The American Union SpeakerPhilbrick, John D. (John Dudley)
General
The American Union Speaker
Philbrick, John D. (John Dudley)
Recitations
"Ye stand here now like giants, as ye are! the strength of brass in your
toughened sinews; but to-morrow some Roman Adonis, breathing sweet odors
from his curly locks, shall come, and with his lily fingers pat your brawny
shoulders, and bet his sesterces upon your blood! Hark! Hear ye yon lion
roaring in his den? 'Tis three days since he tasted meat; but tomorrow he
shall break his fast upon your flesh; and ye shall be a dainty meal for
him.
"If ye are brutes, then stand here like fat oxen waiting for the butcher's
knife; if ye are men, follow me! strike down yon sentinel, and gain the
mountain passes, and there do bloody work as did your sires at old
Thermopylæ! Is Sparta dead? Is the old Grecian spirit frozen in your veins,
that ye do crouch and cower like base-born slaves, beneath your master's
lash? O! comrades! warriors! Thracians! if we must fight, let us fight for
ourselves; if we must slaughter, let us slaughter our oppressors; if we
must die, let us die under the open sky, by the bright waters, in noble,
honorable battle."
E. Kellogg.
XL.
NO EXTENSION OF SLAVE TERRITORY.
Mr. Chairman, I have no time to discuss the subject of slavery on this
occasion, nor should I desire to discuss it in this connection, if I had
more time. But I just not omit a few plain words on the momentous issue
which has now been raised. I speak for Massachusetts--I believe I speak the
sentiments of all New England, and of many other States out of New
England--when I say that, upon this question, our minds are made up. So far
as we have power--constitutional or moral power--to control political
events, we are resolved that there shall be no further extension of the
territory of this Union, subject to the institution of slavery. This is not
a matter to argue about with us. My honorable friend from Georgia (Mr
Toombs) must pardon me if I do not enter into any question with him whether
such a policy be equal or just. It may be that the North does not consider
the institution of slavery a fit thing to be the subject of equal
distribution or nice weighing in the balances. I cannot agree with him that
the South gains nothing by the Constitution but the right to reclaim
fugitives. Surely he has forgotten that slavery is the basis of
representation in this House.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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