Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-04-26
SLAVERY QUESTION.
SPEECH OF sa
HON. OWEN LOVEJ0Y.
Delivered in the House of Representa-
tlves, Arri1 5th, 1SCO.


\ on the State of the Union, MIR. LovEJoY said;
Mr.. CHAIRMAN; The House has been occupie
for several days in the discussion Of the subject
: poygamy. The Republican party. of which al
a member, stands pledged since 1856 to the extcl
mination, so FAR as the Federal Government ha
the power, of the twin relics of barbarsm, slaver
: and polygamy. They have this power in the Te
; ritores OF the United States.
Now. sir, as we anticipate death blow has bee
. given to one of these twins, propose to pay IN
. RESPECTS to the other. I want to see them bot
stranglcd and go down together as they both rich
ly deserve.
Mr. CoBB-I rise TO question of order.
I The CHAIRNaS-The gentleman viii state hi
question of order.
Mr. CoaB-I was going to raise a question G
order upon the right OF the gentleman to discus
the question OF the stwin relics" under the net
rule we have adopted. However, | will not inter
iere; the gentleman may go on with his speech
Mr.. LovEJoY-I am entitled to the floor; do nc
Weld to the gentleman; and will proceed with m
remarks within my hour, with the gentleman 5 Del
mission. or without it.
Mr.. STANToy-I would be glad to know what i
the understanding of the Chair, and of the Chair
man Of the Committee Of Ways and Means, as Il
what is to be the course OF discussion upon thi
bill, whether the 'twin relics arc in order OF not
or whether the discussion is to be confined to IN,
bill ITSELF The questions properly in the bill il
to command the entire attention of the committee
and think we should confac the discussion strict
" to it, When we are all in the Committee of tn,
Whole on the State of the Union upon the Presi-
dents Message, the gentlem IN from IIin1s will
be strictly in order. l have no special interest n
bout the matter, except that ifthe question is to b.
opened to this general discussion. am afraid tn,
whole time viii be taken up with il, and the i'm
portan' subjects connected with the bill itself over
looked.
Mr. SHERMAN will state that as I understand
It, the debate NAV be general upon this bill in
its present condition, as upon the Presidents Mes
sage. 1t within the power of the House, how
ever at any time to m Ike the bill a special order.
alter which. debate must be confined strictly to the
question under consideration. Ifit be the pleas
ure o. the House. propose in the course OF about
week to submit that motion To the House.
The CHAIRMAx-The Chair supposes that gcner
al debate Is in order upon this bili the House
being in the Committee Of the Whole on the State
OF the unien, and no special order pending.
MIR LorEIof-l was about to say, when inter
rup;ed, that am aware that the practical question
presented to this house and to the country wheth
slavery shall be extended beyond its present linn
It's; as hiti the only question over wh CT they
have exclusive jurisdiction. And if slavery were
contented TO remain restricted, and lind its future
where it now is, we might perhaps forbear this dis
cuss,on. But when lis proposed to extend what ii
=
tion; which IS simply pr.ctice-.he question nat
uraly arises, what Is the nlture. what are the cle.
menrs of this practice7 and what will they prove to
be IL allowed cxpansion7
am aware ii has been statedon this floor, that
the morale of slavery is settled thtt its etchcs are
no longer to be discussed; that they settled
ages ago by the Stagiritc Of Greece. and have been
rc-afirmcd and rc-estIbli-hcd by the chanticleer
Soon OF Ohio, IN rhetoric gorgeous sunsets glow.
We are told that where slavery will pay, slave
holding will go. Precisely upon the same pr;nc
pie we might sar that where robbery will pay, rob
berry viii go and where piracy will pay, piracy will
90; and where adipose human flesh il cheaper than
that of bceves, cannibasrn will go, because it will
pay. Sir, than robbery, than piracy, than polyga-
my, slavcholding is worse--more Injurious to mn,
and consequently more offensive to God.
Slavcho:ng has been Justly designated as the
sum OF ali vi!iiny. Pa. every crime perpetrat cd
among men into moral crucbc, and dissolve and
combine them all. and the resu.tint amalgam is
slavcholdinS. 1t has the violence of robbery.
A MEMEER-You are joking.
Mr. LovEJor--Nc, SIR; am speaking in dead
earnest, before God. Gods own truth. II has the
violence of robbery the blood and cruelty of piracy
it has the offensive and br,t,l lusts of polygamv,
allcombined and concentrated in itself, with aggr-
vations that neither one Of these crimes ever knew
or dreamed OF.
Now, Nr. Chairman. the Justification of slavery is
placed. so far rs know. mainly upon these grounds
the inferiori;y OF the ens,avcd race the fact that
cnslavinS men implrts Christianity and civilaza-
ton to them; and thirdly the guarantees of the
Constitution. These are the three main arguments
presented TO justify slavery. and consequently to
justify its expansion. And, by the way, hold that
the extreme men, as they called, on this ques-
lion, the only men who have the logic of it.
am right or the iir, -.iters right. II slavery is
right in Virginia, it is right in Katsas- Ii it is
wrong in Kansas, it is wrong everywhere.
Now sir. ia regard to this first point--the nfcri-
ority Of the ensaved race. We may concedc it
rs matter Of fact that is inferior; but does it fol-
low, therefore that il is right to cnsave a man sim
ply because he is infcrior7 This, to inc, is most
abhorrent doctrine. Ii would place the weak ev-
crywhere at the mercy of the strong; il would place
the poor at the mercy of the rich; it would place
those that are deficient in intellect at the mercy OF
those that are gifted in mental endo wments.
The principle of cnslaving human beings because
they are inferior is this: If is cripple trip
him up ifhe Is old and weak, and bowed with the
weight OF years, strike him, for he cannot strike
back; if idiotic. take advantage of him, and il
child deceive him. This sir this is the doctrine Of
Democrats and the doctrine of devils as we'll, and
there Is no place in the universe outside the I've
points of hell and the Democratic party where the
practice and prevalence OF such doctrine would not
be disgrace. Laughter. 1.-THE strong of the
earth to enslive the weak here, it would usti-
~ angels IN cnsiaving men because they are supc-
nor; and archangels in turn would be justified in
subJugating those who inferior in intellect and
position, and ultimately it would transform Jeho-
yah into an infinite Juggcrnaut, rolling the huge
Eht es of his Omnipotence-
Mr. LovEyoY had advanced into the area. and !
occupied the space fronting the Democratic bench
es
Mr.. PRroR-advancing from the Democratic side |
oil the House toward the area where Mr.. Loveioy |
'tood. The gentleman from Illinois Mr.. Love- |
or shall not approach this side Of the House, sha-
king ms fists and talking i'm the way he has talked !
II Is nao enough to be compelled to sit here and |
near MN utter his reasonable aal insulting Ian
:uage; but he staH not, sir upon this side of
he House, shaking his fist in our faces
Mr.. fARsswoRrH-lt is not for the gentleman to
'ly what is treason and what is not as
MIR. PorrEk-We listened to gentlemen ON the
'ther side FOR eight weeks, when they denounced
he members upon this side with violent and often
i've langague- We listened to them quietly, and |
'eard them through. And now, sir. this side shall /
'e heard let the consequences be what they may.
+. MI fRYoR-Thc point make is this
lhe CHAIRNAN-The Chair will receive no mo-
ION. and hear no gentleman, until members resume
heir seats and order isrestored in the Hall.
Mr.. Cox-I rise to point of order. I insist
hat the gentleman from Illilois shall sneak from
lis seat. M z@tt1l ct - = El-'f071-
Mr.. PRyoR--Th Is the point make. Let the
gentleman speak from his seat, and say all under D
he rules he is entitled to say but, sir he shall not
ONE on this side shaking his fist in our faces and
aikmg in the style he has talked. He shall not
'oms here gesticulating in mcnacins and ruf1ian-
Mr.. POrrER-You are do;rr the ..v,o tb;,, h