The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-06-15
THE SLAVERY QUESTION.
SPEECH OF
Hon. Edward Wade,
OF OHIO,
In the House Of Representatives, Aprii
30M, le60.


the Whole on the state Of the Union, Mr..
Wade said
MR. CHAIRMAN :-On the day that l
was unexpectedly called away 10 attend
the sick bed Of member Of my family, l
had secured the floor with the intention Of
making some remarks on the Helper book,
but Of course lost the opportunity at that
time. / had beard considerable Of that
book at that time, and some little since
l was one Of the signers Of that book, and
l do not rise for the purpose Of making an
apology TO the other side OF the House for
that; but would state, however, that
the circumstances under which endorsed
it, so far as l did endorse, were these -
at The fnal adjournment Of the House at
the session Of the lsst Congress, was in
the Office Of the Sergeant-at Arms to settle
my account with him. Coming from his
room and passing through the Hall. TO my
lodgings preparatory 20 taking my de-
pariure from this city, saw my friend,
Mr.. Morgan, from New York, upon one
side Of the House, surrounded by a mum.
Der Of his friends Mr.. Morgan beck oned
me TO join him, which l did. His object
was to put in circulation an epitome Of
the Helper book. told him l had seen
some extracts from the book, that disap.
proved Of some Of the sentiments Of that
book, for the reason that they might be
construed into recommendations of the
use Of violence for the overthrow OF
slavery. For Notwithstanding all my hos.
tility to that system, have never advo-
Gated its violent overthrow, or any meas
ure which in my judgment, was calculated
to lead to that end. have, perhaps,
been an open opponent Of the system Of
slavery from an earlier period than any
other gentleman who occupies q seat Oh
this floor and | never have, for a single
instant, given my counienance to any
measure calculated 10 overthrow il by vi.
olence. said then 10 those gentlemen,
that there were some passages in the
Helper Book that l disapproved; but was
informed by them that the book was TO be
abridged, and all these objectioual pass
ages omitted. So l wrote my name to
the recommendation, and went on. Now,
sir. I am not aware tha: in so doing
committed "treason, felony, or a breach
Of the peace" Nevertheless, l believe
we upon this side Of the House have been
accused Of these things, and more il there
be any crimes worse than these in the
criminal code.
Such is "tbe head and front OF my Of
tending" find. in the indictment which
was brought against the Republican mem.
bers nt the very opening Of the session,
there were extracts read from this Helper
Book-from fourteen pages Of it,--there
being two hundred and fourteen pages in
the whole book. Now. il those extracts
contain all there is Objectionable in that
book, / must say that the balance is alto.
ge,her in its favor compared with most
books of political character. ! will not
trouble the committee by enumerating the
different charges that were brought
against us, for thoy are all found upon
page l6 OF the Congressional Globe, where
they can be read and pondered by ALL
But it is for that act, that uncon scious in
dorsement Of those passages, that we
upon this side have been accused Of in.
citing iusurrection, arson. bloodshed and
murder endangering the peace and the
lives Of families and in fact OF committing
treason ; for which the mildes, gentleman
on the other side Of tho House said we
were not "fit to live."
No, sir. let any man, be he slavehold-
er or non-slaveholder. be he pro slavery
or anti-slavery man, read that book
through, and he must inevitably come to
the conclusion that it is book calculated
to advance the greatest number; and tina;
| believe, is the orthodox test Of the mo
rality Of anything in this day. The great
est good to tie creates. number is said to
be the great fundamental principle oi
morals. How is it with that book? Are
the recommendations contained In il
couched in the very language OF this Re.
public. felony? Would gentlemen dig
up the remains OF Cromwell, because they
spoke and wrote the very sentiments for
adherence 10 which We are now so Zero
ciously denounced? I, sir. 60 no step in
advance OF Thomas Jefferson in my dis
appreciation of slavery. / take for my
exem plars Shareholders from Virginia and
the South. and am willing 10 be I
learner, sitting at the feet Of those Ga
maliels; and obtain my ethics upon ,hs
subject from the fathers oftbose very mel
who come into this Hall and accuse US o
every crime in the calendar. Sir. l ask nj
higher honor, no better guarantee for th'
morality and the political rectitude OF my
course, than the endorsement OF thos
men who gave US the institutions we nov
enjoy and who based them on the rock o
freedom, never dreaming that they wer
to be perverted to the end oi extending
and psrpetuating human bondage, or uset
as a means OF supplanting our white pop
ulation. and filing their places with blacl
barbarisns from The jungles of Africa.
Now. sir, my objection to the course o
the Democratic party is, that their polio!
leads inevitably to the re.opening ol th'
African slave trade and the introduction
Of these barbarian negroes as Substitutes
for the intelligent and well to do III / ma!
use the expressiou) free white laborers
who are content TO lay up an honest com
patience against old age, for the sdpcatiol
Of their children BY honest and intelligen
industry,
Why. sir. throughout the free States
mnltitudss OF the leading men are mel
who were brought up in the hodorabl