visit the city of Charleston, and lock them up in jail under the penalty, if they cannot pay the jail-fees, of eternal slavery staring them in the face—­a monstrous law, revolting to the best feelings of humanity and violently in conflict with the Constitution of the United States.  I do not say this by way of recrimination; for the excitement pervading the country is now so great that I do not wish to add a single coal to the flame; but nevertheless I wish the whole truth to appear.

* * * * *

Now, Mr. President, I have shown, I think, that the dominant majority here have nothing to complain of in the legislation of Congress, or in the legislation of any of the States, or in the practice of the people of the North, under the fugitive slave bill, except so far as they say certain State legislation furnishes some evidence of hostility to their institutions.  And here, sir, I beg to make an observation.  I tell the Senator, and I tell all the Senators, that the Republican party of the Northern States, so far as I know, and of my own State in particular, hold the same opinions with regard to this peculiar institution of yours that are held by all the civilized nations of the world.  We do not differ from the public sentiment of England, of France, of Germany, of Italy, and every other civilized nation on God’s earth; and I tell you frankly that you never found, and you never will find, a free community that are in love with your peculiar institution.  The Senator from Texas (Mr. Wigfall) told us the other day that cotton was king, and that by its influence it would govern all creation.  He did not say so in words, but that was the substance of his remark:  that cotton was king, and that it had its subjects in Europe who dared not rebel against it.  Here let me say to that Senator, in passing, that it turns out that they are very rebellious subjects, and they are talking very disrespectfully at present of that king that he spoke of.  They defy you to exercise your power over them.  They tell you that they sympathize in this controversy with what you call the black Republicans.  Therefore, I hope that, so far as Europe is concerned at least, we shall hear no more of this boast that cotton is king; and that he is going to rule all the civilized nations of the world, and bring them to his footstool.  Sir, it will never be done.

But, sir, I wish to inquire whether the Southern people are injured by, or have any just right to complain of that platform of principles that we put out, and on which we have elected a President and Vice-President.  I have no concealments to make, and I shall talk to you, my Southern friends, precisely as I would talk upon the stump on the subject.  I tell you that in that platform we did lay it down that we would, if we had the power, prohibit slavery from another inch of free territory under this Government.  I stand on that position to-day.  I have argued it probably to half a million people.  They stand