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Show Charles O'Conor. meetinrr this question gravely, sedately, and soberly, anu a k· ing y01~ what i, to be our course in relation to it. Gentlemen, the Con titution guarantees to the people of the Southern States the protection of their slave property. In that respect it is a solemn compact bet~vccn the ~orth ~nd South. As a solemn compact are we at liberty to vw1atc 1t? (Cries of "No, no!") Are we at liberty to seck or take any mean and petty advantage of it? (Cries of "No, no, we're not!") Arc we at liberty to con. over its particul.ar words, and to rc~trict and limit its opcratwn, so a' to acqlllre, under such narrow construction, a pretence of right, by ho tile and adverse legi lation, to interfere with the intcrc · t~, wound the feelings, and trample on the political rights of our ou~hcrn fellow-citizens? ("No, no, no!" from a thousand voices.) No, gentlemen. If it be a compact, and has any thing sacred in it, we are bound to observe it in good faith- honestly, honorably- not merely to the letter, but fully to the spirit, and not in any mincing, half-way, unfair, or illiberal con truction, seeking to satisfy the letter, and to give as little as we can, and to defeat the spirit. (Applause.) That may be the way some men keep contracts about the sale of a hou c or a chattel, but it is not the way that honest men ob ·crvc contracts, even in relation to the most trivial things. (Cries of " No," and applause.) A most pernicious course has been pursued at the North, tending fatally to di turb the harmony which should exist between the North and the South, and to break down and destroy the union exi ting between these States. At an early period the subject of Slavery, as a merely philosophical que tion, wn di cussed by many, and its ju tice or injustice made the subject of argument leading to a variety of opmwns. It mattered little how long this discu sion should la t, while confined within such limits. If it had only leu to the formation of societies like the Shaker~, who do not believe in matrimony; or like the people of Utah, destined to a short career, who believe in too much of it, (laughter;) or like the Charles O'Conor. strong-minded women of our conntry, who believe that women are much better qualified than men to perform the function. and ofnce u ually performed hy men, ( eheer · and laughter,) and who, probably, if they h~t<l their way, wouhl :::.imply change the order of proceedi ngs, and trathi~'r th hu, bands to tlte kitchen and thernsel ve: to the labor. of the ficl<l, ( continu <1 laughter;) so long, I say, gentlemen, as this s ntimcntality touching Slavery confined itself to the formation of' littlej_1arti 's or societies of this dc~cription, it certainly could do no harm, and we might sati fy ourselves with the maxim, that " error can do little harm as long a rca on is left free to comuat it." (Applause.) But, gentlemen, this sentimentality ha. found it way out of the meeting hou. c., out of the a cmblic- of speculative philo ophcrs, or socictic formed to ben ·fit the inhabitants of Borioboola-gha. (Laughter and cheers.) It has found its way into the heart of the f:elfi:h politician; it has been made the war-cry of party; it ha been made an instrument whereby to elevate, not mer ely to pcr ... onal di:..;tinction and social rank, but to political power. Throughout the Nonslavchohlinrr State's of thi Union men have been thus cl vatcd 0 who advocate a course of conduct nece "arily cxa. pcrating to the South, and the natural effect of who c teach ings r nd.crs the Southern people in ecurc in their live and. their prop r ty, making it a matter of doubt each night whether they can ..:afely retire to their lumbers without sentries and gunnb to prot ct them again t incursions from the Norlh. I ay the <'ffi·ct has been to elevate, on the strength of this sentiment, ~uch men to power. And what is the r esult- the condition of things at this day? 'Vhy, gentlemen, the occasion that call· u~ together i · the occurrence of an a· ault upon the State of Virginia by a et of mi guided followers of these doctrine , with arms in their hands, bent upon rapine and murder. I call them followers; they should. be deemed leaders, for they arc the best, the bravest, the mo t virtuou of the whole Auolition party. (Cheer,, and eric;:, of " That's so!") Arrayctl on the Lord's day, at the hour of still repose, with pikes l>rought |
