Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-19

eqnal in this CREST confedersey and euiav NV ovt
property, seceving the protection OF 3 eonmon gov
eminent until they shall come into The Union a
sovereign States and choose their own institutions
demand, seconds that property N slaves be eati
tied to the same protection from government AZ Al
other property, ald t1at the government shall neye
interfere with the right Of any State 10 abolish
protect slavery IN lis own limits AZ :
We demand thai common government sbnlI-us
its powers TO protect cur property as well rs yours
We pay a. nuch as you do. Our properly Is sub
ject to taxation. We claim that that gosernmen
which recognises our property for taxation Shout,
give il thessme protection il does TO your
Shall It not do it? You cay no (! Youinfhe Ssnai
say mo- The House says no a.
And throughout the length and breadth of Won
whole conspiracy against the Constitution there Il
one shout Of no IL is the price of nv nleeianse
withhold it and you don't get my obedience. Thcr
is the philosophy Of the armed men that have spru
up in this country, and bad rather see the popu
lation Of my own, my native land beneath the sod
than that they should support for one hour such ,
government Protection is the prics Of obe
dienee everywhere, in all countries. It. is III,
only thing that makes governments respectable
Deny it. and yeu cannot have free subjects for ci
Esns. You may have slaves. l demand. third
that persons committing crimes against slave pro
perry in one State shall be delivered up by anothe
State to which they may have fed That il anotha,
=
Toombs then referred TO the fourth article of Ia,
Constitution as supporting this demand and pre.
ceeded: But the noa-slaveheldiDg States, regard
less Of their oaths and eompaets have steadily re-
fused to return the men who have stolen negroes. \
those negroes were slaves. This was done long arS
in Maine. We demonstrated aud appealed for fra
ternty. But this article of the Constellation Ia,
been dead letter to rs from that day to this The
Senator from New Ysrk Mr.. Seward) also. when
Governor, refused this right to Virgiria. He said
it was not against the laws of New York To stesl
negroes, snd he would not deliver up the man And
these are our coafederates-our sister States There
lisa bargain aud compact. They sKore to it, bui
you cannot bind them by an oath. They have a
higher law suppose you will undertake to wbiT
freemen into loving such brethren as that You
willhaye . good time oft, ne doubt. We want that
provision of the Constitution carried out. -Oi
course you look cut for pretex:s.
l never knew so bod pe.jursr that would not in
vent some pretext The next demand is that fuyi-
tive slaves shall be surrendered according to the act
of 1850 The Constitution has provided for this
rendition. (He read that article Of the Constitu-
tion.) But the Northern States have tried always
to evade this. First, they got up the fiction that
they were entitled to the hsbsas corpus act in the
States to which the fugitive had fled. They did not
require that for a white man. White men might be
delivered up every day, but not slaves He then
referred to the speech of the Senator from Vermont
mr. Collamer) in reply to his own, and read from
the act of Vermont. in 1855 declaring slaves free.
whether coming voluntarily or Involuntary to the
State. IsE -
Mr.. COllamer. Opp of Vt, said he did not re-
fer to that act at all
Mr.. Toombs said, by mistake in reference, he
was made to refer 10 prior act, and the Senator
took advantage Of that mistake. 1t was adroitly
or igRorantly done, / don't know which, and this is
another Of our sisters, for whom We are to hsve SO
great an attachment. There was a clear act, but
in the course OF the Pilcrims Progress they came
to make this refusal without any act at all. They
can subvert the Constitution now without passing
Personal Liberty Bills. undertake TO say here
that no Black Republican Legislature will ever say
it is their duty to render back fugitive saves
They don't intend to do it. They intend to get ros-
session Of this Government; aud 10 their power
against us. The next demand is that no State
shall pass any law intended to disturb The peace
and tranquility Of any other State. When The Sen
ator from Illinois Mr.. Douges) introduced bill
here last winter to prevent invasion, Mr. Lincoln in
his speech at New York, called it q sedition bill
These five provisions we demand, aad will take
hem up and examine them in detail and show what
hey sre. These thirteen colonies had no bond Of
lnion whetever-no more than Jsmsica and Aus
ralia have to-day They we're separate and indie
hem that ever was made is in writing They
made two written contracts; enc was known as
ne old articles of confederation. They declared
{ should be perpetual - an argumsn very
much relied upon by the friends of TIE Union now
But they say it did not work The difficulty was
hat after the there were troubles about the reg
llatioas of Congress; but above ALL there were I'm
.neial troubles The Government had no means Of
etng at the pockets of the people but for that
me difficulty, the present Government never would
lave been framed, and yet am told that the Union
5 ctmented by bond Of the blood of the brave men
Z the Revolution. Sir, it is false It has never cost
drop. Many Of these men voted against ii. 1t wEs
arried in the Convention Of Virginia by only five
otes The great macs Of the people of Georgia I
now. would rather stay in the Union, but beeveit
Government that has never done any thing for
IS, and had the opportunity, l should have voted
With the men who voted against it, Yet have been
ontent to its main sinsnce, because while did not
elieve il was good compact, was bound by my
ath and my honor, and by that common prudence
which leads men to hold to what they have instead
f Rvinc to dangers they know not of And have
iven it, and 1 would have given it my unqualified
Import and allegiance. All the obligations, all the
hains that fetter the limbs CT my people, are nomi
aled in the bcrd. They acted upon that conciu-
ion by declaring that the powers not grsnted the
Government, or forbidden TO the States, belonged to
he States respectfully. Now the Law Of nature and
( common justice will say that, in a common gov
rnment equal rights should be enjoyed. Even des-
here is where we stand II, in common justice,
quail rights belong TO our States when did we get
hem? Every reserved right is a constitutional right.
he Northern doctrinewas the same many years ago.
hey denounced Madison for the Virginia report of
799. They denounced many ef the fathers because
hey presumed to impugn the decisions Of The Su-
reme Court That was the universal judgment and
eclaration of every free State of this Union Very
Tell Come to the compact. 1t is not in the bond
D exclude US from the common territory.
The Supreme Court has decided we have q right
go there and right to be protected there. But
Ir. Lincoln says, 81 don't care for the Supreme
ourt-I will turn you out anyhow" Then you must
AXE my construction Of the Constitution. You
ront take the Supreme Court as the arbiter or the
pirious Of Madison Jefferson or the fathers. You
AXE nothing but your own judgement. Your States
iscard The Court and our construction aud say you
ill drive US ont. Come and do it. You will find
s ready. Come aud do it. If this is the argument
hen the sword alone becomes the Constitutional srbi-
Or, 1t may be secession, it may be revolution,
ut it is free country in arms and standing for the
light. Here is The court and our fathers for fifty
ears. But the Black Republican party says we
ont care for your constitution-We have progress
i've policy as well as progressive religion? The |
saders on this floor have said they would change |
be Court if they should decide against the power
Congress. lou may make judges, and make 9
lockery of justice. But L will now proceed with
ne charges against TINS orgaL1zat1on. Iney nave |
lade proclamation of outlawry against US. The |
Constitution gives them warrant for this thing |
our Chicago platform and declaration of princi |
les expressly declares very much Ike the unjust |
ldge. Tha: you neither feEr God nor regard man. |
lie read from the Chicago platform the articles de-
yiug the legal existence Of slavery in the Terrific
les. Then you declare that the treaty of 1903 was
ull and void. and no law at all. You delare that |
he acts by which we organized and protected the |
territories of Louisiana Arkansas and Mississippi,
re sill null and void, and no laws; and you declare
hat the decision of the Supreme Court of the /
United States is null and void and no law, and that
here is no constitution but the Chicago platform.
ECU swear to support this government with this I'M
erstanding. Bus my friend from Kentucky, (Mr. |
says We can't seeede--we can't revolu-
onize. What can we do? Why, you submit,
Or they say we are the strongest, and we will hang
GU. l will take that right wilt lake the constitu
ion, and l will defend it against the sword |
r the halter. We willing to defend that |
light with the halter around cur necks, and |
D meet these Black Republicans their mir |
lidons and allies whenever they chose to come
u. We say your principles are a complete subVer-.
ion of all our rights of property. You say you /
ill overturn the constitution and the Supreme /
curt, and say tkat your will shall be the law Of
be United States. All these propositions / have
ivan came nm in the committed and wera voted