Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-02-21
aaairs nf tte Qatiuu.
Speech Of Har. James q. Thomas
OF TENNESSEE,
In the House Of Representatives,,
January II, 1861.

Jduu"Ty IL, AoVA'
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: The object of ou
discussion in the House should be t
promote the general welfare OF tn
country. To effect that object,
harmonious feeling should predomiu
ate, if possible; bat ] must say tha
the character OF the debate wbich ba
! preceded, has not been 10 my taste
| Yet. sir. we must conform ourselve:
TO The circumstances by which we are
surrounded; and, with "A view OF dis
charging my duty, ! desire to sub
nit some remarks to the considera'
ton Of the committee, upon the sub
;ect which now SO seriously engrosses
pubic attention.
This question of slavery has ever
been troublesome to this country
Yet our falhers were enabled to dis
pose Of it, and to dispose OF it in such
wav as to secure, not only our lib
critics, but the establishment OF a
Government which has leo 70 a hap
piuess and prosperity of cur people
unexamplec in the history OF the
human family. When the Deelara-
ton of Independence was framed,
every State of this Union was slave
holding State, They went through
that war, and this troublesome qnes-
fion troubled not the council, the
camp, or the battlefield. We COR
Quoted that war 10 successful ter
mination, and to the establishment
Of onr independence. In process CT
time, when our convention assembled
10 establish constitution, we had
twelve slave States and but one Tree
State. There was then in the north
ern mind hostility to slavery.
We frequently hear from the other
side of this Chamber, the position ta-
ken that they want to bring back this
Government to the principles OF lis
fathers. i, would be well for those
gentlemen who desire to effect that
object, to look TO the spirit that actua-
ted those wise and patriotic fathers
of ours while assembled in conven-
ton. What do we find them dolng
Their? Why, sir, the slave trade was
then Id existence. and WAS tolerated
by msny Of the States Of this Union,
and some southern States were averse
TO its abolition. We find tn It
when the first rough draft OF the
Constitution was submitted for dis
cussion, it gave Congress the power
TO abolish he slave trade any time
after 1890. A proposition was then
made that that trade should he eX-
tended to 1908. Maryland and Viz
sinia voted against that extension.
A distinguished member of that Con-
ventiou from Connecticut Roger
Shermau, said that the Southern
States we're essential for their welfare.
and that they would rather tolerate
the slave trade ihnn part with
two States Georgia and South Car
olina; and on a vote upon tie prop
osition TO extend the slave trade
eight years. New Hampshire. Massa.
chusetts, aud Connecticut voted to
give that extension, and, by their
votes, the proposition was carried,
and the slave trade extended eight
years beyond the time TO which some
Of the slave States contended 1t
should be limited. And now what
do we see npon this occasion! Not
a single member from either OF those
three States will tolerate southern
State in removing one single one oil
those slaves, or their descendants,
which we're imported during those
eight years. into any one OF our Ter
ritories. But We pass on. We Ind
those fathers accommodated this mat
ter among themselves; and they es-
tablisbed Constitution which has
eminently served itspurpose for near
ly three quarters of a century.
What is the history of the Gov-
ernment afterwsrds2 Your Wash
ington, your first and creates. Pres
ident, approved and signed bills to
apprehepd fugitive slaves, and to ad77
mil slave States. into the Union
Your second President. John Adams,
of Massachusetts,, approved and sign
e1 fugitive slave bill for the DIS
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