Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-06-08
Senator Summers Speech.

Senate, his memorable Speech, " The Crime
against Kansas" The thousands Of copies
OF tha, speech circulated then and since,
have made the words and arguments OF the
distinguished Senator familiar to our whole
people. The consequences are mono the less
familiar.
Though not new. I, !. well to briefly state
tina, on the Thursday following, occurred
the brutal assault, by Bully Brooks, In vim.
dicaiion. q, alleged. Of Senator Batter,
then absent. The severe injuries inflicted,
for long time rendered /, doubtful. whe,h.
sr Mr.. Sumner would ever regain bis msS-
tai vigor, or even acquire a moderate degree
Of physical health. Nearly four years he
va. spjoinsd from all labor, by hi. medical
advisers, and only took his place a, the
opening Of the present session.
Brooks has died ,iolsn, death, and Bot
Ter has gone To hi. long home both called
unexpectedly FROM earth.
Since bis return. Senator Sumner has not
spoken IN the Senate, a, any length until
Monday. when be delivered lengthy
speech. sequel to tina, Of 1856, which Is
fully equal to any Of bis previous effort.
and demonstrates that ho has fully recover.
cd BIZ. pristine intellectual Vigor. We can.
not give |, at length nor in brief article
give an idea OF its scope and power. In bis
introduction he alludes to dsbat, and his
previous speeches by saying.
"On former occasions. have discussed
slavery Only incidentally, AZ. in unfDldln.
the principle that Slavery is Sectional In
exposing the unconstitgtionAliiy Of tho fu-
Citiyo Slave Bill in vindicating the Prohi.
bition OF SLAVERY In the Missouri Territory !:
in exhibiting the imbcciliiy throughout the
Revelation of the Slave States. and os?e-
cially OF SOUTH Carolina; and lastly. in
unmaskine the Crime against Kansas. On
all these occasions. where lhaye spoken q
length. have said too little Of tie charae-
ter 81 slavery partly because other icpics
rsro presented and partly from disincli-
nation which have always islt % pres
the arguncn, against those whom kn1w
TO have all the ,ensiiiycnoss Of slcs maa.
Bot. God b. praised. this thu, has passed,
and the debate - now lifted from details 20
principles. Grandsr debate has not occur
rcd IN our history rarely in any history
nor can tbs debate close or 'ubsid, except
with the triumph Of Frseicm.
The master " answer to tho assumption.
OF fact, BY Souih,rr senator's. be thus sums
up a, the close Of the fr,, division Of hi.
speech
The Barhari.m OF slavery ha, been
now exposed. frs,. IN the Law oi Slavery.
with its Eve professions, founded on the as
s>rti3n - property N man. the denial Of
the cunjusal relation. 'ls infrsciion Of the
parental relation. the lusiln from knowl.
edge and the robbsry U, the fruits of anoih.
srs labor. all these having the single object
Of compiling m0 % w0ik 'riiAOuf ragG.
while ia Nrlnrism was siill further attest
~ hy tracing the law In IL. origin 20 bar.
barous Africa md secondly. Il hG, been
exposed m careful examination OF the
b economical result. Of Slavery, illustrated by
contrast between tho Free State. and tie
Slave Su,c., sustained by Official Gsure.
I from ihi. exposure II slavery, I procceisd
% consider Us influences on Slayo.masi,r..
who's true character stands confessed. frat.
In the Law o! Slavery which !. their work !.
next. IA the relation. between them and
their slavs.. maintained by threc inhuman
instruments next. Ia thar relations with
each other. and with society, and tere we
have 'ccn them az home under tho immedi.
ate influence Of Slavery-llso m the com.
muniiir. OF which they are = plrt-praeti.
eng vi'lsLce and pashIng It everywhere. in
sitcet fghI and duel especially ragin.
against I'll who question the pretsnsions vi
Slavery entering even into the Free States.
bot not n lAvlc., outbreaks only al.o In
oihc.ll acts. a' %, Georgia and OF South Car
oliUa, vi "a regard 10 two Massachusetts, cit.
Ecn.. and ascending ia audacliy, entering
tie Halls OF Congress. whsrS they have rag.
Il a. at home. against all who set tIemscl.
go against their assumptions, while the
whole gloomy array VI unque.iisnable
fact. Ia. b,cn closed by porIraying the
archaeology uncon,eiousne,. which con.
.utgtcs one OF the distinctive features Of
,hi- Barhuism.
Such j. my answer to the assumption OF
tact ~ tsh,l, Of Slavery by Senator. on the
other eide
The second assumption, that the South
have the risz; to carry their slave, into the
territories b, argues at les, length but mol,
less fSrcibly. Ilo says:
The assumption that Slave. masters. un.
de- the Constitution, may take their slave,
into the Territories. and continue 90 hold
then az in the States, stand. on two prc.
tensions. first tina, man may hold property
in nan, and secondly that this properly IL
recognized "a the Constitution.
Bgt Ne have seen THAI the pretended prop.
eTty in man stands on no reason. but the
two special Arguments by which il has been
asserted. first an alleged inlefiUrity Of race.
and secondly the ancient curse Of Ham. are
grossly insufficient TO uphold such prelcn.
siOu. Aud we have next seen thu, ihl. PR.
iensDN ha. as Little support in tue Consti.
tuiiOa a. in reason; that Slavery is Of such
an decisive character, that IL can End sup
port ia positive sanction, aud word. "!
- Irresistible elearness - that this benign
rule, questioned "a the Senate, Is consistent
with the principle. OF an advanced ciyiliLi.
ton: thar no such positive" sanction, in
words OF " irresistible elearnsss," can 10
found in the Constitution. while. in barmo-
nv with the Declaration Of Independents,
and the Address Of the Continental Con.
gree. the eontsm poraneou. declarations in
the Convention, aud especially the act Of
the Convention in Substituting service, ="
Zoe 4" seryitute,' on the ground that the
latter expressed " the condition Of slaves"
all attest the prettnsiOn that man can bold
pr5potIy ia man was carefully, serupulnus-
/ iy. and completely excluded from the Con.
situation. 80 that il has no semblance OF
support ia that sacred tea nor i. tbi. pre-.
tension, which - unsupported in the Con.
situtiOn, helped by The two arguments, one