Year: 1862

sideration with them, il came to be re-
earded as the only true basis Of govern
ment; aud this theory, which was boldly
announced by Mr.. Calhoun in 1887, was
confirmed by the success which attended
them till 1860. Nor are they peculiar
class of politicians in thinking that an
institution which gives them political
power is a divine institution.


All the aristocrats Of England, with
rare exceptions, think that primogeniture
is equally divine; and it was argued in
Parliament, With more earnestness, elo-
quence and learning, to show that the
rotten borough system was the source OF
English power and prosperity, than was
ever exhibited in Congress to show that
slavery was the subject Of the marvellous
greatness and growth of America. The
source Of these strange perversions of
reason is obviously the same. 1t was
merely because slavery, in the one case,
and the rotten borough system in the
other, gave the orator of his party polit-
ical power. But now the seeptre of
slavery is broken, and its empire can
never be restored. Even as q personal
relation, it is out Of date at this age Of
the world, and strangely out Of place in
America, and nothing but the despotism
it temporarily possessed could have pre-
vented its destruction by the enlighten-
ment and moral pressure of the age
But when to the catalogue Of wrongs in
Aicted by it upon the nation, and especi.
ally upon the laboring millions of our own
race in the midst of whom it exists, is
added the crime Of this rebellion, no one
can doubt that its doom is deoreed.


But the question comes, by whom is
this decree to be executed? / reply, it
can only be done by the constitutional
authorities. But will they do it? have
already said they would; aud my belief
is that any assumption Of authority to
expedite it may stay the work, and might
rastore the slave dynasty sgain tempora-
rily to power; and, indeed, the talk of
such usurpation has already given hopes
of restoration, and led, ! hear, to what
may be called Jacobite conference in
these halls. 1t was not love for the King,
but impatience engendered by the sense
less rigcr of the Puritans, that brought
back Charles III. to England. If the
pro-slavery democracy is restored to
power, it will be by similar folly on the
part of the most extreme opponents Of
slavery. 1t is local institution; and
while opinion and external power can
and must aid in its eradication, yet from
the very nature Of the subject it is only
by the cooperation of the local authori-
ties it can be effectively dealt with, and
the rebellion, though it intensihes and
consolidates opinion against the institu-
ton, does not remove the necessity for
this cooperation. But this cooperation
is easily secured. 1t needs only the will
to secure it, to find the way to secure it.
A manifestation of the spirit of justice
on the part of the nation, and DISPOSE
tion to do unto the people of the South
as the people Of the North would be lone
by under similar circumstances, is all that
is necessary. If 1 am asked to be more
specific in defining the policy this spirit
would beget, / point you to the policy of
Abraham Lincoln. If the republicans
had proclaimed that policy, verify be-
leve we should not have had this re-
bellion; and if it can even now be recog-
nized by Congress, believe it will save
the blood Of many Of our soldiers, and
soon bring us peace and good will, and
speedy emancipation besides.


Many assume that Mr.. Lincoln's pro-
grsmme Of conciliation by separation of
the races is inadequate, because the
blacks are so numerous that they cannot
all be removed, and time will be required
to remove even small portion Of them.
They argue that because the Liberian
colony has failed to attract the freed ne
gro population in any considerable num-
bers, that any scheme of colonization
must also be q failure. There is vast
difference, however, between the idea of
being colonized on our own continent,
under our own flag, and being buried in
Africa. 1t is the difference between life
and death-home and banishment.


The fact that even now many Of these
persons are going to Hayti, and that null
titudes of them have for years been look
ing out for an asylum in some neighbor.
ing country, has not attracted the atten-
ton of those who have not been interested
in the subject. They do not know that a
delegate convention was held at Cleve-
land by them in tho year 1857, to oon-
slider the subject, and commission ap-
pointed to examine and report / was
not aware of this myself when made
my first speech in the House in 1858 on
the subject. That and other speeches
attracted the attention Of these people,
and have since been furnished with
copies Of their proceedings, and received
letters from their leading men, cvincing
not only the deepest interest in the sub
jecr, but displaying comprehensive knowl-
edge Of it, which shows that they have
men among them fitted to be the found
crs Of new nationality was assured
by the organ Of this convention that IL
the government would act on my propo.
sition he was already authorized to speak
for five thousand persons who had some
means, who would embrace il in the first
year. do not myself doubt that ten
times that number would be found in the
first year, and that the establishment o'
such colony would be followed by an
outpouriug Of this population like the