Year: 1860

OF any argument But must say, when, IN
this very chamber, where we have all raised
our hands to Heaven and took an oath that we
would sustain the Constitution of the United
States we hear it said by many Senators
that we are upon the eve Of a dissolution of
this Union, and that your Constitution is to
be trampled under foot silence under such cir
cumstances seems to be akin to treason itself.
We have listened to complaints on the other
side of this chamber patiently; and with an
ardent desire to ascertain what they we're
But confess am unable to understand what
it is of which they complain. The party
which has lately elected the President, and is
prospectively coming into power, have never
held Office under this Government, nor any in
dividual of them. Therefore, it is manifest
that that party have as yet committed no act
of which anybody can complain. If any one
has fears as to what may hereafter ensue, they
are mere apprehensions-noth else. A
bare suspicion-a fear-rising out of nnwar-
rantable prejadices. I wish to ascertain in
the outset whether we are right, for | tell
gentlemen here ii they convince me that am
holding any political principle that is not war
ranted by the Constitution under which We





ask me to compromise, for [ will redress their
rights myself when l am wrong. No man
need approach me with threat that the Gov
ernment is to be destroyed, because I hope
that / have now, and ever shall have, that
sense of justice that when any man shows me
I am wrong, shall be ready TO right it with
out threat or compromise. Now, what is it
of which gentlemen complain? When left
my home in the West to come to this place,
all was calm cheerful and contented. | heard
of no discontent, and apprehended there was
no cause to interrupt the harmonious course of
legislation. l did not learn that there had
been, since we adjourned, any new fact inter-
vening that could at all disturb the public
mind. did not know that there had been
any encroachments upon the rights of any
section or any individual. Therefore, I came
here expecting we should have a harmonious
session. 1t is very true that the great Repub-
lican party, which has been organized ever
since you repealed the Missouri Compromise.
which gave you four years ago full warning
that its strength would result as it has result
ed. and suppose any man might have suppo-
sed things would have resulted in the same
wly-it is true, this party has carried the


r
election; but do not suppose anything grow
o t Of ihe election is the cause Of the pres mt
excitement in the country. Now, who is ii
that is complaining? Is it the minority that
they have subjected TO an oppressive and ag-
eressive Government No such thing as
that, Sir.


We might suppose that 81 years ago, when
the lcadcls Of that glorious Revolution met III
Philadelphia, there to draw up bill of idct-
ment against weak king and his ministers
they had been at a loss what they would set
forth rs the cause of their complaints. But
they had no difficulty in setting them forth.
and 50 that great article of impeachment will
60 down to postcrity to justify them for all
they did. Let US, then suppose the old patr-
ols had been the Ministers of the crown or
members of the British Parliament or the
dominant party that had ruled Great Britain
fo- 80 years previous Instead of digiifyng
what they did as revolutionary, who would
no have hanged every man of them as trait
ors They would ask what right have you,
who have had the Government in your own
hands, who have been Ministers doing every
thing that has been done, to set up here that
you have been oppressed and aggrieved by the
action of that very Government 1t would
have been an act of treason and nothing less.
Now, they who sit here, the leaders of this
modern revolution, are they in position 10
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 O..
S.. vet you have prevailed 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 position come here
complaining that their rights have been strick-
en- down? But what is the cause of this great
excitement which undoubtedly prevails in a
portion of our country? for, if the newspapers
are to be credited, there is reign of terror in
the cities and large towns Of the south that looks
very much like the reign of terror in Paris du-
ring the French Revolution. We hear of north
ern men being sent back, or scourged and
tarred and feathered, ard no inquiry made as
to the cause. l do rot suppose the regular
| Government, in times of excitement like this,
is really responsible for these outbreaks of
passion. If the States where these outrages
prevail were foreign government, and if they
were really authorized by the constituted an
thorities, everybody knows, if it 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 [
suppose 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
reigns of Government, are their mortal foes,
and stand ready to trample their institution
under foot. They have been told so by our
enemies at the North, and they would not
hear US at all. Now, wish to inquire eau
didly, honestly, and fairly, whether the South
eTn gentlemen who complain so much have
any reasonable grounds for that complairrt-T
mean when they peally informed as to our
position. The Northern States, which would
somehow trench upon yonr rights to recapture
runaway slaves-a position that in more than
two or three cases has not the least foundation
in fact. But if these laws are repugnant to


the Constitution, they are utterly void, and


the Courts would declare them so at any mo-


ment. Therefore am glad to hear Senators


on the other side say they do not complain o.


these bills. Your men have given up this
. bono Of contention, this matter of complaint


which Northern men have set forth as a griev-


ance more than any one else.


] Mr.. Mason said that he said the repeal o.


those laws would furnish no satisfaction to the


Southern States.


Mr.. Wade-I understood the gentleman tc


say he did not know as they had been injured
. by them. These laws were not intended tC


excite the South, or to- put them in any posi-
tion of degradation, as the Senator supposes
These laws against kidnapping are as old a
the common law itself. l believe the State o
. VIRGINIA has one to-day as stringent il