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northern doors to admit the free negro ana releve
him from the cruel atmosphere of slavery, ne de-
nounced the idea as almost an insult TO the North.


Then Mr. Chairman. ask ihe House to at
tend precisely to'the character of the gentlemans
speech. E1e denounced slavery as curse and an
evil; proclaimed that northern thunder would des.
troy any northern man who would countenance
the extension of Slave territory; and concluded by
saying if our slaves were not represented, he
would not object its extension; and by denounc-
ing the idea Of receiving our free negroes at the
North. So tha: the sum and substance of his
speech is. unless you agree that slaves shall not
be counted in the apportonment of representatives,
your slaves shall not 60 South, and your free ne
groes shall not go North. That was the condition
in which he would place the South.


That was one course of argument; that was
one plan Of the campaign adopted bv the gentle
man from New York; which really seemed to
dread the political power more than it abhorred
the slavery of the South.


But the honorable gentleman from Pennsylva.
MIA, tMr. Wilmotl who was the author of this
declaration of war upon the reputation and consti-
tutionai rights of the South, adopted different
course He, with somewhat We ehement declama-
tion stated that all he wanted, was that the Gov
eminent should assume position of neutrality"
and he capped the climax of has doctrine of neu-
traIity, by introducing positive proposition, in
vitng the Government to interfere ] The gentle


man proceeded to speak very kindly of the spirit
of compromise but evnced his compromising
spirit by advocating proposition which violates
all the compromises of the Constitution, and the


Missouri compromise also. He denounced the
idea of allowing slnvery to make further aggres-
sions upon the South and as he considered this
" matter of naked and abstract right" he would
have his shoulder drawn from its socket, before
" he would yield an inch" Yet he stated as for
himself he had "no squeamish sensibility." ''no
morbid sympathy" for the slaves. and admitted
tb,e A.oC Id, ed he of
Nth slGuery IL!


Political power, therefore, was the first weapon
used in the fight. Professed government "neu-
tFalty" explained to mean governmental interfe-
renee, was the second !; but the third was brought
out Yesterday; and then the honorable gentlemen
from Ohio [Mr. Brinkerhof11 and New York
[Mr. Wood invoked the aid of our Saviour, as
one who spake as never man spake," contrnded
that we could not dare throw "the mantle of
Christianity around this curse" and proceeded, at
least one of them, in the most pous and affecting
manner, by a we'll digested course of reasoning.
to consign the hapless stakeholder to moral degra
datIon n.this world, and to eternal perdition IN
the world to come


Before proceed, then Mr.. Chairman, to reply
to the arguments used by these gentlemen, take
the liberty of doing what regret these gentlemen
did not do of making least q respectful nLLusiOn
10 the Constitution Thave always thought, sir, it
was the pride and boast of Americans that we not
only lived in the enjoyment Of the dressings OF
free Government but that our rights our prop
er,y and happiness are projected by n -oTl[ten
Constitution, which we are all taught to regard rs
sacred and involable; Constitution written by
the same hands that had jnst welded the sword in
the cause Of human freedom; Constitution die
lated by hearts burning with an ardent love OF
liberty, and just released from the thraIdom of
tyranny And when a wise legislator-one who
appreciatcs his responsibility as representative
L ~, a
field of legislation he turns to the pages OF the
Constitution to learn whether he has the constu
tiona right to act before he proceeds to the subor
dinate considerations Of policy and expediency.
And sir, i! there was question which should
call into exercise all sefcontro!, all our WIS
dom. all our patriotism and strict adherence to
the Constitution it is this question of slavery this
dangerous rock upon winch wise and good men
have gioorniIy foreboded that our ship OF State
would one day be wrecked, and the world be call
ed sadly TO gaze upon the sundered and bleeding
fragments of our once glorious and happy Union.


But if we are true upon this occasion to our
selves true to the Constitution the sheet anchor OF
our safety this storm-cloud that now darkens our
political horizon and threatens TO break in its fury
and scatter desoIation and dismay through our
widespread republic, will pass off in harmless
silence and leave behind It a clearer sky and
more genial sunshine. Sir, however exalted may
be the patriotism, however honest the motives,
however diSInterested the philanthropy, OF the Il
gentlemen who have originated this scheme, do
not hesitate, here in my place, upon the solemn
RESPONSIBILITIES of man and Representative, to
contend that in my opinion it violates that written
Constitution which we have sworn to support that
il is pregnant with mischief to the peace and har
mony and, in the estimation of many wise men,
with the ultimate destruction of this Union.


Mr.. Chairman, | do not propose 10 dtclaim about
this. but to discuss it. l scorn to indulge in GRIM
siualion and re-criminaton and exciting as this
topic is stil indulge the belief that there IS good
sense enough left, that there is patriotism enough
left in this House. to enable US tto reason togeh-
err" about it, and to remember that this is not a
noisy debating seciety, gotten up for amusement
but the House of Representatives of great and
proud republic. Sir, distinctly take the position
that stapss are recognised as property under our
Constitution; that IN that Constitution safe
guards TO protect this peculiar property G'e ez-
17essZv contained; and that eoith0ut The s,,corpo
ration of these safeguards, this glorious Union
could not hare been conSUmmGted. This FEEDER
nj Government exists under the Constitution It
derives all its power from the Constitution; it
must be administered by rules prescribed solely
bu that Constitution, and possesses no powers but
those expressly delegated TO it" And con
tend sir that any act of Congress which prohibits
the ctizens of the southern States from carrying
their slave property with them into territory the
common property OF the United States, 0'otGtes
most 1aLpabIv the faith and compromise OF the
Constitution is unwarranted by any clause con-
taued in that instrument is sectional, unequal op
nressive /; because while it announces to the ch-
6 tLn TInion that thew NAV n