Year: 1861

government In your own hands, who have
been Ministers doing everything tha


has been done, to set up here that you
have been oppressed and aggrieved BY
the action of that very Government l,
would have been an act of treason, and
nothing less. Now, they who sit here
the leaders of this modern revolution,
are they in a position to complain of the
action Of this Government for years past
Why, they have had more than two
thirds of this Senate for many years.
You that complain, represent but little
more than one quarter Of the free people
OF the United States yet, you have pre-
vailed for Ten years past in the Cabinet
of the President. and in the Supreme
Court of the United States, and nearly
every department of the Government.
Those who voted with you have dictated
the policy Of the Government. Is it not
strange that those who occupy this po-
sltlon come here complaining that their
rights have been stricken down? But
what is the cause of this great excite
ment which undoubtedly prevails in a
portion of our country for, if the news
papers are to be credited. there is a reign
of terror in the cities and large towns of
the South that looks very much like the
reign of terror in Paris during the
French Revolution. We hear Of North
ern men being sent back, or scourged
and tarred and feathered, and no inquiry
made in regard to the cause. | do not
suppose the regular Government, in
times of excitement like this, is really
responsible for these outbreaks Of pas
sion. If the States where these outrages
prevail were foreign government, and
1t they were really authorized by the
constituted authorities, everybody knows,
II 1t were the strongest government in
The world, we would declare war in one
day. But what has caused this great
excitement? will tell you what sup
pose it is. do not SO much blame the
people of the South, because | think they
have been led TO believe that we, to-day
the dominant party, who are about to
take the relns of Government, are their
mortal foes, and stand ready to trample
their institutions under foot. They have
told SO by our enemies at the North, and
they would not hear us at all. | wish to
inquire candidly, honestly, and fairly,
whether the Southern gentlemen who
complain so much have any reasonable
grounds tor that complaint-I mean
when they are really informed as to our
position. The Northern Democrats have
said we have Personal Liberty Bills in
some few of the Northern States. which
would somehow trench upon your rights
10 re-capture runaway slaves-a position
that in more than two or three cases has
not the least foundation in fact But il
these laws are really repugnant to the
Constitution, they are utterly void, and
the Courts would declare them so at any
moment. Therefore am glad to hear
Senators on the other side say they do
not complain of these bills. Your men
have given up this bone of contention,
this matter of complaint, which North
men have set forth as a grievance more
than any one else


Mr.. Mason said that he said the repeal
of these laws would furnish no satislac-
Ni0H W VIC ACCuliSIn tOtalSs.


Mr. Wade-I understood the gentle
man TO say he did know as they had been
injured by them. These laws were not
Intended TO excite the South, or to pnt
them III any position of degradation, as
the Senator supposes. These laws against
kidnapping are rs old as the common
law itself. believe the State of Virgin
ia has one to-day as stringent in its pro-
visions as any of those OF which YOU
complain. And here let me say, be.
cause the subject occurs to me, that the
Senator from Virginia seems not so much
to point out any specific acts that the
Northern people have done that are in
curious to your property, as something
he takes to be dishonor and a degra.
dation. l think | feel as sensitive on
that subject as any other man. Ii | know
myself | would be the last man who
would advocate any law. or any act, that
would humiliate or dishonor any section
Of this country, or any individual in it
but, on the other hand, let me tell those
gentlemen | am exceedingly sensitive on
the same point, whatever they NAV
think, and had rather sustain an injury
than an insult or dishonor, and | would
be as unwilling TO inllict it upon others
rs | would be 10 submit to il myself
never do either the one or the other. if
know it. But have already said these
gentlemen who make complaints have for
long series OF years had this Govern
ment III their own hands. | may say
these gentlemen who have raised upon
this floor their bill Of indictment against
us, have been the leaders of the domi.
nant party Tor years therefore. if there
Is anything in the Legislation Of the Fed
erhl Government that is not right, YOU.
and not we, are responsible for it. We
never yet have been invested with power
to control the Legislation of the country
Tor an hour. know the charges have
been made and rung in our ears that we
have been uniaithful to your Fugitive
Slave bill. The law is exceedingly odi-
Gus to any free people, and deprives us
o, all the old guarantees Of liberty that
tho Anglo.Saxon race have considered
more sacred than anything else.


Mr. GREEN said perhaps the action
on this law had not injured anybody, but