his owner. The State protect
not the slave as man, but the capital of an
other man, which he represents. On the 9th
er hand, the State which rejects slavery en-
courages and animates and invigorates the la
borer by maintaining and developing his nat
ural personality in all the rights and facultie
of manhood, and generally with the privilege
OF citizenship In the case capital invest
ed in slaves becomes great political force
while in the other labor thus elevated and en-
franchised, becomes the dominating politica
power 1t thus happens that we may, 70
convenience sake, and not inaccurately, cal
slave States capital States, and free States la
Dor States.
THE QUESTION THAT ARISES
So soon as State feels the impulses o
commerce or enterprise or ambition, its citi
zens begin to study the effects of these sys
TENS of capital and labor respectively on it,
intelligence, its virtue its tranquility, its in
tegrity or unity, its defence, its prosperity, it
liberty, its happiness, its aggrandizement ant
its fame. In other words, the great question
arises. whether slavery is moral, social, anC
political good or moral, social, and politca
evil. This is the slavery question at home
But there is a mutual bond of unity anC
brotherhood between man and man through
out the world Nations examine freely tn,
political systems Of each other, and of al
preceding times, and accordingly as they an
prove or disapprove Of the two systems o
capital and labor respectively, they sanction
and prosecute, or condemn and prohibit com
merce in men, Thus. in one way or in anoth
er, the slavery question which so many anon,
us, who are more willing to rule than patien
in studying the conditions of society," thinl
is a merely accidental or unnecessary ques
ton that might and ought to be settled an,
dismissed at once, is, on the contrary.
worldwide and enduring subject of politica
consideration and civil administration. Men
states, and nations entertain it, not voluntari
iy' but because the progress OF society con
tnually brings it into their way. They di
vide upon It, not peryersely, but because
owing to differences of constitution, condi
tion, or circumstances, they cannot agree
WHAT OUR FATHERS THOUGHT AND DID.
The fathers of Republic encountered il
They even adjusted it so that it might hav
given us much less than our present disauiet
had not circumstances afterwards oocurre
which they wise as they were, had not clearl
forseen. Although they had inherited, yc
they generally condemned the practice
slavery and hoped for its discontinuanc,
They expressed this when they asserted i
the Declaration Of independence, as funds