Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-02-14

SJ0yeTlmeDL-Gn6
oery thing the leaders desire.
Let me ask you, northern gentlemen-I beg par
don when | address you as northern men, but you
are the men to whom want to appealed me ask
you one question. Suppose the Congress of the
United States were to pass law that no Governor
of Territory, that member of Territorial Legs-
lature that man of any prominence in the Govern
ment, should give vote, make a speech, or utter
word against the right of stakeholder to settle and
remain with his slaves in any Territory belonging to
this Government north or south: do you think it
would make solitary slave State more than other
wise would naturally be- provided the North had an
equal chance to emgrate and settle in those Terri
tories? Would it make one more slave? There is
not man in this House who can now put his hand
upon his breast and say that he believes that would
make one slave State more less, free State
more or less or one slave more or less And if you
want efectually to break up this disunion move
ment all you have to do is rise in your might in
this Congress, and say, Gentlemen of the South,
Just fix it so that there shall be equal rights of i'm
migration and settlement in the Territories given to
all the States; and when the people have the power
to form State constitution, which, as things now
stand, will be very short time, they shall be per-
mitted to come in with free a slave constitution,
as they desire" Do this and you could do moth
ing that would disappoint tie disunonists more,
which would so speedily prove their downfall.
There would be joy and gladness among all the in
waiting, and speedy end to the ambitious schemes
of disunion politicians Why gentletlemen of the
North, let me remind you of the Kansas ecompton
troubles, frauds, and swindles. The manner in
which they were settled was not of your device AS
you know, few conservatives of the South had to
struggle for long time to prevail upon some of you
to vote with US upon the Crittenden amendment
because it said that the people of Kansas Terri
tory north Of the line of SO deg and 80 min might
or might not have slavery, just they pleased.
Many of you were committed against there being
any slave State north of Sc deg and 80 min. We
prevailed on you to join in making a settlement.
At last you came up and voted with few conserva-
tive of the South to settle the question by al
lowing the people of Kansas to take the matter into
their own hands, and say whether there should be
slavery there or not. You did that; and ask you
what was the RESULT The result in Kansas shows
that there is no harm to you in that course. On
that principle you triumphed On that principle
mainly for adopting it in that case. has your
strength grown up in your section; and believe
there are not now, in any section of this Union,
many who have courage enough to denounce the
course then taken to settle that difficulty You tri-
umphed then. But as l think, correct, fair
principle all you ought to desire is the maintain
ance of that principle whether it runs out for You
or against you. You have it in your power to
maintain it. You have elected the President and
Vice President You have secured the appointing
you to 60 home and think about it If you will say
to these re-eaters of the Sonh Give us free emf
grafton and free settlement and then fair vote on
the formation of State constitution" you will see
a set Of men die off quicker than you ever saw a set
of men die off before. You will send them home to
hide their heads, mourning and disappointed. ask
you to do it | mplore you for the sake of the
peace, the quiet and the happiness Of the greatest
people on the face of the earth. Do it and to many
millions Of anxious and aching hearts it will give
ease. Do it and you will save the greatest people
on the face of the earth from bankruptcy and ruin
and you will put an end to the of set of men
who are acting, as 1 verify believe like madmen
You will lose nothing for your section or your party
You will gain UNNECESSARILY to both, and to the
whole country.
But you say there was no such issue as this in
the canvass; that you did not come here under any
instructions upon such issue as this. Nor did
you when Lecompton came here Your election
took place before that swindle perpetrated and
presented to you. You acted then without instruc-
tons. You acted under the advice of southern con-
sentative men, and you got clear of that great wrong
You acted under the solemn sanction of your oaths
and met that crisis. Do now, and your consttu-
ents will approve and rejoice in your course. tell
you if you will only he advised by me- who live in
the heart OF the South-a man in whom believe you
have some confidence as fair minded man-just
now be advised by me, and your country will say
that you acted like noble patriots in a crisis which
was forced upon you. You will have the praises of
all your countrymen, and thousands and millions of
unborn souls will rise up to say, Blessed be the
men who stood in this crisis and saved this great
country" Why, sirs, you tell Inc Congress
make slavery go, or not 60 wherever it pleases.
Just as well might you tell me that any law that
Congress might pass would stop the waters of the
Mississippi from flowing into the Gulf of Mexico as
to tell me that Congress could egislate slavery out
of or into any Territory. 1t cannot be done.
More than that, gentlemen, when is this congress
ional legislation to be invoked? When will it be
asked forg Only when the people of a Territory in
dictate their hostility to slavery and invade the right
So long as the people get along without slavery, or
peacefully with it such legislation is not asked for.
1t is only when the people are determined not to
have it. that Congress could be asked to interfere.
How long will such legislation be effective? The
people, in the case of Kansas will soon decide!
Congressional action would not make slave more
or slave less. ask the members Of this House to
consider. Let by-gones and past differences pass.
Let us come up to the great work of the peace hap
plness, and prosperity of our great and beloved
country.
| say to gentlemen here from the North consider
we'll MIR. Crittendens proposition; not that it is so
much better than some others to become an ulti-
mdtum, or that it should have less favor with the
North by reason of this individual opinion candidly
expressed for myself but because it seems to be
ceptable to our southern friends Dsconnect it. if
you choose, from territory hereafter to be acquired
Give us that at least. Think of 1t till Monday. If
you will not give US the Crttenden proposition,
give US the border-States proposition. If not that
then give us the proposition of the committee of
thirtythree, modified, if you please, to conform in
substance and in effect to the two frst-named prop
ositions but let all go together every many who
loves his country and this Union for something that
will certainly give peace to distracted and dis
treSsed countrymen of all sections.
Sir am free to say that have given the most
careful examination to these various propositions;
and am cheered to find them all vergng so nearly
to the same ends. They do not differ so widely as
to justify Union men in falling out by the way and
falling to agree. The effects expected by the sdop
ton of any of them ought not to be lost by the
adoption of either of the others. In many partcu-
lars, and for which have not time now to
assign, think well of the report of the committee