Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-02-21
STATE # THE UNION.
EECH OF
HON. Wd. Z. AVERY
IN THE Nous OF nEPREsENrATl

J$UARY 81, 1861.
What are some u these guarantees to which my
colleague alluded? Are they the guarantees indi-
Gated by the prear&le and resolutions of the gen
tleman from 0hi& Mr.. Blake] at the last session?
| Let US see what thy are: sf
"Whereas, the Eiattelizing of mankind and the
holding of persons& property are contrary to ma
tural Justice and tie fundamental principles of our
political system, sid are VIGOROUSLY reproach to
our country throtslhout the civilized world and
serious hindrance 10 the progress of republican lib
erty among the nations of the earth: Therefore,
ResolUed, That the Committee On the Judiciary be,
and the same are Hereby instructed TO inquire into
the expediency of reporting bill giving freedom to
every human being and interdicting slavery wher-
Congress has the constitutional power to iegs-
late on the subject"
Pretty strong guarantees these to protect slavery
| in the States; sworn to by the very men who re
sponded to my coIleaguel "No, mol we do not mean
| to disturb slavery in the States"
But sir have still stronger evidence of the Re-
publican party to protect slavery IN the States IN
| the District Of Columbia &c. While my colleague
from the first district Mr.. Nelson] was addressing
the House the other day. he was interrupted by the
gentleman frem Maine, [Mr. Aorse,] who said
/ that
@Mr Nelson had read paragraph from the mes
sage of the Governor of Tennessee, in which it was
charged that the Republican party intend TO abolish
slavery IN the District of Columbia, and the slave
trade between the States; but that never since the
/ organization of She Republican party, has any man,
north or south. .Fer heard Republican take any
such ground. Is was never seen in any Republican
| platform or speech, and the Republican party do
not want TO do any such thing"
Now sir, l read from a speech made by Hon. Mr..
/ Chase on the 18th of June, 1S45. / believe that
| Mr.. Chase is member of the Republican party. |
believe he is prospective member of Mr. Llncoln's
Cabinet. 1t is understood, at any rate ask this
House to listenjwhat Mr. Chase said in this oonnec-
ton. On that occasion he said ;i~u .sa
1--WE are, therefore, resolutely, inf1exlbly, at all
time, and under all circumstance, hostile to the
! longer continuance of saveholding in our land.
We believe that It's removal can be effected peace
fully constitudonally without real injury to any,
with the greatest benefit to ALL We propose to eff
feet this BY repeating all legislation and discontinue
| ing all action In favor of slavery at home and
abroad; by prohibiting the practice of saveholding
in all places of exclusive national jurisdiction in
the District of Columbia in American vessels upon
the seas, forts arsenals navy-yards; by forbid
| ding the employment of slaves upon any public
works by adopting resolutions in Congress declaring
that slavehodina in all States created out of nation
al Territories Is unconstitutional and recommend
ing to the others the immediate adoption of mea-
sures for its extinction within their respective
limits; and by electing and appointing to public sta
ton, such men, and only such men, openly avow
our principles, and viii honestly carry out our
/ measured
Another strong evidence that the Republican par
ty will give "the strngest guarantees to protect
slavery in the States" So you will see that the
! Governor of Tennessee was not very far wrong
when he made the declaration which was denied by
| the gentleman from Maine, and which denial was
accepted by m colleague, Mr.. Nelson] am some
what astonsh that my colleague did not bring in
the famous book, called the Helper book signed by
sixty membt of this House of the Republi-
can party as Deother evidence of the determination
of this party ~ protect slavery in the States, espe
eially that bNok gave such a complimentary no.
tice of him in IS pages These some of the evil
dences of th3s isposition OF this party to protect
slavery in the ates, that have called to its defense
the able and iianious counsel for the defendants.
But sir, N s,colleague goes on further to defend
that party, be use he says the charges made against
them concerpEg he execution of the fugitive slave
law untriA and he goes on to say, in their de-
tense, that laS rs been faithfully executed. How
has it been fas lily executed! 1t is true that in
many instances he law has been carried out but it
has been at " point of the bayonet, and at more
cost to the mi than the slave worth and in
spite of publ & ointment at the North.
For the acdy Timodation of the gentleman from
Indiana. Mr.. Kilgore will give the States he
called for aw ne ago. In the following States, Off
GERS and citiz are prohibited by heavy penalty
from aiding $.he execution of the fugitive slave
law Maine Massachusetts, Pennsylvania New
York, YermcK Wisconsin, New Hampshire. Con-
necticut, Mic fsan, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.
But they say ut Rhode Island has recently repeal
ed her persoE @liberty bill.
Mr.. JunkG The gentleman from Tennessee
must know tES the decision made by the Supreme
Court in tht ase of the Commonwealth against
Prigg, indueeHthe State of Pennsylvania, and many
other States NJ prohibit their officers from taking
any active p& in the rendition of fugitive slaves
That de ed that State officers had no right to
engage in suGw rendition and these personal liberty
bills only cary5ad out that decsion-nothing more.
Mr. AveryIt But was not the object of passing
these bills TOD revent the execution of the fugitive
slave law, " &scn was passed in obedience to the
COnstitutionk
Mr. Junkjk Why sir the decision l have allu-
ded to was Es before any fugitive law was pass
ed. The Su ks.ne Court expressly decided that the
State ofceetd nothing to do with the rendition of
fugitive sir G:-
Mr.. Rigg;s 3sVill the gentleman from Tennessee
allow me t;fss.rect him?
Mr.. AvesSS hope viii not be burdened with
interrupto39S There always has been fugitive
slave law. r:fsese statutes have been enacted for
the purposS 1 nulfying both the old law, which
was approIe 3by Washington, well as the law of
1850. | only kinstanced them in reply to my col
leagues arg tment that the Republican party had
done more .IJtheir platform to protect slavery in
the States thaa any other party. instanced them
to show how !$his determination was manifested.
Mr.. Rigs With the permission of the gentleman
from Tenn see, desire to correct him in respect
to New jersey having personal liberty bill. There
is such statute which has ever passed the Legis-
ature of tie State.
Mr.. Avery. l was quoting from a report of the
Virginia Legislature made in reference to the
Brown raid at Harper's Ferry. not having had time
to hunt up the laws in which New Jersey is includ-
ed in the list. had not heard it denied, and did
not know that such laws do not exist in New Jersey.
Mr.. Riggs. They do not
Mr.. Avery. Then of counsel am pleased to modi-
fly my statement so far New Jersey is concerned.
Now, sir, my colleague goes on to argue that the
charge is false against the Republican party that
any member of that party seeks to establish the
equality of the races
Mr.. Kiigore rose.
Mr.. Avery. cannot yield further. Ny time is
too rapid passing away. Ny colleague Mr.. Eth
eridge rtxt said that the charge against the Repub
lcan party in regard to the equality of the races
was false. Let us see what Mr.. Lincoln says upon
this subject the President elect Of the Republican
party, authorized to speak suppose for them.
In speech made by Mr.. Lincoln, on the 9th of
May, 1892 at Cincinnati, the occasion of the pre-
sentaton Of silver pitcher to Mr.. Chase, by some
free negrceI, as a token of their regard, Mr.. Lin
coin present and said:
I'm what have done cannot claim to have acted
from any peculiar consideration of the colored peo
pie as a separate and distinct class in the communi-
ty but frof the Simple conviction that all the indi
viduals of thas class are members of the communi-
ty and. In virtue of their manhood, entitled to eve
~ original right enjoyed by any other member
We feel therefore, that all legal distinction between
individual. of the same community, founded in any
such circU: stances color origin, and the like,
are hosto K the genius of institutions and in
compatible with the true history of American Gber-
w anu VppISSSAOh Iluoe SSoSCJ VI ~AAASAA
can liberty must perish. -.s
In Mas2aehusetts, and in most, if not all, the
New Englsed States, the colored man and the white
are absoleA Fly equal before the law.
in NevsSS ork the coored man is restricted as to
the right ~ suffrage by a property qualification.
In other reflects the same equality prevails.
81 embrace, with pleasure this opportunity of de-
claring my disapprobstion of that clause of the
Constitution which denies to portion of the color
ed people Ire right of suffrage.
"True Democracy makes no inquiry about the
color of TIE skin, place of nativity or any other
similar circumstances of condition. Iregard, there
fore, the exclusion of the colored people as body
from the elective franchise as incompatible with
true Qemoc ATTIC principles"
What SIS Mr.. Seward who is to be the head of
Mr.. Lincoln's Cabinets In speech made in the
United States Senate, January 80, 1850 uses the
following language
am in favor of the equality of men, of all men,
whether they are born in one land or born in ano
Their. l N in favor of receiving the whole. /
acknowledge them all to constitute great family,