, 1860-01-30
MIR. DOUGLAS, SLAVE CODE FOR
TIRE FREE STATES.
In THE SENATE. MONDAY, JAN. =, 1seo

Senator Fcsacndcnss Speech,
In THE SENATE. MONDAY, JAN. =, 1seo.
I'VE copy from the Congressional 91oJ4 that
portion OF Mr Douglas recent speech which has
not been previously published, particularly 70.
ferringt legislation which be thinks is required
to suppress freedom of speech ard opinion
IN the North-after which we print portion
Of Ar. fessenden's reply to his general argu-
ment]:
MH DOUGLAS: Sir, itrequires more patience
than treemen erer SHOULD cultivate, to submit
to constant annoyance, irritation, and appre-
tse must remedy, within the Union and in ote-
dlence to the Constitution, every eril tor which
dlsunion would furnish remedy. II the Fed
eral Government fails TO act, either from choice
Of from m apprehension Of the want Of power,
it cannot be expected thnt the States will be con
tent to remain unprotected.
Then, sir, see no hope Of peace, of fraterni.
y, Of good feeling, between the different por-
lions of the United States, except By bringing
10 bear tho power Of the Federal Government
to the extent authorized By the Constitution-to
protect the people Of oil the States against any
external g violence or aggression. repeat. that
il the theory Of the Constitution shall he car
rled out by concediug the rights Of the people
Of every State to have just such institutions as
they choose, there cannot be conflict, much
less an '.irrepressible conflict" between the
free and the sayelolding States.
Mr President, the mode Of preserving peace
Is splaIn. 1His System Of sectional tcartart must
ee9se. Tie Constitution has given the power,
aud all We ask of Congress IS to Y re the means,
and VIC, ty indicfaaeats and conrictions in thu
ftderat eonrts Of our streral .Sfafts, will maks
such sramptts q fA' ttadt.s Of these eoupiracies
Us vii! strkctcrro into the hearts Of the others,
and there will be III cud Of this crusade. Sir,
you must check it by crushing out the consp1ra-
cy, the combination, and then there can be safe
IT, Then We shall be able 10 restore that spirit
Of fraternity which inspired ou- revolutionary
fathers upon every battle tield; which presided
over the deliberations Of the convention that
framed The Constitution. Then We shall be able
to demonstrate to you thot there is no evil un-
rcdressed in the Onion for which disunlon
would furnish remedy. Then, sir, let us exc
cute the Consultation in the spirit in whici, it
was made. Let Congress.pass NIL the luws ne
cessary end proper . give full and complete
elect TO every guarantee Of the Constitution.
Let them authorize the punishment OF conspsa-
cies and combinations ia any State or Territory
against the property, institutions, people or
government, Of aug other State or Territory,
and there will be no excuse, no desire, for dis.
union.
And, sir, iuasnuch as tile Constitution of tho
United States confers upon.C Congress the power
coupled with tie duty Of protecting elch State
against external aggression, and lnasmuch as
that includs the power Of euppressiug and pun
isl.inE consriracies in one State ngainst the in
stitutlons, property, people, or government Of
every otl.er State, I des' re to carry out that
power vigorously. Sir, give us such a law us
the Constitution con emp'ates aud authorizes,
and will show tue Senator from New York
that there is ! constitutional mode Of suppress
ing the "irrepressible conflict" viii open
the prison doors 10 allow conspirators against
the peace Of the Republic and the dome1tic
tranquility Of our states to select their cells
wherein to dtag out a miserable life as Il pun
istlment for their crimes against the peace If
society. = We PASSED bill 10 allow
the people Of Kansas to form and regulate their
own institutions to suit themselves. No sooner
than his [Fessenden's1 political friends formed
conspiracies and combinations in the different
New England States 10 import set Of despera
does into Kansas to control the elections and
the institutions Of that country in fraud Of the
law Of Congress.
sir, dssi1t 10 n.aks the legislation broad
enough to reach eonsrir0cies aud combinations ot
that kind; and would also include combine
tions aud conspiraciez on the other si]e
MR. FEssESnrJ.-Mr. President, I WAS some
what at loss to imagine what necessity there
was for the resolution upon Jour table, offered
by the honorable Senator, upon which lie hrs
spoken. We all know that, at an early peyiod
Of this session, The Honorable Senator from
Virginia Mr. M:s son] offered resolution Of in
quiry into tho cause and particulars Of the ,r-
psra Ferry affair: and that he not Gully offered
that resolution Of fuquirs, but went further, and
proposed that an inquiry should be made "a to
the remedy, and what Laws ought to be passed
and could be pared in order to protect the
States Of this Union, # necessary, against eacl,
other. very able committee was appointed
to investigate that subject That committe .
has had, and still has, the matter under cousid-
Grafton. The honorable Sena. II FROM Illinois,
not content with that, d;strusting, it would
teeu,, the ability and the power Of tnat commit
tee As to their duty, aud to point out the paric-
ular mode they are to adopt IN order TO accom-
| plish the purpose.
Sir, ras that Tue object, or had Ike honorable
Senator m obi; beyond simply speaking on d
question attended, N my judgment, with any
very great cons ;trt:onxl or legal difficulty !?
Had he something hey youd that, to avail himself
ofan opportunity to make what certainIy have
| right 10 icaom'ua:e political speech, intend
ing to 4teci the pr ties Of the country with re-.
ference to political Oh: :cts ratherthn to accom-
| plish the particular pu'oose apparent upon tbs
| lace Of tie resolution i: elfs
Well, 81, following out the apparent purport
Of his resolution, lle has made III argument, an
argument which is sufficiently c}t ar, one that l
| think l bare seen sui,3ta an:a'ly in the nevspa-
pers before, with reference to The constitutional
power Of CoDyrc.S on this .ubject. l take it
ihcre is no yeiy gse-t difference Of opinion up
| On that matter. think the Senator will permit
nc to say that, upon that point, he has advanced
| nothing very new; and hin yet 10 know that
there is any member ot the Ssl,at. or auy menl-
Der Of this coasr $, who Is not US dcsirouz as
he is that all attempts to- iacite tf"Viscflea i'll
! nelshbo1 ing statts, or to make rttacks upon
| neighborins States, can,e from what quarter
thtr r1, y tn jaaS mi NJ ali
| the power OF This Government. ought 10 he USED
| to suppress them, do not know that there has
been design anywhere, excep: 10 thu minds Of
sumo few indiv:irl's III the country, who arc
well known not tn long to ANY particular pnr-
ty. that is at ull opposed tn the course whichhas
been pointed out by h,nl, and which llad been
previously suggested by the honorable Senator
from viIFginia- =
But the Senator will allow mo TO say-and
| here do not attempt to advance an original
idea, because We have Ii ard it before, here and
OF the difficulty is to be looked for in another
direction. We believe, in fact we know, that
previous to the session Of Congress Of 1854, This
| country was guist Upon the slavery question. It
Ind bccn qnie,ed. not only b. shc platforms Of
the parties Of the day, II Developed At their con-
ventiuns; but it had been quieted, in point uf
fact, from the disposition all men entertained to
ascertain whether it was possible that this war
fare could be put an cad 10 for awhile, 1t was
thought that the limits Of the Tree and slave
power were we'll dolned, or at leest sufficiently
defined. When the two great leading political
parties had deliberately determined that there
| should be no moro trouble GU the subject, and
the people were tired Of the contest, it WAS rca-
sonabfe to suppose that the agitation would
cease.
l'ut, sir. it began again in the winter OF ls54 !:
this are broke out anew; tue faudora's boz Of