Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-05-27

/ to loyal owners, and for gradual change from
the system of slave to the system Of free labor.
by emaneipating the slaves in five annual Install
ments. Such n bill would have achieved the
great principle Of making tho capitol Of the
nation free. while no injustice or injury would
have been done to any one. But sir. no oppor-
tunity was afforded for any amendment what
aver, however important it may have been.
was not only grieved ct the course thus pursued
by the majority here, but am free to say that
had given way to n sense of mere policy and
calculation rather than to the dictates Of my
conscience had I, like some of my neighbors,
been desirous Of making record for myself
with my own constituents, might nave voted
differently.
Again sir, when there came into this House
from the other end of the Capitol, q bill provi
ling that negroes may be employed in carrying
the United States mails | felt that no respect
whatever was entertained for the opinions, it
may be the preiudices Of those of us, who being
reared in slave States, have always been taught
TO regard the negro as a race inferior to the
Anglo Saxon; and that no matter how much any
of us might desire to cooperate with the majori-
ty here in their efforts to preserve the integrity
and perpetuity of the Union, we were expected
to yield everything aud they nothing. Nay,
worse than that sir, there seems to be no meas
ure, how radical soever it may be, no matter
how we'll call calculated to do mischief in the
border States, II it be introduced here, bnt can
find advocates aud supporters on the majority
side OF this Chamber. Aud just here, sir, let me
alludo again to the bill allowing to negroes the
privilege of carrying the mail. II this bill shall
pass this House, which | trust it will not, and
know it shall not if my vote or voice can prevent
| it, you will place in the hands OF your enemies
in the slave States and in the free States, too
q weapon Of almost incalculable mischief Let
me repeat then, Mr.. Speaker, and enforce it
upon the attention Of tho majority hero, that
! theso mntlieis oi which Oouplslh NOR IN sor-
row than in anger, are grevOus to those of us
who living in slave States, desire as much as you
possibly can do who live in the free States, to
see the integrity of the Union perpetuated, aud
its power and dignity and majesty fully restored
and vindioated
Mr.. Speaker, | think that my position upon
this troublesome question Of slavery in its most
Important aspects is such as to challenge the
respect, at least, Qf were egotistical, | might
say the admiration, of all the conservative Re
publicans of this House. | hestnto not to de-
clare here and everywhere, that shall be glad
to see the day when my native State, which |
have tho honor to represent upon this floor, shall
take such steps in the march of emancipation as
gradually make her free State Further, sir,
| fully concur with the President in the belief
that the only way to give quiet to the country on
the subject Of slavery 10 by the adoption OF such
policy as will leave the public mind to rest in
the conviction that slavery is put in the course
of ultimate extinction. believe that it has now
been done by the measures which we have thus
far adopted, and that if we advance one step
further in Congress thad We have already gone,
you will cause the people to suspect that you
intend more than this-that you intend either
directly or indirectly to invade the prerogatives
of State sovereignty.
You Of the North, sir, cnll on the conservative
men of the South-upon those Of us who believe
that our fathers, who framed for us this admi
rabe system Of free government supposed that
slavery was an institution incompatible with the
fundamental principles OF republican democracy,
and that they had left it in the course Of ulti-
mate extincton--those of us who believe that
the poliey of our fathers was one Of gradual
emancipation, with Just compensation and colo
nization, and separation, as far as practicable,
of the two races-you call upon us to lend you
the encouragement Of our cooperation and in
fluenee in maintaining and sustaining that ms
the true policy at the present day. and yet you
have no sooner secured that co operation than
some mad fanatics thrust upon us a series of
measures of no practical worth, which the good
sense and sound discretion of majority of you
condemn MS having no other tendency than to
produce unmixed evil. With the taunt of a
doughlace and weak-kneed Unionst upon your
lips for us who try to hold up the hands OF the
Administration in the border States, you are
driven by selfish, scrvile slavish fear Of the
ultraists among your constituents at home to
vote for measures which you admit ought not to
have been brought forward, and to be unwise
and impoiitic Sir, is this patriotism, or is it
time-serving? 1t was tersely, if not truly, said
by De TOcquevie, the ablest and most obseryant
of European travellers in America that General
Jackson was Feleralist by taste, but Repub-
lican by calculation. There is a class OF men, l
I - and "A .
of whom it may be as tersely, and perhaps more
truly said, they are conservatives by instinct,
radicals by calculation. Commend me, sir, to
the man who knows the right, and knowing
dareg maintain il. Such men are statesmen--
They who, while protesting conservatism and
really feeling it in their hearts, are influenced in
: their action by Il desire to make mp record for
themselves and to pander to the extreme notions
OF 4 fragment OF their constituents N order to
maintain themselves in place and power, are al
best, in my humble judgment, mere politicians.
The great want of this age, believe, is the
men, who in their public capacity as well as il
: their private relations go straight forward il
! that direction which n well-enlightened con
science and high sense of duty point them tC
: pursue. These, like the days OF our Revolution
are the times that try mems souls. We wan
; now, more than ever before in tho history of th'
nation, men OF expansive, liberal views, and o
!, nerve, and martyr like courage to bare thei
4 bosoms TO the storm OF extreme popular clamo
= = on either side--menswh like the old Atheniar
hero, eau dare 10 say to their radical constitu-
u u ents strike, but hear me )" mon who, like Ou
u own gallant and lamented Clay, have the nobl
II horoism to prefer to be right rather than b
, President 1t is only by the lahors and lnhu
II ence of such men, aciuated solely by their desir
a to restore the Constitution and the Union to thei
y y pristine vgor and exatatioA, that public opinio
Il can be purified and restored TO healthful tone
THIS is n work of love aud patriotism only equa
y in Importance to the suppression Of this foul an
/ wicked rebellion, which had its origin in dis
70 eased and corrupt state Of public opinion
'I brought about by demagogues in all sections c
81 the Union You know, sir, you feel this wan
~ in the North as well we do in tue slave State
- You call upon us to act with you on sue
10 questions as our oonscieuces approve and q
we believe to be right and productive OF good |
y the nation, and to trust to tue good sense an
virtue of our people for their appreciation on
~ ~ when we respond to your Invocation, trusting
IN the honesty OF our purposes and the justice
Y our cause to bear us up above the wave of popl
VI lar prejudice and passion ut home, you laud I
~ for our moral courage and mugnanimity. Wi
W you not yield us the same measure OF kind fee
~ ing 0nd Justice and generous confidence whlt
Ay YOU demand at our hands towards yourselves
a9 Let me say to gentlemen who compose Il
st. majority here, that ii you want to have men
u the slave States co-Operato with you in tue al
9u duous struggle OF breaking down the ultrais
he and madness uf pro-slayeTy in the border state
u, you must not yourselves run into the ultrais
rs and madness of abolition. II you expect
'us cross the slave line with party in favor
oil emancipation, and achieve any sort Of succes
ur you mast Weld something to us in policy, viii
'ro we acknowledge the justice and humanity
,our n,incinles YOu must not follow aft