The Congressional Globe, Volume 13, Part 1: Twenty-Eighth Congress, First Session Page: 214
This book is part of the collection entitled: Congressional Globe and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
214
CONGRESSIONAL GLOBE.
Perhaps it will-be considered uucharitable in me
* to come to the conclusion X have upon this subject;
but the conviction fixes itself upon my mind irre-
sistibly, and I will speak my sentiments, let the con-
sequences be what they may. I Ho believe, and
have believed for some time, that there is a deliber-
ate design on the part of some gentlemen to effect, if
possible, a dissolution of the Union.' But when we
of the South, who represent the interests of the slave
States, contend for our rights, gentlemen say, Oh!
you are too much excited—too much heated; your
passion outruns your judgment; anything that you
may say is not entitled to so much weight as that
which proceeds from our calm and sober judgment.
ExcitenJ^t! what is it which occasions that excite-
■ merit -Is not the treatment which this question re-
ceives a sufficient cause for excitement5 It becomes,
in the hands of gentlemen on this floor, a ques-
tion of dissolution—-of Union or no Union;—
a .question in which eleven' States of this
Union are vitally interested, States which possess
upwards of |10,000,000 of property in slaves; yet
when-you are striking a blow which is to destroy
that amount of property at once, we are told, if we
exhibit any feeling upon the subject, it is southern
heat. Oh! no; we must not speak upon the subject,
unless we are perfectly calm and passionless. Let
me tell the agitators, the more they press this ques-
tion, the greater will be the excitement. It is worse
than nonsense to talk about making a calm, de-
liberate appeal to them; it will not do; but when we
come to examine the subject, I am forced to come to
the conclusion that there is a deliberate design to
dissolve the Union.
Mr. J. here referred to an opinion formerly ex-
pressed by Mr. Adams, that he believed there was
no possibility of a continuance of the union of the
United States; that a dissolution must necessarily
take place; that he saw no propriety in recommend-
ing New England men to promote the literary insti-
tutions of the South, because Southern men must
become their enemies. This opinion was expressed
as long ago as 1803; and he referred to it now, to
show how long this feeling of hostility to the south
had existed. And in a speech made in the last Con-
gress, the gentleman held this language: In case of a
servile war, and the free States being called upon to
put down slavery, Congress, under the treaty-mak-
ing power, would emancipate them all. Why is
this lure thrown out' Whom is it calculated to encour-
age? Is it not saying to the incendiary who is stand-
ing with his torch ready lighted, prepared for the
destruction of the South—Proceed; you will be assist-
ed by the power of Congress; all the slaves shall be
liberated under the treaty-making power? Gracious
God! are we prepared for scenes like these? Are we
prepared to surrender our firesides, our homes, and
our golden harvests, to the torch of the incendiary,
to be converted into—what? into fields of carnage and
of blood, producing, to use the language of the
poet—.
"Shrieks so loud, so shrill, so clt;ar,
That listening angels stoop to hear."
And yet we are to bo calm and deliberate. In a
speech made by the gentleman from Massachusetts,
a short time ago, he says he thinks the consumma-
tion of the Christian religion will not take place un-
til the emancipation of the negroes is effected. And
then, I suppose, we have the commencement of that
glorious millenium which has been so long prophe-
sied. I wish that day would come; but I do not
wish to attain it by means of bloodshed and the
sacrifice of thousands of lives. The gentleman has
also declared that the institution of slavery has the
curse of Heaven upon it; and that, in course of
time, Providence will bring about emancipation.
Great Britain, while she tramples upon the necks of
her subjects, roves abroad to find subjects for sym-
pathy She can discern the oppression under
which she says the negro suffeis heie, but cannot
see the sufferings of her own white men at home.
An interposition of Divine Providence! I am not
superstitious, but I do believe the Almighty
does now and then manifest his power in various
ways, as in olden time; like the case of Saul of
Tarsus, when, journeying from Jerusalem to Da-
mascus, he was struck with blindness. We read
also of Herod addressing the people upon a certain
day set apart for the purpose of receiving honor,
such as was due only to the Supreme Being; and all
tlie people shouted, and said his voice was like the
voice of a god; and the angel of God smote him,
, iid he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
Sometimes we see the power of God mani-
fested in tempests, in the agitation of the mighty
deep; sometimes we see bis indignation flashing
forth in the forked lightning; sometimes He
sends forth a baleful comet, emitting from
its fiery tail pestilence and death. I might re-
fer td instances in modern times; I might refer to the
occurrences of 1840, when a most extraordinary ex-
citement pervaded the community; when reason was
dethroned, and confusion and profanity reigned par-
amount; when hard cider and coon skins were sub-
stituted as the very emblems to be used with all the
sacred rites of the holy communion; when men
were diverted from the worship of the true and
living God, to honor him whom they had succeeded
in elevating to the highest pinnacle of human ambi-
tion, and whom the Almighty, in the display of his
power, struck as a star from its sphere, down to
the level of the tomb. I give this as an instance of
Divine interposition. May we not trace it some*
what further? Who knows what might have been
the result of his administration of the government5
Who knows but God expressly interposed to
set an obstacle in the way of the accomplishment of
those mighty calamities which would, peradventure,
have been produced under his administration of the
government—the abolition of slavery, and the disso-
lution of the Union.' No, sir: I am not superstitious,
but
The expiration of the morning hour was an-
nounced by tlie Speaker.
Mr. McCAUSLEN then obtained the floor.
Mr. BURKE offered a resolution authorizing the
Speaker to adjourn the House to-day at 2 o'clock.
Mr. B. accompanied the presentation of the resolu-
tion with a few remarks, but in so low a tone that
the reporter could not well hear him. He was un-
derstood to say, however, that the resolution was in-
tended as a mark of respect to his colleague, [Mr.
Reding,] the funeral of whose lady would take place
to-day.
Mr. WILKINS desired to know if the gentleman
from Ohio [Mr. McCauslen] who had obtained the
floor, wished to address the House on the subject of
the rules.
Mr. McCAUSLEN said that he did, and that it
was immaterial to him whether he went on to-day or
to-morrow.
The SPEAKER remarked that the morning hour
had expired.
Mr. McKAY moved that the House resolve itself
into a Committee of the Whole for tlie purpose of
taking up the general appropriation bill.
The SPEAKER remarked that there were some
executive communications on his table that he wish-
ed first to lay before the House.
The question being put on Mr. Burke's motion
to adjourn at two o'clock, it was carried.
The SPEAKER then laid before the House the
following executive communications:
A letter from the Postmaster General, submitting
a report of the number of clerks and other persons
employed in his department during the past year.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
A communication from the Secretary of the Treas-
ury, submitting a report of the lateF. R. Hassler,
late superintendent ol" standard weights and meas-
uies.
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
A letter from the Sccrctai y of State, stating that
he is required to distribute to the incorporated col-
leges. societies, judges, &c., the different congress-
ional documents, and that he is not supplied with a
number of the said documents sufficient to furnish
all to whom he is required to distribute; and re-
questing that he may be furnished with fifty addi-
tional copies: referred to the Committee on the
Library.
PRIVATE CLAIMS.
A report from the Treasury Department, in rela-
tion to tlie claim of Jeremiah Smith: referred to the
Committee of Claims.
COAST SURVEY.
A letter from the Treasury Department, transmit-
ting the report of the late superintendent of the coast
survey, showing the progress of the work during the
past season: laid on the table, and ordered to be
printed.
MILITARY ACADEMY.
A communication from the War Department;
made in answer to a resolution of the House of the
15th instant, in relation to the number of cadets at
the military academy, &c.: referred to tlie Commit-
tee on Military Affairs, and ordered to be printed.
The SPEAKER said that the first business in or-
der would be the bill to authorize the transfer of na-
val appropriations that was reported with amend-
ments yesterday from the Committee of the Whole.
Mr. MILTON BROWN said he wished to re-
commit the bill, with instructions to add an amend-
ment he held in his hand.
Mr. CAYE JOHNSON remarked that, as the.
House was to adjourn to-day at 2 o'clock, he hoped,
his colleague would not press his motion, but would
permit him to move for a suspension of the rules,
to receive such reports from tlie standing commit-
tees as would not give rise to debate.
Mr. MILTON BROWN, on being informed by
the Speaker that his motion would be in order when-
ever the bill came up, withdrew it.
Mr. CAYE JOHNSON then moved that tlie
rules be suspended, for the purpose of receiving re-
ports from the standing committees, which would
not give rise to debate. This motion being carried,
Mr. VANCE, from the Committee of Claims,
made adverse reports on the petitions of William
Thompson and George W. Dent: laid on the table.
Mr. V. also, from the same committee, report-
ed bills of the following titles, viz:
A bill for the relief of Daniel Dean; and
A bill for the relief of Isaac Fessenden;
Accompanied in each case by reports: referred to
the Committee of the Whole House.
Mr. RAMSEY, from the same committee, made
a report upon the petition of Matilda Drury, ac-
companied by" a bill for the relief of Matilda Drury,.
and other legal representatives of Captain William
S. Tillard, late of Maryland, deceased: referred to.
the Committee of the Whole House.
Mr. COBB, from the same committee, reported a
bill for the relief of Daniel Steenrod: referred to the
Committee of the Whole House.
Mr. BOWLIN, from the same committee, re-
ported bills of the following titles:
A bill for the relief of Gervis Foote; and
A bill for the relief of Alborne Allen;
Which were referred to the Committee of the
Whole House.
Mr. LABRANCHE, from the Committee on
Commerce, made a report upon the petition of the
New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad Company,
and a bill for their relief: referred to the Committee
of the Whole House.
Mr. DAVIS of Indiana made an adverse report
on the petition of the citizens of Decatur county, In-
diana: laid on the table.
Mr. HUBARD, from the Committee on Public
Lands, reported a bill further to extend the time for
locating Virginia military land warrants, and return-
ing surveys thereon to the General Land Office: re-
ferred to the Committee of the Whole.
Mr. HOUSTON, from the Committee on Public
Lands, to which was referred "an act for the relief
of J ohn Holhngsworth, of Blount county, Alabama,"
reported a bill amendatory, with title amended, to
read, "a bill supplemental to an act for the relief of
John Hollingsworth," approved 25th June, 1838,
accompanied by a report.
Mr. COLLAMER, from the Committee on Man-
ufactures, made adverse reports on the petitions of
Adam Bartletand the heirs of John Paul Jones: laid
on the table.
On motion of Mr. COLLAMER, it was ordered
that the Committee on Manufactures be discharged
from the consideration of the petition of citizens of
Windham, Vermont; and that it be referred to the
Committee of Ways and Means.
Mr. J. BRINKERHOFF, from the Committee on
Invalid Pensions, made an adverse report on the
petition of Daniel Pratt.
Also, an adverse report on the petition of Elizabeth
Ragan.
Also, an adverse report on the petition of the
widow of Robert Rogers, claming a pension: laid
on the table.
Mr. B. from the Committee on Invalid Pensions,
made an adverse report on the petition of Thomas
Q.uantrill, and leave was given to withdraw the
papers.
Mr. DUNLAP, from the Committee on Invalid
Pensions, made an adverse repoit upon the petition
of Simeon Caswell.
Mr. CULLOM, from the Committee oil Invalid
Pensions, made an adverse report on tlie petition of
the heirs of Wilfred Knott: laid on the table.
_ Mr. C. also, from the same committee, reported a
bill for the relief of Joseph Watson. " "
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
United States. Congress. The Congressional Globe, Volume 13, Part 1: Twenty-Eighth Congress, First Session, book, 1844; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2367/m1/238/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.