Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-03-22

The House being in Committee of the
Whole on the state Of the Union, Mr.. Bid
die addressed the Committee as follows
Mr.. Chairman I thank you for giving
me the floor. | would not willingly let
pass the sentiments which have just been
uttered by my colleague (Mr. Morris Da-
vis) without opposing to them sentiments
which are, I believe, more characteristic
of the conservative people whom he and l
have the honor, in part, to represent upon
this floor
As q citizen of the border State of Penn.
sylvania, the views in which have been
bred in relation to the institution of slavery
have been temperate, and, 1 hope, just. 1t
has not been to me an exciting subject, as
it is to many with whom am associated
in this House; fer to some gentlemen,
very calm in their judgment Gu all other
matters, the mere word Slavery" seems
to have much the same effect that red
rag has on bali.
L have never been blind to the disadyan-
tages and evils of slavery; | have not
been indifferent to their alienation Nv
practical, constitutional means yet have
ever regarded the incorporate and agrees
i've policy Of the political anti slavery party
to be as sterile Of benefit TO the negro as
it has been disastrous to the peace, the
prosperity, and the unity of our country.
This war has brought us, at last, tc see
that there is a broader question than the
slavery question: though it is commonly
preferred to narrow the discussion down to
that. But now the matter is brought home
to us, we fnd that there is a "negro ques.
ton, !" vast and complex and embarrassing,
even if slavery were blctted out of exist.
enoe.
From the earliest times, Pennsylvania
has had her mode of treating these ques-
ticns Originally slaveholding State,
size adopted, in 1850, the policy of grad
ual emancipation, extending it, however,
only to the future. born children of the
slaves then living; these children were to
receive their freedom at the age of twenty
eight years.
This great measure was the product cf
universal public sentiment, and was per-
fectly consistent with the general interest
to effect it, no pressure, no compulsion from
without was directed against our people.
Had there been, from what l know of |
their temper, I should judge that slavery
would have existed among us to this day. |
AS it was, the last slaves died out within |
the recollection Of the youngest man upon
ibis floor.
By our common law, however, the ne
gro had never been citizen so our high
'st court decided; and when the point was
'ontroverted, the people settled it definitely
oy amending the constitution, so that to
be "white" man is one of the necessary
constitutional qualification of the eector,
On our statute-book, at this very day,
S cur State fugitive slave law, far oldor
han the acts of Congress on that subject
lay, older even than the clause in the Con-
titution of the United States providing
or the roturn of funitivae
You perceive, sir, that Pennsylvania
'ould have little excuse for joining in the
nsurrection against the fugitive slave law,
II against the judgment of the Supreme
COURT Of the United States denying citizen
ship to the negro, since we have ourselves