Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-01-18

NGullOh iDT tiidl IIlllSJ DC uOiIS py SOi
gress. Ii these States are not represented
here the fault it theirs, not ours Must all
the legislation be stayed until they choose to
return? and if not, why this more than 9th
er important acts? If that rule should be
adopted we would always be in the power OF
few members who chose to place them
selves beyond the reach Of the Sergeant at
Arms. The gentleman triaes with the gray
ity of the question and the good sense of the
House when he raises these objections, but
still proposes to waive them in favor Of
convention to consider his own amendments.
Why not tolerate slavery, continues the
honorable gentleman, and thus make the
shareholders contented with the Union?
What evidence Is there that liberation would
content them? They separated from the l.
Mon, and organized an independent govern
ment in February, 1861 When, prior to that,
had the Institution for whose prolonged
cruelty the gentlemen pleads so earnestly
( lack ed toleration? | submit that 1t had al
ways been tolerated nay, more, it had al
WAYS had its will and its way in this Repub-
lic-I trust | will not offend any member ;
sensibilities if, | say its oppressive will and
its unchristian way. Whatever was asked
was granted. When it asked new markets
TO raise the price Of men and women, and
to create demand for the surplus children
.
Louisiana and Florida Territories were pur-
chased in part for this purpose. For this
purpose Texas was smuggied into the Union,
and war unnecessary for any other purpose
secured the northern provinces OF Mexico.
When it demanded that white laborers
should 90 further north, and surrender mild
climated Missouri to slave labor, the surren-
der was made When from motives OF pol
| icy it demanded the passage OF the Missouri
compromise, it was passed When it de-
manded It's repeal it was repealed. 1t babe
US vote down the Wilmot proviso, and we
obeyed. 1t demanded that escaped bond
men should be caught and returned, free OF
cost, and we gave them the despotlc law.
Again it demanded exemption from the
criticism to which all things else in q repub-
lie are exposed and we granted the lmmn
sorship Of the mails. and authorized the
| burning Of all offensive papers and letters,
| in the vain hope TO destroy eternal ideas.
| To this end II demanded silence III this
| House and IN the Senate, and we adopted
! the ''AtheTtOn gag. 10 this end 1t de
manded silence in the North, and every city
| raised its pro-slavery mob TO dem0llsh pres
ses and murder editors and lecturers. The
hand of slavery has ever been against every
| body, giving theRepubEc no rest day nor ght
| All day long these Halls and the country re-
| sounded with its insoent demands Nowthe
| West must be Africanized, now the Eastmust
| be crushed, now Cuba must be stolen, and
now Africa, unbarred to the pirates, and 1t
| woke US uy at night with its fierce clamor for
| escaped negroes No, sir, slavery rebelled
not because it was not tolerated, but be-
| cause it would not tolerate anything else !;
| | may say because it could not afford to toi-
| crate anything else. 1t would not tolerate
| the Declaration of Independence, because
! that instrument proclaimed the freedom ana
equality Of the human race. 1t would not
! tolerate the literature of the English Ian
guage, nor the Christianity of the American
churches, nor the civilization OF the nine
teenth century, because their spirit was OPP
posed to human bondage. 1t could not
tolerate New England, because her educa-
ton, her industry, her sobriety, her justice,
and her unboastingtcourage was an implied
censure upon slavery. And last of all,
slavery refused to tolerate the great prlncl-
pIe upon which this Republic is founded
upon which all republics must be founded
the will Of the majority cOnstltutlonaiiy cx-
pressed. 1t was not only lntoerant, but bel
ligerant 1t could not be otherwise. 1t re
cognized natural, though undeclared foe IN
every good cause, word, and work, and IN
its efforts to destroy these it has destroyed
itself. Conscious Of Its own inherent wrong
it began its defense before 1t was assalled,
and ike the glass fortress, 1t has fallen not
by the assault of its enemies, but by the con-
cussion of It's own guns 1t Is pierced by
| its own poisoned arrows.
SO the struck eagle. stretched upon the plain,
! No more through rolling clouds TO soar again
| Viewed his feathers on the fatal dart,
| And winged the shaft that quivered IN his heart
We can hardly claim the honor of aiding
| in its taking off. Like Falstatf victim, 1t
was quite dead before we dared to strike;
Rut tolerate it, cries. the gentleman, and
nacify the madmen of the South. Ii New
| York were afflicted with hydrophobla, the
gentleman would advise his constituents to
tolerate mad dogs. Do not muzzle them,
he would tenderiy exclaim, do not cham
them, do not kill them, but tolerate, Gonch-
late, cherish them until this terrible disease
disappears from the city. But If slavery Is
yrohihited the country will become homoge-
neous. and. in his opinion, homogenelty Is
NOT desirable. Neither the ancient nor mod
arn nations OF Europe, he informs US, were
| homogeneous. They had many systems OF
Worship. and many kinds of languages and
racas If men; but unfortunately for his ar,
gnment. in another part OF his speech, and
for different purpose, he eontesses that
| tbasa same nations were afflicted with long
and frennent civil wars originating IN that
Lack of bomogeneity which he so much com
mends. But if this diversity OF character
is as desirable as represented, certainly we
have enough of it without trying to rein,
state slavery. Religion Is nowhere more
free than in this country. Every man Sc;
lects bis own altar. And as for races ano
languages, what quarter of the many-ton-
gued earth has not contributed to our popu
fationP No thanks however to the honora
ble gentleman for this Az the leader sn'