In this powerful speech, Burlingame defends the people of Massachusetts against the charge of inciting violence and rebellion against the federal government. He passionately argues that the true danger to the Union comes not from the people of Massachusetts, but from the pro-slavery extremists who seek to spread their oppressive system across the country. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of slavery and the struggle for civil rights in America. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.