The North-Carolinian., 1861-02-09
STATE OF THE UNION.
SPEECH OF HON. w. WINSLOW,
OF NORTH CRROLESA,

IL THE House OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
January 20, 1861
The House having under consideration thercport
from the select committee of thirty-thTee
Mr. WtNSLOW said:
Mr.. SPEAKER: When took service upon the
Committee of the States to which position YOU had
kindly assigned me, confess | did SO with but
slight hope that its efforts would avail to tie
toraton of peace anu concord among our people
L had said, iii my place in the Ihirt.-Fourth Con
gres>, looking at the then existing condition of
things, and painfully apprehenssc OF the very con-
sequences that now threaten the country, that
touching what deemed the wrongs to my section,
| would forbcar until Iorbearance itscl would even
seem to cease to be virtue, aud that if the crisis
should come, | would cndcavor discharge
duty to the whole county, and especially to that
sceten where m} fortunes had fallen and where my
s,,s t,ies were fixed
red .nteties. of that pledge set out with the
determination that would exert all my po Scr .
effect such suitable settlements that the nion igEt
preserved harmony restored our institutions stleng
taenc and perpetuated and the sllveh"lins States
reconclled to the continuance OF a l non which
fast loosing its hold upon their affections.
was not Indifferent to the ion of these States
nay, to preserve it was, with labor of love.
In my Judgment, no patched-up compromise,
allevating and palliatiag remedy either just
prudent; did subscribe to thc dogma of its
preservation at all hazards y L ni"n winch did
not eifcctuaily proviI for the common defense and
the general welfare, which did not cStab i>h peace
and procure domestic tranquility, | would have
none OF.
nothing with which to reproach ny State, az to
tomenting the agitation of the slavery question:
either in its inception or in its coninu,ncc. Riuct
ant, originally enter this confederation with YOU
from the fears of her statesmen as to Its conSc-
u,lence> which have sadly been realiZcl-- when she
did come, she with loyal purposes to adhere to
her obligations and true as the steel enhos"med in
her lofty mountains she has i.flin Il those duties
admitted fid. ty. She wild take, in this crisis; the
course which her honor and her interest aud her
ob5at to other States justify and if she leaves
You now, it Will be win no spas m'dic passion,
but with that Co mess, delay and dcbcratioller
natural rstics-Nhich have, with fippNnt
wing> been mistaken for apathy and insen>ib!lity.
She will tell yon, ere she goes like tl.e serpent
that cmblaZoncl her Colonial flag, she viii YOU
she strikes.
During my service in Congross rapidly i A.
wing to the close of third term have never al
dressed you--uo colleague Of mine h,s address
ed vou-on the exciting sn.ject Of slavery Per
tectly tSiied ourselves vita the ,IaltS Of slavery
its lawtulness and eSpedicncv, regar'tn:s 1t in
light whatever a moral, social. poiticEl evil
looking upon it as, if not an essential, at least de-
siraole feature IN a Government ouncu upon
iverSa suffrage, necled no discussion u confirm
our ia e opinions were We disposd
bcc0 ne prupagandiSS ut that other
among neigtb We ioolc>l,Ip)A ourselves
trustees under higher power INTO our hands, ,certa
inly 10y direct agency of ours, been conti'tti
tue ar,l II trturc aud Chr-tianzin" Ola hca.hcn
and ini,r,lriient race, fitted only for compulsory
labor; had no II sht to thrust from that charge
to cry and refuse its administration, How
have performed that duty their vast increase in
numb cran lnc>casc which, according t. the we'll
known laws w1i govern populltipn incontcstabiv
proves them to have been Well fed, well clothed,
humnacly worked. rnd we'll cared for-S,,fiicienly
tcStifieS.
Your fathers VIOLENTLY tore them from their native
homes, the bush and the lagunes OF that rhospta
bic cline upon whose soil the cases to
pour down his direct and burning rays telSl. rryd
them for pecuniary consi cration, to fathers.
We h nurtured a.d cared for them. We found
them 'lolaters we taught them the bcnign religion
of the meek and lowly peasant OF Palestine. We
have a!neoratcd their condition that no lajorln.
population Of the worl comp p;rcl t them in point
of comfort. They have alike shared good and
adverse fortunes. When Providence, smiled upon
Us ard wctltA ac c:umlatcl, they have par,alen of
its benefits, and in periods of distress they have
checruly submitted to like sacrifices ourselves.
You have been participants III the fruit Of their labors
It drives the loomn of Lowell, and establishes the
IN in,fac Of Lynn and Natick 1t furnishes the
cargoes of your shipping and supp prs your trade in
all parts Of the Gradually as they were cl-
cvatcd i'll intellect our law has been molfiel and
moderated iii its re- ation towards them ana It's broad
shield has ben thrown before them f)i their pro-
lection. If their privileges have bcel at any time
curt,ilcs that has been the couScq lencc of your
idc fan ,ticism Nts;h ~ ut with false and
sickly philanthropy to interfere with institution
about which You knew nothing. ani would inquire
into, from no higher sources tilin the catch-pcnny
produciio IS of rene les from country, who
sought to play upon your pref Il liceS, t. their
aggran ndiZemonts. The miserable vpers who drew
their existence from soil and son ,hi t. sing
their beneactors, you took Instantly to your bosom
tor getting that the wretch who false the land
of his birth could never be that of his a'oi-
ton. Or if you advanced a step further, for higher
you found them in the sentimental pro uc-
tons of strong minded woncn who ra>iily
abandoning the proper Spaere of their sex and
rudeiy Selling the ahilimentS al the other under
took to Instruct their slperiors in alters OF pOy
anl economy.
We clred not then at any time. to open IL .bu-
iect before yoli; thousl felt cDaScOtiS and
peated.y warAei You, that yo.lr Interference with
III hts your denial OF our constitutional prlvi
eyes; offensive assaults upon rs: your future
respond cnnstit ltonal obi llsai ions:
assertion of the docrineS Of i high law and an II
repressible conflict: the wicked and inhanuIatnry
appeals your passions by yo;.r leaders, your
provocaton to slaves to rei,el sIlnSt your
appreciation Of the armed foray in the State of tir
gnia your denial Of equality in the Territories
threats to reor-aniZe the supreme Judicial trl
bunal a !, meet views and opinions your
declared purpose to interfere with the future xHtns
of our peculiar institution oresh allowed by the
repea ed declarations OF the great Coryphcus Of your
party who, if report speaks truly Is 20 shape for
the next four years its policy, wou.d finally result
in disruption Of the Union. You would not heed
us. One by the ligsainentS ~ the Mon nave
been swapping a>under; but you turned a deaf ear
to the o,ninous sounds. One By one those Synpa-
thies and attachments which ss,rang from the
melnhrance of past trials and common and
stitfcrings. from the recollection c past ,orc> and
trilm;sS have fallen off and been forgotten like the
leaves of the oak in your forrest Fe,igning thenScl
the winds of llraven but YOU .ai.ej it.
Having eyes you would not see, ana having you