Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-07-19


enomy sets his foot upon it, our arms, the arms
Of all the people of tho nation. arc against him.
We are bound to protect Your spll AMI territory.
We don't inquire into the oblec. of the invasion.
Whether he comes to got away slaves masters,
blacks or whites, rich or poor, bond or free, we
protect tho whole population, by driving the lnHa-
der from tho American soil. But we do SO with
olt regard to slavery. And then if the slaves
leave and 90 to another government. VIC can 10
demand them under Constitution, than
demand tho masters when they. go there.
If slavery in Texas were abolished by her Gov
crnment. and oycrv slave IN Louisiana were to
leave his master 10 morrow, and cross the line
and become free, it would be u matter III which
Congress, tho Federal Cow ~nment. would
have constitutional right to Interfere. Or, Oil
the other hand. if the masters were to cross the
line into Texas, and the slaves were to call on US
to demand their masters OF the Texan Govern
nent, and bring them back,we should say TO them
'we can't Interfere, you must tako care OF your
own masters.
a gain, | am sometimes asked, suppose
slaves rise and murder people, IS not the Fed
eral Government bound 10 aid us IN holding thom
IN subsection! | answer-wo are bound to pro-
tcct tho people of overy State ''agalnst foreign
invasion and internal violence. The class OF
persons who commit the violence, is a fact INTO
which we cannot stop to inquire. II the violence
rise from masters, we suppress IT. II 1t rise from
slaves, do the same. If both masters and
ton, shoot them down without knowing or IN
curing which is master which is slave. Our
business is to suppress tho violence, bat we have
no concern with sla, cry.
make this explanation that may be under
stood when ! mako the declaration that under
our Constitution, the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN
NOT INTERFERE WITH SLAVERY IN THE STATES FOR
ANY PURPOSE, EITHER TO SUSTAIN OR To ABOLISH IT.
| This was the doctrine avowcd and understood by
| q been
avowed doctrine Of southern men, and of north
ern mon, from the adoption of the Constitution to
this dav. 1t is true that the Federal Government
has often intorposod its power in aid of slavery.
/ by the common consent Of all the States, when
no objections made by any person: but, up
to the present year, no man of any party, or from
any portion Of the mon. ever dared to stand
forth before the nation and avow the doctrine,
that this Government possessed tho constitution
al power right to exert the influence of the
ton to degrade its character, and exhaust It's
cnues. support vi slavery, or or the slaveIrade
On various occasions | have myself, in this
hall, called on gentlemen to avow such scnt-
mcnts if they entertained them. But never I'M
til long since the commencement of the present
session, any member OF this body. found
sufficiently caIlous to his reputation to avow
sGch principlcs.-We have passed moro than
half century under present Constitution,
, and tho president assumes to himself tho
power of making slavery NATIONAL, instead of a
i, STATE institution, and Of extending the powcr,
and influence, and funds, of the Federal Govern
mcnt its support, and to the support of pirat-
cal commerce in mankind. In order to effect
. this unholy and ncfarious pan, he attempts to
t bring into this Union foreign slavchoding gov
crnmcnt. the effect of which ( to place the bal
anco of political power in the hands of foreign
, slave holders, who have no feelings principles,
, either moral, religious, political, in comm on
, with tho great body of our people of the free
fO for fhn of
New England Pilgrims to hepolitical control and
. dominion of Texans and foreigners. Nor do
/ his violations of the Constitution end herc-he
has gone further and brough. out army into
tho field in a hostile attitude 10 friendly power.
f with whom arc on terms of perfect amltv,
, and has sont fleet to insult and provoke that
government to hostilities r short, sir. he has of
his own acts, by his secret orders, without the
, consen. of the people of the nation. their rep
f resentatives, and without deigning even to con-
suit his constitutional advisers. suddenly plunged
US into war for the openly avowod object and
purpose of extending and perpetuatng slavery.
These profligate acts. these usurpations of power
these violations of the Constitution, be char
acterized by no term of milder Specification than
TREAsoN-treason against the rights Of tho people
, OF this nation-treason against the Constitution
, and treason against humanity itself | feel it
my duty to declare 1t such in tho presence of the
I House and Of the country.
Mr.. Chairman, we at this moment appear be.
fore the civilized world in the disgraceful attitude
r of making war upon Mexico. unotienddg ma
tion in obvious violation of our treaty stpua-
tons and our national faith soemnly pledged for
, the purpose of extending slavery. and perpetual
ting tho slave trade. And am exceedingly desir-
of knowing whether any political party or any
respectable portion of any political party. intend
to support and maintain this policy! What say
t our Democratic friends! Has the gentleman
from Indiana Mr.. Owenl spoken the sentiments
of his party, Are the Democrats of our froo
, States prepared to follow his lead! Will they
enter the field with DEMOCRACY AND SLAVERY.
TEXAS AND THE SLAVE TRADE. inscribed upon
r their banners! If SO. ask them to come forth
boldly. unfurl your banners. not to the BREEZE,
$ but to that whirlwind of Indignation which shall
, scatter YOU to tho four winds of Heaven. and