Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-03-03

by fugitive slaves, they could insure the
whole slave property of Virginia at one half
of one per cent, and make immense fortunes
at that" for the real loss was only one fourth
of one mill on the dollar. l remember very
well the other question which | put to him
Sir, If YOU undertake to break up this Union,
II you propose to bring down that line be
yOnd which fugitive slaves are not returned
from the northern border of Ohio and New
York to the north line of Virginia, how much
Will insure your slave property then will ten
per cent do it, or twenty per cent. do it, or
fifty per cent. do it ?" Mr. President, they
have tried the experiment. and slavery lies
III ruins all around Us Slave property is ut
terly valueless. Slaves are free as their
masters.
The time has come, which Mr.. Randolph,
distinguished statesman of Virginia said
would come, when, if the slaves do not run
away from their masters the masters will run
from their slaves
The time has come which was foretold by
Mr.. Faulkner in the convention of Virginia
IN Its better days, in 1882 when it was pro-
posed to abolish slavery. He then, in sub
stance, said, "lf We shall attempt to break
up THIS Union on account of slavery a time
OF anguish and suffering will come in Virgin
Id, compared with which, the pestilence that
Walketh IN darkness and the destruction that
wasteth at MONDAY will be a blessing" They
nave realized 1t ALL and they have brought it
down on their own heads. 1t is not the Re
publican party that has brought it upon them
Ihey have brought it upon themselves. By
that oVerruling providence of God which
makes the madness Of men to do His work, of
Him who rides the whirlwind and directs
the storm, who rules the passions of men as
He rules the winds of heaven and the waves
OF the sea, in His own good time and for His
own good purpose has allowed the madness
| and the insanity of these men, in their ardent
and fanatcal devotion to extend slavery and
! build up slavery, to attempt to destroy this
| Government, in order that He light overrule
them to utterly destroy slavery itself and
wipe 1t from this continent forever
Mr.. President, | accept as fact accol7-
| plshed, part of the history of this
country, that slavery is dead, and l rejoice
at 1t with inexpressible Joy. All wise states
men act upon facts accomplished, accept
them, and go forward in accordance with
them; but when act, prefer to act boldly,
frankly, openly. Therefore l am not in favor
OF doing it by indirection, by putting this or
that or the other ambiguous provision upon
an enrolment bill or upon a revenue bill. |
prefer by far to appeal to the sovereign au-
thorty IN this country, the people Of the
United States. | shall not anticipate or en-
ter upon discussion of measures that
may be presented before Congress fur
ther than to say that | rejoice that
the proposition has come from the
Senator from Missouri, Mr.. Hender-
son, and from recent slave State, one of
the States most deeply interested; it has al
ready been presented to this body and it has
been referred to the Committee on the Ju-
dietary, and is before that committee for its
consideration and action, proposition which
| appears at once to a tribunal above Congress,
| above the DEGREES of the Supreme Court,
above the prOclamatiOns of the President. in
which resides the sovereign source of power,
| the people of the United States. to have them
declare as part OF the Constitution of the
United States, the fundamental law Of the
land, the final and irrepealable decree that
from and after certain day slavery and in
voluntary servitude shall neither exist in any
State nor in any Territory of the United
States, except in punishment Of crime.
L shall not enter into a discussion of that
question at the present time, for | will not
anticipate the action, whatever it may be- of
our committee upon that subject. | shall
wall uIlIll 1ilGiI lilO Tie oelldJc,
simply saying for myself that if this govern
ment is to act at all in legislative capacity,
prefer to act in the mode provided by the
Constitution itself Let two thirds of both
Houses Of Congress submit the proposition to
the Legislatures of three-fourths of the
States, and when ratified by them there will
be no appeal from their decision. 1t will then
rest upon a solid ground which no laws of
Congress- no DEGREES of the Supreme Court
no change of parties or Of Presidents can
shake, enduring and eternal as the govern
ment itself
| therefore, Mr. President, conclude by
saying that | concur in the wisdom of that
course which [ believe the chairman of our
Military Committee proposes to adopt, and
is to present his bill on the subject of the pay
of colored troops in our armies separate and
distinct by itself, unembarrassed with all 9th
er considerations,