Year: 1859

damnedi"


The Southern speakers stated distinctly


again and again, that in case of the elee


ton next fall of Republican President


the South would leaye the Union. The,


asked Mr. Nelson if he would not say th


same, and he bravely replied that even


Mr.. Seward were elected he acould moi


nor would the people in the South, in hi


opinion.


We give place to as much of Mr.. Mel


sons speech-from the official Globe re


port-as our limits allow. He held th'


whole array of Fire eaters at arms length


through what requires ten columns of th,


Globe. He would take up couple of Fire


eaters and rap them together as "bones'


would handle castanets; the Fire-eater


were pigmies in the hands of giant; ht


would fay them alive, and then going of
| in brilliant denunciation of disunion, witt


an apostrophe to the Union, would bring


the floor, and the galleries, down in one


yell of applause, while the Democrats fell


themselves compressed into very small


holes and going through the floor. He


said:


There was time in the history of this


land when the Hartford Convention stunk


in tho nostrils of the American people;


when the man who cried out disunion, OF


secession, was regarded at least as moral


traitor to his country. Those halcyon


days have passed away, and now what once


struck the public with horror, what once


was regarded as worthy almost Of death,


is sentiment which seems to meet with a


response in the North, and with like utter
| ance in the South. l, for one, Mr.. Clerk,
am opposed to this feeling of disunion, no
matter whence it comes. Prolonged ap-
plause in the galleries and upon the floor.
l, for one, am opposed to this slavery agi-
tation, no matter whether it comes from
the North. Renewed applause.]


1t seems to me that there is very little
for us to contend about I come from a
slave State, and, though I am not man
of wealth, 1 own few slaves, and am not
ashamed to say it here. l say, sir, that I
am opposed to this sentiment, no matter
whence it comes or by whom it is given
utterance. do think that we, or rath-
er the two great parties of the land, are
fighting battle together in advance of
time. To borrow the idea, though l can
not quote the language of that eminent
and distinguished man, Mr.. Webster, the
question Of slavery has been practically
settled in regard to much the greater por-
ton of this Union. 1t has been settled,
as he in substance said, by the laws of ma
ture and by the laws of climate. By the
action of the people it has been settled
since in regard to Kansas and Nebraska.
1t cannot reasonably be expected to exist
in Utah. The people of California have
settled it for themselves. Where, then,
are we to have this contest in regard to sla-
verys Why this agitations If there is
any portion of this wide land in regard to
which the question of slavery can be appro-
pirate, it must be Arizona; and take it
for granted that it will be some years be-
fore Arizona will apply for admission into
the American Union. Why this agitation
then? Why this unnatural excitementl
Why, before we have fairly seated ourselves
in the Hall of the House of Representa-
tiAes, spring 6rebrand into our dclibera-
tons? Why indulge in elimination and
recrimination? Why this asperity of feel
ing? Why shall we not enter upon an Or
ganization of the House, and come up to
the expression of the sentiment, which l
trust, is common to US all, that this slave
ry agitation is proftless and useless
mon 20 us all, I mean, except it may be
the ultra men of the North and the ultra
men of the South.


And, Mr.. Clerk, there is one remarkable
thing which I should have stated mo-
ment ago. There is one remarkable thing
of these disunionists, North and South
What is it? l state it for the purpose of
respectfully submitting that there is some
thing wrong on both sides. What is iti
Why that, whilst they disagree on the sub
ject of Slavery and various other subjects,
they unite in agreeing upon dissolution
Of the Union as a common remedy for an
tagonistic evils. | state this as the clear
est and most conclusive proof that this
slavery agitation should cease. Unless I |
am misinformed, there are DO places where
this question can arise, except in Arizona
or in the admission of the States which |
at some future period may be carved out
of Texas. In reference to the latter, the
question was settled by the Texas annex
alton resolutions, and we must cast our
selves upon the integrity and forbearance
and moderation of the North not to repeal
those resolutions, for it was most unfortu-
nate for the country that the compromise
of 1920 and 1850 were repealed.
say this without intending personally TO
reflect upon any gentleman.


I know that many patriotic men of the
North and South voted under mistake for
The Kansas-Nebraska bill of 1854 but. so
far as the peace and prosperity and safety
Of this Unien are concerned, I regard it as
the most unfortunate thing that every hap
pened in our history. The repeal Of the
great compromise which has stood for more
than thirty years, had the effect to increase
the forces against Southern interests in the
North. The repeal of that compromise
and the passage of the Kansas Nebraska
bill had the effect, as gentlemen have in
substance stated to sweep the Democratic
party from power 10 the North. 1t is an
unfortunate thing in our history. and is to


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