Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-09-21
BIGLER IN THE U. s. SENATE,

of this Congressional District presented
Ex-Governor BIGLER to the people as a
man whose public and private record was
without stain. On the great questions
and complications which preceded the
war, we repeat that no public man now
living can point to a more consistent
ly national record. Reference to his
every vote and speech in the United States
Senate will satisfy any one of this fact.
Below we give two or three extracts from
his speech delivered in the Senate on the
2lst Of January, 1861, in support of his
amendment to the proposition OF Mr..
Crittenden to amend the Constitution
Mr. Biger's amendment proposed the
submission of the question 10. direct
vote Of the people:
But, in Gods name, il this agitation is
to go on, if party in one section of the
country is to Le organized and derive its
vital spark OF existence from this agitation,
let us know what is to be accomplished
what good end IS TO result from il; what
tan be done tor the white or the black
race by it? In what possible way is the
condition Of either to be improved? ? Would
you make the slaves 1reemCn? Unless
you mean this. you mean nothing. If free
men, how, when, and where? You ac-
knowledge the restrictions of the Consti-
tutioy as to the slave States. Bui suppose
this were removed, aud the Southern peo-
pie were TO say, here are our slaves; ; we
set them free; they must be clothed and
fed come and take them: then what
would you do? Nothing, gentlemen alb
solutely nothing. The most aboli,lonized
State in the Union would not agree to re-
Ceive her quota of slaves in order to give
them freedom. They could not be brought
North and if such thing were possible,
every sane man must know tia! their con-
di:ion wopld be infinitely worse. They
would not only he slaves, but miserable,
starving, degraded slaves. AS was well
remarked by the Senator from Virginia,
the other day, in tracing the consequences
of war between the two sections, and Just
ly denying the right and possibility OF
subduing the South, if you had the South
subdued, what would you do with the
slavesl
He said, as l say, you would have to re-
tain them there; and If the South were
conquered provinces of the North, the
institution of slavery would have TO be
maintained, and the right of property in
slaves recognized What 4 hazard we are
running, then, Mr.. President, for an idle
abstraction or n vain delusior
have no pleasure, sir, in this kind o
talk. As God is my Judge, my heart i.
not in it at all. | am in no spirit of crimi
nation. stand here between the extreme:
of the North and the South, getting but
little countenance or sympathy from
either side but | stand for my country
for the Union OF these States, for tue
cause Of Justice and humanity, for the
right, for duty and fidelity en- all hands
and against fratricidal var at all tme
land in every contingency.
}, have already said that do not holC
, Southern men blameless on this subject
They have in dulged a spirit of recrimina
ton and retaliation towards the Nortl
neither wise nnr nhilnsnnhinal and i
OF espionage has been kept up in some
Southern States as to Mort hern men visit
ing that region, and in some instance,
cruel and condign punishment inflicted
!, upon them in manner disgraceful to the
age, and we'll calculated to provoke aC
gression and hostility. They have, in al
ditioD, been unnecessarily sensitive anC
eXacting in unimportant points, and
at times have left the impression tha
nothing that the Northern people coull
do or say would relieve their apprehen
sions or assuage their feelings
As Tor secession, | am utterly opposed
to it. | deny the right, and | abhor the
consequences ; bat | shall indulge in nc
argument on that point. II is no remedy
for any one of TIE evils lamented and
IN my Judgment, it will aggrayate rather
than remove them and, in addition
lsuperluduce countless others of q more
distressing and destructive character. ''It
were wiser to bear the ills We have, than
fly to others we know not Of" Will dis
solution arrest aggressions upon the rights
OF the South? Will it extend the area oI
their peculiar institution Will it break
mp the Vaccinations of those who conspire
to carry off slave property? Will il as.
suage popular feeling in the North as TO
slavery Will it give additional security
TO the holders of slaves and will il pre-
vent insurreclion? In my judgment, il
wall do none OF these things. Nor can il
by any possibility improve the mate
rial Interests of either section of the
:. Union and do not intend to dwell
upon the question of material in.
terests IN considering the value Of the
b, Union. lfwe could have two republics OF
equal size, and live in harmony and ur.
restrained commercial and political inter.
course. the national growth might be seri-
ously affected. But would this revolution
stop with two republics and can peaceful
relations be maintained? Both are posi-
Die; out neither the one nor the other is
probable. II once disruption becomes
permanent, the history Of the world would
seem 10 teach that subdivision would fol-
low until the American Union would be
divided into score or more Of petty.
wrangling, and demoralzed republics, ex-
citing only TIE pity and contempt of the
world.
I Acknowledging the justice oi the COM
plants OF the Southern States to no incon-
siderable extent, l deprecate with all my
hesTt the remedy they pursue, and am