Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-04-17
8OIitital.
II020GIITION OF SLAVERY IN THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA.
SPEECH OF SENATOR LAND0N,
SENATE, Wednesday Afternoon,
March II, 1862.

March II, 1907.
rbo Senate re.assembled at 3 o'clock, and
.1aeo1pd to the consideration of Senate bill
k gq3 ioint resolutions relative to the a0oIl'
-;,n of slavery iu the District Of Columbia.
Tao SPEAKER stated the question to be
=, tGe amendment OF Mr. Clymer, offered the
day previous
rgy,7Es OF HON. GEORGE LANDoN, IN REPLY TO
SENATORS LAEBERToN AND CLYNER.
Mr. LANDON. Mr.. SPEAKER; merely
-i,s n introduce the discussion this afternoon
~ t5e few remarks | desire to make. The
ntbsr dav 7 had my say upon this subject, and
occn2ied as much Of the time oil tne senate as
WouId properly belong to me. l sald all mat
7 intended to say and | may add, that de-
sired to say at the iime-not eXhaustlng the
sphiect at aH. merely giving my views IN gen.
,,oi Bat after the extraordinary positions
rbeu by the Senator from Berks, as we'll as
n, Democratic colleague, the Senator iron
Clarion, Yesterday, | feel constrained TO ask
ts further indulgence Of the Senate for a short
n, The specific amendment offered by the
's.ua,or from Berks. Mr.. Clymer,) allows the
gitou of slavery in the District Of Columbia
aydyd the assent of The people Of s1iA District
nj If Tie STATE Of lIarytand shall be first
unsa.
This s but TIE rohash of an old, stale dish
sgegeliI.0n, for the teu-thou,andth time. Of
riser4u,e disgusting ditty. 1t has been the
,,l0u especially OF The party to which the
senator from Bcrk3 belongs, never 20 do any
thing Of any special Importance, never to take
s1g politically important or national step,
without adding that very amendment" pro-
rlsd the consent of the slavehOIdiug States
can be aud will be obtained" If their consent
obtained and their privilege secured, then
they venture TO proceed but if the consent of
Tie Shareholders were not Obtained, il they
entered a nol, proscqai, then oil proceedings
must be q1aybeJ. This in times past has been
,Je sD-ci: rule of the party TO which the gen
t'anaa belongs, aud 100 much the rule Of the
whole country. 1t is bow time that we TOOK
olasr o., higher and oetler authority.
Senator's ap9u jhe other side make an eyre
cal, mistake in their peculiar mode of arguing
these questions at this time They speak OF
slavery, of the constitutional rights of slave
oders Of The obligation of the free States to
espect these rights, precisely as they did five
Gaus ago forgetting entirely the change of
rrcumsl auces, the change Of issues, of means
md necessities. Why, sir, but last night | |
aw stalwort men enter private dwellings in |
his town, and seize and carry into the streets
,eautiinl and valuable furniture Under other
circumstances the act would have been a
reach of the peace. an indctable offence but
S it was,-lhe flames cracking aud curlag
ard by-the act was justIfable and merito, !
ions one Sentiments aud deeds that FIVE |
ears ago would have been iuexcuSah!e. are |
l0g not only juStitiabie, but an absolute ueces.
ty. To have suspended taen the writ of
ll5e1s corpus, would have been iutoIerable
low it is praisewotthy To have committed
men to prison then, without judge or jury,
.0li have been horribly despolic now the
lange OF circumstances makes it al act Of de
5rgined patriotism. Then slavery bowed sui
only to the supremacy Of the general goVerA-
rent, and we awarded it all its constitutional
narantees cow it rears its head in treason
bs defiance 10 that government, aid we have
o;diag TO promise it but constitutional penal
Is. Is it not strange that men have become
D infatuated respecting the rights Of slavery
is not ouly strange, but painfully amusing
they urge on the destruction of shipping, the
3.f,caton of material property, the butcher
,g Of traitors bat when we reach the cause
all our troubles, they raise their hands in
Idly horror, and cry halt AS well might |
1snen command. "out with the furniture
.9Tn with the walls, but take heed that you
70 not throw water upon the flames" | sub /
4G tblt such augmentation is not only .falla- (
aoCs bat pueriIe
When the mariner is enveloped IN the storm, I
u Is wise 10 him 10 look carefully to the posi- |
Uoa and course Of his vessel Imuatng his |
prudence, allow me TO state my precise position
opoI The subject under discussion and then, /
!, !, can, 10 safe the position of Senators upon
we oIler side. This will enable US 10 move on |
ladeS,aadagly.
foF many long years / haze regarded the
'"o' system Of slavery as morally wrong (
''' HeHce believed that all moralisls were not
"! J1'ulabe, bat bound to bring all possible
O"a' appliances 10 bear upon tle institution,
l-"5Ilen the masses, elevate public opinion,
49, as lar as possible, to aneiocate the con.
A'on OF the slave himself. But under our
ocular compact, | never could see how VIC
'lil ieg.sldte it out Of existence, so long as
Upaoders bowed to the behests of the Cen
4ltion Of the land. The adoption of such a
l.se Of interference would be but another
-ls Tor revolutions. But low, when the de.
.Aaers Of the Institution themselves have ig-
,fed your Constitution and oil your govern
enta perogat'ves inaugurating both rebellion
% revolution, l meet them upon their own
lcsen ground, aud claim that they shall take
If consequences.
CONGRESS should abolish slavery in the Dis.
'ct Of Columbia upon terms equitable and
~ Then they should declare the slaves of
!. u re0els free, as they veritably are and |
~ lne Sophistry OF a Berks lawyer to prove
= contrary. This being done, some plan like
'' one recommended by the President, should