8-2-1856: U.S. Rep. Edward Wade, "The right to "keep and bear arms," is thus guarantied, in order that if the liberties of the people should be assailed, the means for their defence should be in their own hands . . . has been torn from them by the treasonable violence of this ill-starred administration, which is used as the mere pack-mule of the slave democracy...""

Washington, D.C.

Slavery Question.

Speech Of Hon. Edward Wade,

Of Ohio,

In The House Of Representative,

August 2, 1856. . . .

. . . Now sir, admitting that slave states, for the support of the barbarism of slavery, within their own limits, may enact laws thus cruel, unjust, and disgusting; still this legislative assembly of Kansas, is but the creature of which the congress of the United States is the creator--the mere instrument, made by congress, to make and execute laws for Kansas, in the place of, and for congress. Therefore, it can pass no law which congress, by the constitution of the United States, is prohibited from passing. Hence all these beastly, disgusting, and infamous slave laws of Kansas, are a nullity and a nuisance, by the express provision of the first article of the amendments to the constitution of the United States. But what care this slave democracy, for the constitution of the United States, where that stands in the way of the extension of human slavery? Just nothing at all! And hence every nerve of this mis-begotten administration, is strained to uphold these unconstitutional and scandalous laws. The whole military force of the government, is put in requisition by the slave democracy, to dragoon the people of Kansas, into submission to these laws; and men, good, and wise, and just men are to be tried by slave democratic judges and juries, and convicted and executed as traitors, for resistance to these laws, the forcible execution of which, is treason, and ought to subject the president, his cabinet, and all advising to their execution, to the trial, and sentence, and doom of traitors.

   Second amendment.--"The right of the people to keep and bear anns shall not be infringed."

   In this amendment the same spirit of LIBERTY is developed, as was so apparent in the preceding. The right to "keep and bear arms," is thus guarantied, in order that if the liberties of the people should be assailed, the means for their defence should be in their own hands. But this right of the people
of the United States, of which the free-state settlers of Kansas are a part, has been torn from them by the treasonable violence of this ill-starred administration, which is used as the mere pack-mule of the slave democracy. . . .

[The National Era, Washington, D.C., Thursday, September 11, 1856. Vol. X. No. 506. Pg. 4]