St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-03-15

Dettred IN he L. y. Senate, FeThdry 20, 1860
At an early hour the galleries Of
the Senate Chamber were dcnsely
crowded by ladies and gentlemen, in
anticipation of a speech expected from
Senator Seward. After the transac
ton of some business of minor i'm
portance, Mr.. Seward presented the
Memorial Of the Legislature of Kansas
praying for admission into the Union
Mr.. Seward said
Mr. President, the admission of X an
sas into the Union, without further de
lay, seems to be equally necessary
just and wise. In recorded debates !
have already anticipated the argu
ments for this conclusion. In coming
forward among the political astrolo
gers, 1t shall be an error Of Judgment,
and not of disposition, if my inter
pretation of the fcvcrish dreams which
are disturbing the country shall tend
to foment, rather than to allay the ma,
tional excitement. | shall say moth,
ing unnecessarily Of persons, because,
in our system, the public welfare and
happiness depend chiefly on institu,
tions, and very little on men. shall
allude but briefly to incidental topics,
because they arc cphcmcral, and be-
cause, even III the midst Of appeals to
passion and prejudice, it is always
safe to submit solid truth to the de.
IibCratc consideration Of an honest
and enlightened people.
1t will he an over!lowing source Of
shame, as well as of sorrow, if we,
thirty millions Europeans by cXtrac,
tion, Americans 10y birth or discipline,
and Christians III faith, and meaning
to be such in practicc-can not so
combine prudence with humanity, in
our conduct concerning the one dis
tnrblmg subject of Slavery, as not on
y to preserve our unequal institutions
Of Freedom, but also to enjoy THEN
benefits with coutcntmcnt and harmo-
ny. Wherever guiltlcss slave cx,
lists, bc he Caucasian, American, Ma
lay, or African, he is the subject o'
two distinct and opposite sides-ont
that he is wrongly, the other that he
is rightly slave. The balance o
numbers on either side, however great
never completely cxtinguishes this
difference Of opinion, for there are
always some defenders of Slavery out
side, even if there are none inside a
Free State, while, also, there are al
ways outside, if there are not inside
of every Slave State, many who as
scrt with Milton, that " no man who
knows aught can be SO stupid to deny
that all men were naturally born free
being the image and resemblance oI
God himself, and Were by privilege
above all the creatures born to com
mand and not to obey" 1t often, per.
haps 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 exclu
sivcly for the welfare of the citizen
But this fact does not materially at;
feet ultimate results, for the elemental
ry question of the righttulncss OF
wrongfulness of Slavery inheres in
every form that discussion concerning
it assumes. What is just to one class
of men can never be injurious to any
other and what is unjust to any con
dition of persons in State, is ncccs
sarily injurious in some degree to the
whole community. An economical
question early arises out Of the sub
| iect of Slavery-labor either Of free
men or of slaves is the cardinal ncccs
sty of society. Some States choose
the one kind, some the other. Hence
two municipal systems widely differ
ent arise. The Slave State strikes
down and affects to cXtinguish the
personality of the laborcr, not only as
member Of the political body, but
also as parent, husband, child, neigh
Dor OF friend. He thus becomes, in {
political view, mere property without
moral capacity, and without domestic
moral and socia, relations, duties
rights and rcmelies--a Chattcl, an ob
.jcct Of bargain, sale, gift, inheritance
or theft. His earnings are compensa
ted and his wrongs atontd, not to INN
self, but to his owner. The State pro
| tccts not the slave as u man, but the
/ capital OF another man, which he rep
rcsents. On the other hand, the Stat,
which REJECTS Slavery encourages an'
anlmates and mviGorates the Lahore
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