The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-02-14
Speech of Hon, John Sherman of
Ohio, ON the State of the Union,
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
January lS, 1861.
CONTINUED.


January ls, 1861.
1CoNTNUED.
/ have heard here, over and over again,
this course of agitation, pursued only the
other day in the Senate of the United
States. Mr. Douglas--I beg pardon, the
Senator from Illinois quoted from one of
the speeches of Mr.. Lincoln that passage so.
familiar to US all, that in his opinion, the
States would at some day be all slave or all
free Sir, in this time when the people of
the Southern States are in storm Of ex-
element that speech of the Senator from
Illinois is sent over those States as tending
to show that Mr.. Lincoln would in some
way interfere with slavery in the States
Mr. Lincoln answered this inference with
solemn disclaimer over and over again on
the same stump with that Senator.
/ ask whether it was just to quote the opinion
without giving the disclaimer 1t certain
f.. ly was not We might answer all you say
by declaring that the Republican party does
not propose to interfere with your constitu-
tional rights. have no doubt that the
Administration of Mr.. Lincoln will carry
out the doctrines of the Chicago platform
but not the platform as you pervert it. Sir,
it will convince the Southern people that all
the things said about US are unfounded.-
What then, will be the fate of hundreds of
politicians in the Southern States who have
stirred their people up to the present in
tense excitement?
Mr.. McClernand--Wi the gentleman be
good enough to show wherein the speech of
Mr.. Lincoln differs from the statement of it
by my distinguished colleague in the Senate?
The Chairman.-Does the gentleman from
Ohio yield to the gentleman from Illinois
Mr.. Sherman.--I prefer not.
Mr.. McClernand.-Th gentleman from
Ohio is mistaken when he says that the Sen
atOr from Illinois misquOted the speech of
Mr. Lincoln.
Mr.. Sherman.-I have not sail that Alr.
Douglas misquoted Nr. Lincoln-I only said
that he had not given Mr.. Lincoln the ben
eft of his disclaimer and explanation.
Mr. McClernand.-Wi the gentleman
say that what MIR. Douglas did quote mis-
represented Mr.. Lincoln
Mr.. Sherman.-That is matter for others
to judge of.
Mr.. HILL hope the gentleman from
Ohio will yield to the gentleman from Illi-
Mr.. Sherman.-I decline to yield any fur
ther. would yield were it not that | have
given my word to go on without further
interruption.
-, Sir, the baptism of Misrepresentation
through which this Republican party has
thus far advanced, does not excuse us from
doing all in our power to produce concilia-
ton, harmony, peace, quiet, fair and hon
est adjustment of all the difficulties that sur
round us. -.
Let US see where we stand. Slavery is
either the cause, or is made the pretext, for
all our differences. Slavery of the African
race is recognized in Jfteen.of the Southern
States. 1t is prohibited in eighteen North
ern States. Congress is the representative
of the people Of all these States. All par
ties affiI III that Congress has no power to
abolish slavery in any of the fifteen States,
nor to establish it. in either of the eighteen
States and that it has no right to interfere
with that subject directly or indirectly in
either of the States. So far we are agreed.
At an early day of this session, was sur
prised at the request of fellow-member
from Southern State, that we should insert
as an amendment to the Constitution, that
| Congress shall never interfere with slavery.
| in the States. Why Who claims such
power Its denial is in the platform of
| every political party, and in none more
| clearly stated than in the Chicago platform.
| Every prominent politician has stated it as
| an axiom of American politics. But ! was
told there was such an apprehension in the
| Southern mind, to remove which would
| tend to reconciliation. In other words, a
| constitutional amendment is wanted to con-
vince the South that what has been so often
stated to their people was not truly stated.
Very we'll; let the Constitution be so
| amended. Declare in your own language,
in the clearest manner, that each State
shall make, change, modify, its domestic in
stitutions in its own way. AS matter of
convenience, prefer such an amendment,
as it will save US forever, trust, from
/ answering the oft repeated assertion that
| we intend to interfere with Slavery in the
States.
In connection with this subject, l can
cordially approve the fourth proposition
stated by Nj. Seward. 1t is as follows:
! 81 hold myself ready now, as always
heretofore, to ote-for any properly guard
ed laws which shall be deemed necessary to
prevent mutual invasions of States by citi-
zens of other States, and punish those who
! shall aid and abet them"
Fortunately, in our history, we have had
but too such invasions, both calamitous to
those who set them on foot The one was
the armed invasion OF Kansas by citizens of
Missouri the other was the conspiracy and
armed foray of John Brown on the soil of
Virginia. These examples are not likely to
encourage similar attempts but whenever
they occur, they should be promptly and
severely punished. -sss -'-+s
Our people in the North have the right to
express their opinions about slavery; to
write them, speak them, to preach them
Freedom of speech, freedom of the press
and freedom of opinion, are essential to the
preservation of republican institutions and
they never can be, and never will be, sur
rendered. Their convictions that slavery is
a social, moral and political evil, are fixed
and immutable. They are now shared by
; the great body Of the civilized world. They
are not likely to be weakened by time or
: reason, and surely they will not be weaken
ed by threats of disunion. They have a
right to their opinions; you have a right tc
: yours. You can write them, print them
) speak them, preach them. The providence
> of God will. i'll due time and IN his own
! way, determine this difference of opinion. -
Opinions may freely be left to test theil
strength before the Great Arbitrator. We
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