The whole nation witnessed the late successful efforts of the
slaveholders in Congress, by their various gag resolutions, and through
the aid of recreant Northern politicians, to destroy all freedom of
debate adverse to "the peculiar institution." They were themselves ready
to dwell, in debate, on the charms of human bondage; but when a member
took the other side of the question, then, indeed, he was out of order,
the constitution was outraged, and the Union endangered. We all know the
violent threats which have been used, to intimidate the friends of human
rights from expressing their sentiments in the national legislature. "As
long," says Governor McDuffie to the South Carolina Legislature, "as
long as the halls of Congress shall be _open_ to the _discussion_ of
this question, we can have neither peace nor security." The Charleston
Mercury is, on this subject, very high authority; and in 1837 its editor
announced that "Public opinion in the South would now, we are sure,
justify an _immediate resort to_ FORCE _by the Southern delegation, even
on the_ FLOOR OF CONGRESS, were they forthwith to SEIZE AND DRAG FROM
THE HALL any man who dared to insult them, as that eccentric old
showman, John Quincy Adams has dared to do."
When so much malignity is manifested against the freedom of speech, in
the very sanctuary of American liberty, it is not to be supposed that it
will be tolerated in the house of bondage. We have already quoted a
Southern paper, which declares that the moment "any private individual
attempts to lecture us on the evils and immorality of slavery, that very
moment his tongue shall be cut out and cast upon the dunghill."
In Marion College, Missouri, there appeared some symptoms of
anti-slavery feeling among the students. A Lynch club assembled, and the
Rev. Dr. Ely, one of the professors, appeared before them, and denounced
abolition, and submitted a series of resolutions passed by the faculty,
and among them the following: "We do hereby forbid all discussions and
public meetings among the students upon the subject of domestic
slavery." The Lynchers were pacified, and neither tore down the college
nor hung up the professors; but before separating they resolved that
they would oppose the elevation to office of any man entertaining
abolition sentiments, and would withhold their countenance and support
from every such member of the community. Indeed, it is obvious to any
person attentive to the movements of the South, that the slaveholders
dread _domestic_ far more than foreign interference with their darling
system. They dread _you_, fellow-citizens, and they dread converts among
themselves.