The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-07-07
Extract from the Speech Of the
Hon. L. III. Rousseau, of Ken
lucky, in the United States House
of Representatives, June 11tl,
1S6G. a.
From the Congressional Globe.l

From the Congressional Globe.]
Mr.. Rousseau had charged ant
. proved that the doctrine of secession
originated in Massachusetts, under th'
lead of Josiah Quincy and John Quin
cy Adams. The Southern people at
tempted to carry out this doctrine
The superior power of the North pu
us down, and it was notright that those
who taught the doctrine should insist
upon too much castigation of Others
for we'll learning what they SO wei
taught. And yet Massachusetts, was
swift to abuse the South for opinions
held by the leading men of her own
Mr.. Rousseau proceeded to denounce
this selfrighteous conceit, let it come
from where it may. We would like to
give his whole speech to the readers Of
the Home Journal, not that we are O
great admirer ofGen. Rousseau, for he
cries out for the punishment of the
''rineleaders" Of the "rcbellion," in.
stead of wisely striving to strengthen
the Government by leniency towards
fallen men who knew their rights, and,
knowing, dared maintain them. This
cry, we know, is joined in by men who,
at heart, must believe it wrong, but
policy-that bane of intellect--suggcsts
it. This aside, however. We are
pleased with the rcbuke he gives to pu-
ritanical Massachusetts. Mr.. Rousseau
quotes an extract from one of her Sen
ator's speeches, (Mr. Wilson, as fol
lows:
81 have felt that this struggle, which
was contest of ideas, of thoughts, of
acts, and Of blood, was logical and
philosophical contest. 1t was a con
test between men trained in the spirit of
liberty: that spirit which embraces in
its affections all the children of men of
cve.y lime and race; that spirit which
pulls not iIie h, best down, but lifts the
lowest up, on the unn hand and on the
other the dark, malignant spirit Of sla-
very, which shrivels the mind and deba-
ses the soul For two hundred years
the one side had been trained in the
love of freedom, justice and humanity,
and the other had been trained in the
spirit Of caste 1t was contest Of
giants; it was the 'irrepressible con-
nict,' and it came to blows; and when
it did come to blows it rocked the con-
tincnt with its power. We have tri
umphed.'
Now, Mr.. Speaker, I protest against
any corner of this nation, or any con-
siderable portion of it, assuming to it.
self to give morals and laws to the re-
mainder of the world; and ! especial
ly object, sir, when such an attempt is
made by a portion of the country
whence came not only the doctrine Of
secession and revolution, and appeals
to resist the measures of Congress, but
where was originated in this country
the system of slavery ITSELF The first
place, sir, upon this continent to which
slaves were ever brought was Boston.
l wish to detain the House a moment in
showing that slavery had its origin on
this continent in that portion of the
United States, and that it legally con
tinued there, though virtually abolish
ed, but by law remaining until very
late day, few months ago.
] read from Moore's History of Sla-
very in Massachusetts,:
"Slavery having never been formally
prohibited by legislation in Massachu-
sets, continued to 'subsist in point of
law until the year 1868, when the grand
constitutional amendment terminated it
forever throughout the limits of the
United States. 1t would be not the
least remarkable of the circumstances
connected with this strange and event
ful history, that. although virtually |
abolished before, the actual prohibition
of slavery in Massachusetts as well as
Kentucky should be accomplished by
the votes of South Carolina and Geor-
gia."- Page 242.
Now, sir, l insist that it is not for the
representatives of such community
to come here asserting that we shall
learn our notions of morals or law or
liberty from them. Sir, there is no
doubt, from the evidence of history,
that at an early day the leading men of
Massachusetts did enslave their own
race; enslaved the Indians enslaved
the negroes. They sold into bondage
the children of Quakers, because the
latter disagreed with them in reference
to religious matters. They sold into
slavery the Indians who had surren-
dered to them on promise to be
treated as prisoners of war.
] hold in my hand book in which
these facts are proved by historical and
documentary evidence, and / have as
yet seen no attempt at o contradiction
of these statements in any of the papers
ofthe country, although always alive
to matters of this sort
Now, sir, that Senators tella us that
for two hpMl,Gl years his people have
been strained to the love Of freedom,
justice and humanity Sir u cshall
proceed to read some extracts from
Moores History Of, Slavery in Massa-
chusetta. l find On page 2o7 adver-
tisements published, in that State as
late as the year 1850, after the Declara-
tion Of Independence, by which all men
were asserted to be free and equal.
From the Continental Journal, Nov.
25, lf7Q: EfcsZ 5asaf
"To be sold, likely negro girl, ak
teen years Of age, for no fault, but want
Of employ" !