The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1860-05-17

holders OF the country patFlotlc men,
who knew aud admitted slavery to be ali
evil, which they were willing to do, and
did all in their power to prevent extend
ing, aud expected and hoped finally to ac-
complish its overthrow. We hold no 9TH
er principle on that subject than they
held. We stand just where they stood !;
where Washington, jefferson, Madison,
Clay, Pinckney, and other slaveholding
fathers and founders OF, the Republic,
stood. Is not this true? The history of
the country shows taat beyond any sort
of doubt
Who were the founders of the Missou-
ri compromise line IN l820-that great
and benifcent act of patriotism Were
they the fanatics of the North? No, sir ;
they were the Shareholders of the South,
with Henry Clay at their head This
measure, which gave peace and repose to
the country, never was attempted to be
disturbed, either by the North or by the
South. On the contrary, up to 1851, the
South in good faith regarded that com
promise as one to be observed and kept
by them. 1t is remarkable fact, MIR.
Chairman, that our southern brethren
never understood that they were so de
graded aud cueated by that measure. as
they now say they were, and never re-
garded it as badge Of inferiority, as they
now claim it to have been. 1t remained,
sil, for a Yankee to discover that the
South Lad been so wronged and cheated
and insulted By that compromise measure
of 1920 A gentleman from the green
hills of Vermont goes to Illinois, studies
law, comes back to Congress in due time
as he had right to do--and instructs
our southern brethren as to their rights
and duties, informing them that they
have been most egregiously y wronged by
that act of 1920 that the men who fran
ed and established it did not know what
they were about--dd not know that they
were degrading the power and sacrificing
the rights of the South 1t seems to me
that this is an imputation on the patriot
ism and wisdom Of the nen of the South
who framed that compromise measure
who sustained it, who were willing tc
, abide by iC for all time to come, and who
did stand by it for SO many years. Mr..
Clay, that illuStrious man, who was for q
long time a fayorlte Of The Shareholders
of the South for the Presidency, always
sustained it, Do YOU think that ifhe had
been living it would have been repealed
Never. If Mr. Clay had been in the Sen.
ate IN 1854, in my judgment, the South
never would and never could have repeal
ed that bill. Like Rhoderic Dhu-
cone blast upon his bugle-horn
Were worth a thousand men"
I should be perfectly willing and be
lieve the Republican party would be, if II
was possible, to have that line restored
1t would be an end of this slavery aeita
tion forever Our southern brethren tel
us not to agitate this question. |, fol
one, have no desire to do So | came here
with no such purpose. The slavery ques
tion was thrust into our faces without any
reason, in the most offensive manner; and
when we repel the charges against US, We
are told not to agitate the slavery ques
ton. | should be willing to have 1t ban
ished forever from these Halls, aud tC
never have the subject alluded to. But
when we hear the subject constantly tier
ated and reiterated by the South, how
can we help speaking? We have 10 de
sign or desire to interfere with slavery IT
the States where it now exists. We have
said so IN every way in which politica
party can speak---in our platforms, rcso
: lutioLs and speeches. We have declared
that We would protect the rights Of th'
South under the Constitution, aid VT
mean TO do il; but, sir, it is our duty anC
our intention to maintain inviolate ou
! own rights under the Constitution as vel
4 as theirs.
The views we hold in regard to the ex
Y tension Of slavery are those which were
: held by all the people of the free State
but few years since. The Legislature
$ of my own State declared, in 1847, tina
f no territory should be received from Mex
$ leo, unless it was provided, as the funda
mental condition of the acquisition, tha
' slavery snouId De forever eGcludeu lrou
its limits. That was the doctrine of tht
:. Democratic party before the Republican
!, party had an existence, In order tha
n there may be no misunderstanding, asl
the Clerk to read the resolutions of tn
O Pennsylvania Legislature.
s The Clerk read, as follows:
# "Whereas the existing war with Mexict
Il may result in The acquisition of new territor.
: to the Union and whereas measures are nov
II pending in Congress having in view the ap
/ preparation of money and the conferring o
e authority upon the treaty-making power 4
n this end Therefore,
"Resolped Ly the Senate, &c, That our Sena
tors and Representatives in Congress be re
quested to vote against any measure wha;ev
G er BY which territory will accrue to the Union