Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-07-12


our southern States.
Now. Mr.. Chairman, with all duo respect to
the legal talents and constitutional learning OF
those gentlemen. may be permitted to deny that
any guarantee in regard to slavery ever found
place in tho Federal Constitution. You, Mr..
Chairman, will recollcct. that whom the gentle-
man from Alabama (Mr Belser) put forth his
doctrine | respectfully inquired of HIM where
he found it He at first answered that no found
it sin common sense;' he next said he found it in
common justce;' and lastly he asserted that he
found It in tho Constitution. | then inquired IN
what part of the Constitution | would find i'll
To this he replied that he had not time to IN
form me. 1t is true that hour is short time
for spcech but as I see the gentleman now IN
his scat, give him notice that will surrender to
him the necessary time out of my own hour, If
he will but inform mo of tho article and section
of the Constitution in which such doctrine IS to
be found. In the meantime must take issue
upon the gentleman's assertion that common
sense furnishes any proof of such guarantee to
the continuance of slavery. | deny the fact
Every principle of common sense IS opposed to
slavery, in all its forms; every dictate of COM
mon sense is in favor of liberty and freedom. l
must also deny the assertion of the gentleman.
that guarantee of slavery is to be found in COM
mon Justice The principles of common justice
are at war with the existence of slavery; COM
mon Justice would strike the shackles from every
slave in her country. Does that gentleman I'M
derstand that common justice authorizes him to
compel fellow being, equal in natural rights
with himself, to labor for the qualification of his
appetite! Sir, common justice gives to tho slave
.is ,..y nd r5i,,,ii TIA. II gives ~ tho
master When God ..created man free and O.
quail and endowed him with certain Inherent and
inalicnable rights, among which are life, LIBERTY,
and the pursuit Of happiness" he dealt out to
man common Justice. But it appears to mo that
the mind must be truly disordered that can find in
common Justice any excuse or apology tor sa-
very; but, apparently feeling that this position
was not a safe one, he said the guarantee was to
be found in tho Constitution | Will now pause
that he may inform this committee us to the Soc
ton and article in which it exists.
Mr.. Giddngs n,adc pause, but Mr.. Belscr
sat silent, and Mr.. G.. proceeded.
was fully aware, whom put the question to
the gentleman that he thcn had not time to find 1t.
And now say to the gentleman, and to the com.
mttee that his lifetime will be too short to hnd
it: nav Mr.. Chairman, eternity will not DIS
close it. FOR IT DOES EXIST. 1ct SIR, TINS
ing tho s.puarantees of slavery'--is dairy suunu-
ing in our ears. Sir tho idea that tho Con-
stitution contains guarantee OF slavery,
an impeachment, both both OF tho sncerl-
tv and tho judgment Of tho trainers OF that
charter of American liberty; and | take this
occasion to repeat my assertion, that no such
sti pulations exists or did exist in that nstru
mont. And standing hore in the presence OF so
many leading and able statesmen OF the south,
many of whom have repeated tho unfounded as
refer me, and tho committee, to any such cove
nant or stipulation in the Constitution.
/ Mr.. Brenge, of Maryland, stated, in substance
that at tho formation of the Constitution, slavery
existed in most of the States, and that slaves "ero
regarded as property; and, in that light, was tho
subject of protection much as any other prop
! erty.
Mr. Giddings. Will tho gentleman point me
to the section in which may find this guarantees
Mr.. Brenglc. don't refer to any section In
b,.tt yhnta nat (
laugh.)
I Mr.. Giddines Well, Mr.. Chairman, l havo
finally chased this notable guarantee into tho
wild regions of southern distractions; but de-
clare | never came SO near finding 1t before
Iaughter) So far from considering slaves to
be proporty. Mr. Madison said, in the Convention,
sit would be wrong to admit that man could DO
made PROPERTY and not mcmbcr OF the Con-
vention appeared to have dlssented from that
view. And in every instance IN which slaves
are referred, they are called persons ana mol
; property.
Mr. Causne, of Maryland, said he would re-
fer the gentleman from Ohio to the guarantee OF
slavery in the Constitution. 1t would be found
in the clause providing for the recapture OF fu-
gitive slaves.
Mr.. Giddines resumed Tho gentleman from
MARYLAND is a lawyer and must understand tho
term guarantee. It means to "insure, to war
rant to stipulate for the performance Of an act"
Now sir has tho United States insured tho
! slave to remain with h's master! limo runs
: away do we warrant the mastor to catch
t him! Have we stipulated that the slave shall
continue in servitude. In short, does the clause
, of the Constitution referred to, contain Hn8e
: characteristic of guarantee! mink inc gen
himself must soc there is not the slightest
/ approximation to the word guarantee
4 The clause of the Constitution alluded to pro-
t vdes that when q slave shall escape to froe
: State. he shall not, by any law or regulation Of
: such State. be discharged from his masters ser
: vice As construed by the Supreme Court. 1t
ovcs the man the right to follow his slave into
' free State to retake him on free SOIL and trans
!, port him back from whence he escaped. also
prohibits the Legislature Of such free State from