Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-05-27
SPEECH OF
HON. GEORGE p. FISHER,
OF DELAWARE,
On the Prohibition of Slavery.

DehBered IN the House 81 hepTesentahpeSi may
~, 1862.
The House being in Committee of the Whole
on the state of the Union, and having under
consideration bill No. 274, TO prohibit slavery in
tue territories, dock yards, arsenals, &c, ; the
pending question being on the motion to recon-
nit it TO the Committee on the Territories, Mr.
FISHER said;
Mr. SPEAKER: | have, parhaps, trespassed
upon the patience and attention Of this House
almost as seldom as any one Of its membeIs.-
During the extraordinary session Of July and
August last, | scarcely opened my lips except
to pronounce my vote. During the present ses-
sion, have only on one or two occasions ven
tured to indulge in any remarks. do not now
propose to occupy but few minutes presume
in what have said heretofore upon the question
of slavery have not failed to commend myself
to those who constitute the majority on this
floor, and trust have said nothing offensive
to any member of the minority. hope shall
say nothing now offensive or unkind TO any
member oil either side Of the House. ! shall re-
pent me sorey il, in anything l say, should
shoot my arrow DER the house and hurt my
brother"
Mr.. Speaker, when that great and good man
whom the providence OF Qod has called TO pre-
side over tho affairs Of our distracted country
had sent in to Congress his message recommend
4 q
of the General Government to such States as
might hereafter see proper TO inauguratc for
themselves, in their own way, and according to
| their own views of proprieiy, some scheme OF
emancipation, by way OF providing for compen-
sation by the Federal GovernmentfOr public and
private detriment and Inconvenience arising from
a change from n system of slave to II System of
free labor in the States respectively; when
| foundt the resolution thus commended by the Pre-
] ai1 conn h4 a fVun tir1a pnt nf
and when, after it's passage by both Houses
of Congress, | witnessed with delight the
almost universal satisfaction with which
il was hailed by the press of the country,
felt encouraged. When we had pro-
claimed TO the civilized world by our large
vote upon the passage of the bill providing
| for the emancipation OF tho slaves Of this Dis
trct, with provisions for compensating the loyal
owners, Il proyiso in favor Of the great scheme
of colonization, that freedom is national, and
slavery is but local institution in our Union /;
and when in addition to these measures, we had
further manifested the sympathy of the Govern
ment in behalf of liberty by the raising OF a
\ committee whose duty it should be diligently to
| inquire, and true presentment make, as to how
| the Federal Government may best and most el-
fectively furnish aid and assistance to such
| States M may desire to set on foot some scheme
of emancipation and colonization, l felt satisfied
II Nv
at this time upon the subject of slavery. l felt
full of hope arising from that satisfaction that
the statesmen and politicians and the people OF
the country generally, were at last about 10 re-
turn to their sober senses and reason--were
about to return to and reinaugurate the govern
mental police of the fathers OF the Republic.
had hoped that the time had at last arrived
when, in a spirit Of fraternal love and patriotic
devotion to the present and future interests oil
Z Il. fhn 2fof
and men from the free States might sit down t.
gether and calmly talk and listen to each Other
in sober reason, as true and honest patriots
without passion or prejudice or preconceised
opinons upon the "long-vexed Bermooihes, th'
distracting and agitating subject of slavery and
its future destiny upon this continent and whet
men of the same State might commune together
as to the expediency of adopting or rejecting il
their States, respectively, the policy OF gradua
emancipation, and the substitution of the system
Of free labor for that of slave labor
| had hoped, Mr.. Speaker, that like the grea
discoyerer Of this New World, after having beei
tossed and bailed and almost overwhelmed anI
destroyed by adverse winds and tempests, will
. n portion Of the crew in mad and mutinous re
bellion, the great captain OF our ship Of Stat
had at last with the prescience OF seers inspi
ration, deserted the land ahead, and that er
long the nation might snfely rest in the harbo
! Of repOses sANlbutu WIN tuo NouNlOAlOh NhUN o
. ast the question of slavery had been eliminate
from the halls of Congress, and remanded wher
> it ntoperly and legtimately belongs-to ih
people Oh the several States where il exists
IL was in this fond anticipation. Mr. Speaker
that indulged, when voted, as most cheer
nlly did, for III g resolution recommended by th
President But, sir, when l saw the haste wit
1 which the majority here was disposed TO hurr
that resolution through tho House under the Ga
I xuifh
= slightest respect to the urgent appeal made l
gentlemen from the border slave States who ha
I called a meeting to be held on the da
! following that on which the resolution wi
Z | called up and passed through the H9us
o for the purpose of reasoning and comm
.. ming together, and calmly considering in goo
d, faith to the President and TO the country, u
g propriety of voting for that resolulon-wnel
sir, under that cell we Of the slave States We
'e compelled to vote upon the resolution wilho
At auy consultation with each other, aud most
us without the slightest consultation with Of
a, constituents, confess that felt that we we
- wronged.
When, again, sir, tho bill for cmancipating L
ie slaves in this District came here from the 5enal
at and it also was pushed through this House una
I. the call for the previous question: with all
- imperfectons on its head, and with no opporl
, pity whatever for the friends Of the great pri
clples Whlcu ~ ihNoNeu " Sone'NNN " ~
it--so full Of imperfeetions, sir, as to cause
n President to hesitate in giving it his aancuo
t and then, at last to give that approval with
, extraordinary and unusual accompaniment oi
message administering to US just ana We
- merited rebuke for our hasty, inconsiderate, a
imperfect legislation; l own that felt " p
d picked in the extreme" One OF the defects 81
r gested by tho President in that bill desired
. supply-that which provides for the protect
Of lhc rights of parties labOring under the Iii
bilities Of coverture, infancy, and incompeteI
u- VI n'Nu' , ,es, 10 49,, ~ ~ k:L y haii
would have made it more acceptable to the l
sdcnt to the people Of the District, and to
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