23 Sir, the Republican party is arraigned for not passing the Crittenden compromise at the.second session of the 36th Congress, and thus saving, as these sympathisers pretend, the country' from this war. . Is it possible that the men who make this charge, do not know that on the 18tb day of December, 1860, the Republican, party was in a minority both in the Senate and. this House ? It was on that day the Crittenden compromise proposition was introduced, and at that time the majority against the Republican party in the Senate was fourteen, and in this House nine. And yet it is said by my colleague, [Mr. Val- lakdigham] “that in neither the Senate nor the House,” were the terms of peace “allowed even a respectful consideration “all were rejected by the party just coming into power.” If this is true whose fault was it ? Certainly not the fault of the Republicans who had no power in either branch of Congress at that time. It must be remembered that the time spoken of was in December, 1860, moiitbs before the inauguration of Mr. Lincoln. The war commenced as I have shown, in the month of January, 1861, long before Mr. Lincoln took his seat as President of the United States. Sir, if this compromise was such a panacea for all oUr troubles, as some men now claim, why did not those who had the power pass it ? This same proposition was presented to the Democratic Convention at Charleston, and then again at Baltimore. Why was it not then passed ? The Hon. H. B. Payne, of Ohio, answered this question by saying to the Convention, “we cannot recede from this ground of non-intervention without personal dishonor, and so help us God we never will” In the same Convention another delegate exclaimed, “I feel, praise the Lord, that I have got through eating dirt. I have eaten my peck, and I want no more” Then, it was, that the Democrats of the North refused, through their delegates, to adopt the Crittenden compromise in effect; Douglas was defeated in convention, purposely defeated, by the slave aristocrats for the purpose of destroying the Democratic party first, and the union next, as they openly avowed after their return from the Convention to this city. The Crittenden compromise provided that: “In all the Territories south of 36° 30' slavery of the African race is recognized as existing, and shall not be interfered with by Congress; but shall be protected by all the departments of the territorial government during its continuance.'’ This provision applied to all future acquired territories. The Republican party had no power to pass this proposition if it had been disposed; and I am happy to be able to «ay, that few, if any, had any disposition to pass it. I certainly had none. One of the very best votes that I have ever given, and one to which my f iends may look with pride and pleasure, I gave against this infamous pro- position. It was a Southern confederacy that the South wanted then, and no compromise ; and- she will be satisfied with nothing less now, until we destroy her armies and prove to her that she cannot succeed. The Senator from Georgia, [Mr. Iverson] said on the 5th day of December, 1860, in the United States Senate : “Sir, the Southern States that are now moving in this matter, are not doing it without due consideration. We believe that the only security for the institution to which we attach so much importance is secession and a Southern Confederacy. You talk about concessions. YoU talk about repealing the personal liberty bills, as a concession to the Soilth. Repeal them all to-morrow, sir, and.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=