Year: 1860

own plantation in Mississippi, and should
wish to take slaves into q Territory. let me
ask which state in its sovereignty is affect
ed Z That where the negroes are, or the
state where the negroes are owned On
the same ground we might say, suppose, as
will probably be the case, we should annex
the Feiee Islends TO this nation, aud snp-
pose the senator from the state of Feiee
should appear in this body then believe
they not only hold part of their popula-
ton in slavery, but they hold to eating a
portion Of them.


Suppose he shonld take his chattels to
our Territory and claim the protection of
our country, that he might practice can
nihalism there, it is plain You would be
bound to protect him, else the State of
Fejee would not have her equal rights with
the other States He might say it is the
law of my country We have a right to
roast and eat this property, and If yon
don't protect rs in it, we will pull down the
pillars of this Republic and involve all in
one common rnin. | suppose the Senator
from Illinois would say the Territories have
a perfect right to have cannbalism or not
and don't care whether they have it or
not; they are perfectly free Another sena-
tor says they have right to bring them
there, and be protected by the laws of Con
gress Another man says Congress has no
right to pass laws, but the Courts, which
are now omnipotent, can proclaim law,
and we must all how down to it, There is
just this difference of opinion on that side
of the Chamber, but all agree that Slavery
should be spread to the ends of the earth
But suppose another case. Suppose Brig
ham Young should come from Utah to
Kansas, or any other Territory, with his
forty wives, Brigham says these are my
property, and must have a right to bring
them in here, or the State of Utah will not
have her equal rights Away with such
doctrue There is no guarantee in the
Constitution for any such position as that.
Our safety consists in keeping close to the
Constitution, and the moment we do stray
from this we endanger the harmony of our
action. But, waving the Constitutional
law, will suppose that you have right to
take your slaves into the Territories aud
hold them there. Still Sir, is it expedent.
right and proper to do it ? And that brings
me to consider question that has been in
cidentally brought up. The fathers of the
Republic, | believe, without a dissenting
voice, agreed that saveholding was against
the common right Of man, and was wrong
in itself, and should not be cherished. But
we find they did not understand it. And
now the slaveholding States have found out
Slavery is the normal condition of the black
race and blessing to society, and there
fore ought to be extended.


That is the only Issue / wish to make.
because | know your determination to ex-
tend Slavery arising from this new philoso-
ply, that Slavery is the normal condition
OF the labering man, and that is right. lust
and proper, if not necessary to the happi-
ness OF all concerned If you are right in
that | will go with you. Let us extend it,
and let US employ missionaries to preach
the glory of Slavery, and induce the whole
world to turn shareholders or slaves. / am
glad at last to see this great question placed
on solid foundation, for every man knows
that no political principle can be placed on
anything short of eternal Justice and right.
The Senator from Georgia may tell us that
Slavery is the basis on which society has
been founded for thirty centuries Sir, it is
discovered that it is a sandy foundation,
which is fast washing away with the ad-
vance of mankind in civilization and knowl-
edge. 1t is principle that is deemed bar
barouS, and which is passing away


On that issue let US stand. If slavery is
right, let us extend it; if it is wrong, let
it die the death. l hardly know how to
meet this issue, for have been in the habit
OF believing, with the fathers, that liberty
was the gift of God to every being, and
had supposed that this was sef-evident If
there is any one here who will not for him
self respect the old sentiment-"Give me
Liberty or give me Death" Pet him speak.
Who would not rather follow q friend or
relative to the grave than into the shambles
OF eternal slavery? l know it is said the
African is an inferior race and cannot de-
fend his own rights. But my ethics tell me
that so far from this giving the right to en-
slave him, it should teach men to be more
scrupuous of his rights. l know he is still
a human being; they are still men and
women; and there are thousands now in
bondage who are much more white than
black


But whether white or black they have the
same joys and sorrows, and are actuated by
IhS o"nO notlNeS Nud5 we are, lneY NAV
be treated like brutes, their souls NAV be
ignored, you may whip and trampIe them
down, but as they are human beings they
will rise from the utmost degration and
stand forth in the image Of God, the con-
scious candidates of immortal life. This
gives them the full consciousness of their
manhood, that stands as an eternal proof
that they are not always to be slaves. But
lift is right, why this perturbation and fear
at the South lest their institutions should
fallT Why is it you withhold knowledge
from the slaves What means this persoeu-
tion of Northern men who go there
What is this fear of the Helper book I
! If Slavery is the normal condition of the
race, do You fear that the handiwork of
God will be overturned by these frivolous
means2 Society 10 the North needs no
such means to sustain itself You may 20
there aud talk against our institutions. We
will invite you to preach the glories Of
Slavery and its normal condition, aud our
institutions will stand 6rmer than ever after
the conflict. We fear no such things,