Year: 1861




these interests all these platforms and all theee to
disappear You, everybody who shall resist oppose or
stand 10 the way Of the of this Union, viii


appear as me,hs on summers eve when the whirlwnd
o popular Indignation arises that shall be excited at the
iun ahcovefy That the Union is endangered through
lacnon ana even impractcabity the one part.


nave hcpe ara confidence that this TO around


Just as have SAID and quite enough because per
ceve, although we may shut eyes TO it, that the
country and mankind cannot shut their eyes 10 tho true
nature Of this crisis. There has been real. a vital
question in this country for twelve years least aues
ton of slavery in the Territories Of the United states
1t strongest its development in 1850, when all the
Pacific and ell the Territory intervening between
and the Louisiana purchase thrown upon hands
all OF sudden, for the purpose Of organizing in
them free and independent republican governments
basis Of future States and has been earnest and
gret 70 say angry controversy, but the admission Of
Kansas into the Union yesterday settled at least all that
vital or important in the question, leaving behind
nothing hut tho passions which the contest had
engendered. Kansas is in tho rnion Califor
MIA and Oregon in the Union, and now
the contest divides and distracts this Union for
freedom and slavery in the Territories of the United
States jus. as before. What is the OF the Terri
tories which remain after the admission Of Minnesota
Oregon, Cuba and Arkansas One million sixty three



four tmes that OF the State of New Yok-the largest Of
the old and fully developed States Twenty four such
States as this Of New York yet to be fully organized
within tie remaining Territories Of the United States
Now uEder what is accepted by the admins
traticn and the government judicial decree,
upheld by it, and put in practical operation by it,
every inch Of that Territory Is elave Territory.


speak of that decsion not as accept it, but as It is
accepted and enforced by the existing administration
Every foot Of il slave territory much South Caro-
lima. over considerable portion OF it slave code
made by government created by the Congress Of the
United States is enforced, that according to the
claims Of those who insist upon their rights in the terri
tory OF The United States for slavery the whole Of this
,o6s 900 square miles is slave territory How many
slaves are there in t9 How many have been brought
it during these twelve years in which it has been
not only relnquished to slavery, but in which the Su
preme Court the Legislature and the administration have
maintained protected defended and guaranteed slavery
there? Twenty -four African saves One slave for every
forty -four thousand square miles One slave for every
one Of the twenty -four States which, supposng them
each be of the dimensions Ct New York. Pennsylva
MA Indiana cover that portion of the area of our
republic Sir have followed this thing good faith
and with zeal ard energy but l confess that have
fears OF slavery anywhere In the peculiar condition OF
things which has existed slavery has succeeded planting
only slave upon every A 600 square miles Of territory
This, then, has ceased TO be practical question.
In lieu Of it up great and vital and fearful ques
ton-the question Of Union Of dissolution Of the
Union; the question Of country of country; the
question Of hope the question of greatness the ques
ton of sinking forever under the contempt of mankind
why then shoua despair that great people OF thirty
rnuii,ns will pv able 60 meet this CrssY 1 have no
fears that this is confederacy-it is not an imperial
government the government Of single State-it is a
confedeacy and il is, as ought TO be, dependent upon
the continued assent Of all the members OF the conede
racy to its existence and subject to dissolution by their
action but that assent 10 be always taken by virtue Of
the original assent, and held until, in the form pre-
scr5ed by the constitution ITSELF and in the time and in
the manner and with all the conditions which the const
tuition prescrbes those who constitute the Union shall
declare that /, shall be longer the thirty days, and


ix,y days and ninety days given us by the dsunionists
II may be enough for their policy and their purposes


hope and that may betime enough for the poll
cy and purposes Of the lovers Of the Union God grant
that may be But If thirteen shall turn out not TO
be enough, then see how and when all these great
troverses will be settled just as our foreathers
when they framed the constitution. They provided
seventy years ago for this present controversy This
whole controversy shall be submitted TO the peo-
pie Of the United States, in a convention called
according to the forms Of the constitution and
acting the prescribed by it. Then, sir, this
country will find sudden relief in the prompt
nous adoption Of necessary for its salvation,
and the world win see how well and how wisely great,
enlightened, educated Christian people, consisting Of
thirty four sovereign States adjust difficulties which
had seemed even TO themselves iwell TO mankind
TO be insurmountable


Mr. MASON (opp) Of Val want 10 remark that now
at this time when the government is in progress Of dis


ntegration when there six States that have sepa


rated from the others and now arming themsevce
upon large scale when my own State Appropriated
twolve months ago, in anticipation OF what now
seems TO be occurring, the very large sum for sin
gle state, of half . million Of dollars TO purchase
arms and when, within few days, another appropri-
alton was made Of 81 900 for the same purpose when
we find that the people themselves are arming, when
counties and towns are exercising their municipal
authority and raising money for this same purposo
while these things are going on, and while the public
mind is engaged in the slave States, that are not yet
separated, in dsvising some mode by which the Ame
rcan mind can again be united IN common Union,
what do we hear from the Senator from New York
MIR sevard)9 What do we hear from that Senator
who occupies the position before the country which he
now does acknowledged TO be the head Of the political
combination which is 10 bring into power the incoming
said by the newspaper press 70 be the
probable right hand of that administration, what do we
hear from that SENATOR Any suggestion from quarter
of such weight as what he would recommend to


ority Of the in order 10 meet the demands just OF
unjust Of the slave sta'esp None Any remark approy





10 amend the constitution in this regardy None We
know what his opinions in regard to the propositions
offered by the venerable Senator from Kentucky
tMr Crittcnden), by declaration and by votes,
Uniform and continued We know what his vows
are in the negative, and what are his views in
the affirmative. His affirmative vote was given
p this chamber TO substitute the resolutions OF the
senator from New Hampshire (Mr. Clark. What are
theyY Propositions declaring, in substance, that the
constitution needed amendment that the demands OF


the Southern States unreasonable and that the ouy
remedy for this condition Of things In the country was
To enforce the constitution and the laws That Is the
Affirmative view OF the honorable Senator from New
York. Now, what Is IL he has elborated2 Why, the
honorable Senator, in the midst OF maze OF general


ties which marked his speech-and IT was maze aud
misty one-in tha; general maze he marched 10 the


line and told us what his policy was, and assume II Is
the policy Of those he is to bring into power And what


was II be told u.s. His recommendation 70 these gen
temen, who have sent here this enormous petition
Not adopting their views, not looking to any amend.
ment Of the constitution whatever, But his recon.
mendaon is given TO in -four distinct propositions
What la be the policy of those whom he Is TO lead
Why, he recommended that these gentlemen, when
they went home, should employ themselves in the
great work Of restoring the breaches made la tho
Union. How Why, he said, speak FIRST, next vote
for tho Irnion money Union, and the