Year: 1862

question am no longer restive ; but ! cannot
help feeling q little wonder that Senators
here or gentlemen out OF this Hall should
undertake to suppose that this cry, which We
have heard 90 long and which has produced
30 much effect, that We must not touch the
question ut all, whatever may be Its condi.
tion and whatever may be ours, Is to be lis.
tened to. Twill hold. rs have always said
before, strictly and strongly to every pledge
that gave individually, or that my party
gave and that assented to; but you must
not expect me to take back all my opinions I,
you must not expect me TO hold back my
hand where can strike at the institution as
an institution; you must not expect me to
restrain myself when SEQ an opportunity In
any way ~ discover this Government from the
support Of that institution directly or indi-
rectly. l should be false to my own princi-
pies IL did 30. should be false TO oil the
professions that have made from my youth
up. should be false TO oil the instincts Of
my nature, and all the duty which I owe to
my country, believing rs do that the insti-
tuition is, has been, and ever will DO curse.


did not intend even to be drawn to this
length Of discussing this question but | wish
to say to gentlemen frankly that they must
not expect us to yield them too much.
will give them credit for believing, rs un.
doubtedly they do believe, that oil these things
will be taken advantage Of by the enemy |
will give them this credit too, that the great.
er part of their anxiety arises from that source.
| am certain 1t Is 81 with my friend from Va,
! (Mr. Willey.) | make all allowance for
that. But sir, reflect, have VIC not duties to
perform with our opinions? Can we defer the
the consideration Of some Of these subjects ?
Are they not before us every day? Do they
not meet us at every turn? Why not, then,
meet us on proper grounds, and say, "as long
as you keep yourselves within the limits of
the Constitution, do what Seems to you best,
VIC acknowledge with you that this has been
the moving cause OF the rebellion and OF the
evils we now suffer be careful then TO give
no occasion for any man to say that you are
forgetting your pledges to support the Con-
stitution and the laws of the United States ;
but within that limit we cannot expect you
to do otherwise than to usc all the power you
have to strike at slavery 50 far as you may"
Why, sir, | should deem myself neSlcctful OF
all my duties If should hesitate for one mo.
ment on question like this.


| One moment more, sir, and | shall have
done. This question of the abolition Of sla-
very in the District of Columbia, have stat
ed, has been one that has always been near
to my heart. Gentlemen say it is bad time
to take it up; it will bc attended with inju.
nv. With regard To ono point of injury, |
have spoken but do gentlemen believe any
other injury is to follow. Whom do We in.
iure The Slaves? The slave will bear the
injury. Do we injurc the owner? What
claim have tho owners Of slaves in the Dis
trict of Columbia upon us2 They have In
my Judgment, been holding slaves here with
out law since the foundation Of tho Govern
ment, and thcy have been able to do 1t be-
cause il has been in their power to secure a
majority always in Congress which was in
yincible, that could not bc overcome. They
knew the day would come some time or 9th
er. What injury do we do them? how many
of them who hold slaves in this District are
loyal men to-day2 What sympathy have
those who support the Constitution from
them-men, women or children, who happen
to be the owners Of slaves? Gentlemen all
know that II you could get ut the real scnti.
ments Of those who are slave owners, there
are very few in this. District, in my belief,
who do not hope and pray for the succe OF
this rebellion. But, sir, they stand as loyal
men in profession, and perhaps are to DO
treated as such. We would not do them
wrong. Whether there is on obligation or
not, whether they hold slaves by law or not,
il is unqucstionabe that by common consent
by custom if you please, under the eye of the
law, under the eye Of the Government, they
have held them as II legally since the foun.
dation of the Government. We cannot dis
regard that. We cannot ignore the fact
Il has the force OF law to q certain extent, 1t
is fitting and proper that we should recognize
it.


II [ had any doubt on this subject, as l
said before, | am instructed by my people.
They say that slavery ought to be abolished
| in this District. They say they are willing
to help to pay for it. II they are willing, !
am. We have the constitutional power to
make the appropriation and the question
then arises, and the only question: has the
time come, and is there any other considera.
ton which should restrain us? Why, sir,
what does the enlightened world expect OF
us? Do We not all know that our enemies
have already argued to the people OF Europe
that "tllis party in power, this people who
are endeayoring to coerce them, are not in
earnest they are attempting now, as they
say, to support tho Constitution and enforce
the laws they have no idea OF touching the
subject of slavery" ] read no Longer, ago
than Yesterday an article in one oi the lead
inc British Reviews, in which II is said that
the only chance for the abolition OF slavery
Is the success OF the Southern States in &c.
auiring their independence; that 30 long as
the United States exists, its force Is applied
to the protection Of slavery. Sir, there are
many good people in this world, outside Of
the United States and across the water. and
those good people have been looking for
something like an indication that the Gov
crnment of the United States was not bound
to the protection of slavery and to the sup
port oft. We are now in condition when
we can give that indication. We can at
any rate strike it out Of the national capital.
| We can break il down hero. We can say
thi. thing shall no longer exist where Con.
gress has the power to operate upon 1t.
do not know how long that power will exist.
It is the first day that | have seen when there
was an indication that that power existed IN
Congress, and am for improving the irst
day. would not let this opportunity slip:
do not know what is TO be tomorrow. IL
we restore the Constitution and the laws,
who knows what the majority will be in this
Congress of the United States? i do not.
All that know is that the day has arri'eI;
tho hour has presented itselt when, 10 OIL
appearance, there is power to take one sep