Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1860-03-16
Speech Of Benz. +. Wade,
in THE UNITED STATES, SENATE,
on THE RFsoLrrioNs OF Mr.. BROWN, Dem, Of Miss,)
RELATIVE TO TIRE TFRRiToRiHs.
Delivered March IN, 1860.
M. WADE, (of Ohio,1 thought lhes

embody the views of the Democratic party
and they were entirely opposite to the prin-
ciples for which he should contend. The
public mind is greatly agitalcd in the con
sideration of the principles contained in
these resolutions and other similar ones. II
is n little remarkable that the loudest COM
plants came from those who have had the
power aud administration of the Govern
ment for many years and have nodded its
policy aud been in possession Of the vast
revenues. The party to which belong
have been for many years without any pow
er 10 control in any way the policy of the
government. Ii is a singular fact that
those who have the army, the navy, and
the treasury under their control, now stand
complaining; and they como forward to toll
us that maladministration is such, or their
principles are such, that it will be better TO
tear down the pillars of the Government
and involve us all in one common ruin. The
question might well arise-how happens it
that you who have been in possession of
the power of the government for at least
seven years, should have so conducted it
that You are now apprehensive of ruinl l
can dcduce no other conclusion than that
those who have been in possession of this
power have shown themselves incapable of
administering the government on such prin-
cipes as it should be administered upon
| do not believe any Senator here from the
Southern States can look me in the face
and say that he has not, and his section has
not had their full share of political power
from the organization Of the government
until now. No Sir 1t is perfectly obvious
that your power in this government has
been altogether in disproportion to your
numbers. | do not blame anybody, be-
cause | know it is the nature of us all to
make use of all the powers we have to the
advantage of our own principles. our own
interests, and our own views. Undoubted-
lly, Sir, l would do the same thing. And
you, Sir, complain of the administration of
this Government and say that it is total
failure to such degree that you are medi-
tating its utter and entire destruction. Who
| is to blame for all this except those who
had the power and have controlled all the
policies of the Government to suit them
selves? This is most manifest from the
confession of those who complain. 1t is
but the shadow of the great principle
which contend for, thrown across the po-
ltical horizon that disturbs the equanimity
of our Southern brethren. The Senator
from Georgia (Mr. Toombs) told us that
they were in the possession-and he was
proud of it, and well he might be--of $780,
900 square miles of the most beautiful
country God ever bestowed upon ma; and
he informed us sir that it was capable OF
sustaining population greater than that Of
Europe; and l believe he spoke within
were but twelve millions of people inhabit-
ing that country. And we all know that
the slaveholding States in point of area are
one-third greater than the free States, while
they contain now not moro than one-half OF
the population. He showed their prosperi-
! ty, and that too, is so. Is not, then, anom-
alous, these winnings and complaints about
the aggression and oppression of the North,
who are entirely out Of power, and when
we know that the propery claimed by these
gentlemen was sneverso prosperous to-day
Slaves are higher than they have ever been
before; and their employment is more prof.
liable to the owner than it ever has been
In one moment it is the glory and boast Of
Southern gentlemen, and in the very next
breath, ali is ruin and dependency. How
is it Sir9 If the North have conducted
themselves so shamelessly toward Southern
institutions, if their underground railroads
have so sapped the foundations of your pc
cuiar institution, how is it that your prop.
erty has risen in the market, and now stands
higher, by your own boasting and showing
than at any former period? These things
cannot be. One other thing l would no
tice The Senator from Georgia (Mr
Toombs) rose in his place, and with kind
of despair on his countenance said that VIC
on this side of the chamber were the enc,
mics of the country. He felt them to be
the enemies of his country, and power
would be unsafely lodged in our hands,
Why unsafe. Sir, if we have not endangered
the government so far? He complained
that we were faithless in the execution ot
his fugitive bill, and yet he told us thatsu
was the loyalty of the servants of the peo
pie OF Georgia, that, since the days of the
Revolutionary War to the present day. moi
one hundred for any cause whatever had es
caped. Sir, had not that Senator small
reason to complain of anybody? Scarcely
a negro year had escaped from the great
State of Georgia, yet she comes here and is
ready in her rage to make war on the Union
to tear its pillars down, and involve US al
iu one common ruin. And why, Sir? Be-
cause they have lost one poor nigger year
He does not tell us whether they lost them
) by Abolitionists or not. But when the
} gentleman comes here to maintain that kind
of argument it is perfectly evident that
there is something else than the conscious,
ness of any real losses by the unfaithfuIness
of those whom they abuse. Well, Sir, as
} the Senator from Georgia seemed to be the
Attorney-General to bring in a bill of indict-
ment against this side of the Senate, pro-
pose, for a brief period, TO review some oI
the arguments, some of the declarations,
and some of the vituperation contained in
that speech, for l acknowledge him to be
among the ablest and most experienced Sen
ators of this body, and if any case could
be made out against the North for any vio-
aton of duty, he was able TO make it man.
ifest. He had the ability, and certainly he
Il IL. 1 81