Speech Of Hon J Collamer Of Vermont On The Kansas Question

Author : Jacob Collamer
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781330866153
Total Pages : 26 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (661 download)

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Download or read book Speech of Hon. written by Jacob Collamer and published by . This book was released on 2015-07-07 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from Speech of Hon.: J. Collamer, of Vermont on the Kansas Question The Senate having under consideration the bill for the admission of Kansas into the Union as a State - Mr. Collamer said: Mr. President: I am fully aware that a large part of the members of the Senate, and probably a considerable number of the community, regard this as a very worn out and threadbare subject; and they desire to have even the Lecompton constitution adopted, so that it may be ended. They desire that they may get rid of being troubled with this matter; not to examine into it carefully and see what they should do, but to avoid the examination of it at all. I must acknowledge that I participate a little in that species of feeling myself. I am, I will not say exactly lazy, but naturally a little tired; and I do not like long, tedious investigations; but, after all, I do not feel disposed to shove them aside merely for my ease. I remember an instance of that kind in a Book which we all ought to know. A certain judge made a resolution that he would avenge a certain widow of her adversary, for a certain reason: that is, because by her much coming she troubled him. Some may say, "we will end this subject of Kansas in this way, because, by its much coming here, it will trouble us." Who was that character? He was called the unjust judge, that neither feared God nor regarded man. A just judge should proceed to the examination of the subject, though by much coming it wearies him. Mr. President, there are, in the progress of nations and of men, occasional points of time, and occasional hill-tops of the journey, which present to us contrasts so very striking that they will command the attention even of a very indifferent observer. These hill-tops in our journey which thus arrest our attention and present their contrasts, afford us an opportunity to look back upon the progress we have made, and upon the footsteps by which we have advanced to it, and to look forward, too, from the same point to the progress which we may calculate upon in the future. The contrast which is presented to us in relation to the action of Congress on the subject of slavery in the Territories is between the present time and four years ago. How stood this subject on the 1st of March, 1854; and how stands it now? The contrast is a very great one; and it should command the attention even of an ordinary and casual observer. In order to have that contrast presented with some distinctness to the mind, and to enable us to view how we have obtained this difference of position, and to look forward from it to the degree of progress which we are calculating to make in the future, would require some considerable length of time; but still I think it ought to be presented. Prior to the year 1854, Congress had, by acts of legislation at various periods, settled the subject of slavery in every inch of territory that the country owned. I do not say it was all done at one time, by one act; but by a succession of acts, making together an entire complete arrangement. How stood it then? In the territory which we acquired from France, all that portion of it south of the line of 36 30' north latitude was open to slavery or not, as the people who might inhabit it should choose. In relation to all that country which we had acquired by our treaty with Mexico, it was arranged that the States formed out of that territory should be admitted as free States or slave States as their constitutions might prescribe at the time of admission. The condition of Oregon was settled and declared to be against slavery, and all the territory acquired from France in the Louisiana purchase north of the line of 36 30 was dedicated to freedom, and had been for a third of a century. Occupying that stand point, could any man, looking at it in its then condition, have anticipated that in four brief years the whole of this adjustment would be utterly destroyed, all these arrange..."