The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-02-21

AZ IL
Th.s. Mr. Prssiasnt, solemn qusstlons--not only
70 but let ms ssy to gentleman from the nsn.ays.
holding states 70 them 81 pr .ne Jay ne tns naisnes
ing States and the non slaveholding States-is de-
stroy ed is day that will not be far removed from poll
cal revelation, enarchy civil war, and wide spread
disaster The balance of this system is in the slave
hoding States. They the conservative portion-s
ways have been the conservative porton-alwsys will
be the conservative portion and with due balance
their par may for to come uphold this Tlo-
outfit we be reduced to hsndfu-if we are to
become mere ball to play the presidential game with
to be the result-wo! wo say to this Union! Now.
sir put again the solemn question the constitu
ton AFFORD any remedy ID there any provision n it by
which this aggressive policy boldly avowed as IL per
fecty consistent with institutions and the safety and
prosperity Of the United States be confren
Mr. President, no 1t is, in all its TEXTURES dariugly op
posed to the constitution What is Ours is tede.
the people The twenty-eght Sates-the twenty nine
stases cncluains owa) under this government as
would sisnd 10 a consolidated power Il was not made
Tor the mere individual prosperity OF the state as nd
NO. r was MADE iof nsaep po enSs af hs
great Union of should enjoy all Its advantages,
natnre and ACQUIRED with greater security ana ENJOY
justice and uaty-perfect equality between the mem
bers Of hi, republic Nor can ,ha be consistent with
y sidewhich III its consequences, would place
ne whole power in section of the Union to be WELD
ed against the other sections ofthe Union that equality
How do stand in reference to this territorial ques
ton this public domain of ours Why, sir what Is it
They are called the territories Of the United States
And what the United States but the States unedl
ed held Jointly for their use And il consistent with
justice and that any portion OF the partners out
numbering another potiop shall Gust them IN this CON-
prescribe the citizens of other portions of the Union
from emgrsng with their property the territories of
consistent with the idea OF common property, held
Jointly for the common benefit Of a7 Would It be SO
the greatest outrage in the world and which any
on the face of the globe would at overrue7 Mr.
tent with the constitution but the other which under
takes to- that State shall be admitted into this
Union which shall not prohibit by is constitution the
the constitution Of the United states Sir, / hold
to be fundamental principle of our political system,
that the people have right to establish what govern
ment they may think proper for themselves that every
State about to become a member of this Union has
right to form its government pleases and that
In order to be admitted there but quail and
the government shall be republican s not SO
expressly by the itself but BY that
great section which guarantees to every State in this
Union q republican form of government. Now. sir,
what 10 proposed is proposed from q vague, ndef
nite erroneous and most dangerous conception of pri
vae individual liberty to override this great common
liberty which people have of framing their
sution Sir. the individual right Of men is not nearly
20 easily to be established by any course Of reasoni ,g
such do icate feeling the subject Of bsrythere
men who cannot possibly bear That they call slavery II
ono section OF the connty-and it Is not much slave
ry institution indispensable for the good both
races)-men SO squeamish this point that they
ready to strike down the higher right Of community
themselves order maintain the absolute right
Of individuals In allcruumstances govern themselves
Mr. President, the resolutions that | have proposed
pose present than to the Senate propose to have
vote upon them and trust there is no gentleman here
Who will refuse direct vote upon these proposition:
due to our constituents that should insist upon
and as one, will insist upon that the Of this bo
dy shall be taken the body which represents the States
IN their capacity communities, and the members of
which to be their special guardians 1t is due to
them that there should be fair expression of what
10 the sense of this body Upon that expression much
depends. II is the only stand which we can have
win uphold Us with anything like independence
which Will give nsany chance at all to maintain an
saaafy in this Union. on those great principles to
and We are nothing! Preserve them, and will
be respectable portion OF the community Sir.
here let say word q to the compromise line. |
have always considers it a. greatlerror highly in
furious TO the South, because it surrendered for
tuition upon which think we ought to stand am
aga INST any compromise line Yet | would have been
tho resolutions in the House. to that effect, oe ed
at my suggestions said to friend there. (Mr Burt)
to NY feelings that compromise line, let it be ad
hered to in good faith and the other portions of the
Union willing to stand by it, lot not refuse to
stand by IT, II has kept peace for time and in the
crcumstances perhaps would be better to kept peace
as is" But, sir, it was voted down by overwhelm
ing majority. 1t was renewed by a gentleman from
slaveholding State and again voted down by
whelming majority Well. see my way in the cons,.
tuition. cannot in the compromise. compromise is
but an act Of Congress 1t may be overruled at any
time. 1t gives US no security But the constitution is
on which we can meet our friends from the npnsiavs
holding States Ii is firm ground on which they can
better stand in opposition to fanacism, than the shift
ing sands of compromise. Let be done with compro-
mise. Let 60 back and stand upon the constitution
WE'LL sir what the decision of this body shall deny to
as clear as any in the instrument itaofthe more de-
Apsd and stable indeed because deduced from the entire
which il relates What then That is a question
which will rot undertake to decide 1t is question
and q great question MIR. President And if the
decision should DO adverse at tls tme trust and be.
lieve that they will take under solemn consideration
what they ought to do. give no advice. 1t would be
hazardous and dangerous for me TO do But | may
speak individual member of that section of the
Union. There drew my first breath. Thsrsl are all
my hopes. l an plantsr-a cotton planter. !
Southern man and slayeholder-a kind and mercul
ono, trust-and the for being stakeholder
say, for one, would rather meet any extremity upon
earth than give up one inch Of our eouayone inch Of
what belongs to Us IS member, Of this great republic
life is nothing sinking down into acknowledged infe
riority. have examined this subject largsly-widely
think the future If we do not stand up,now and,
In my humble opinion the condition Ireland is merci
full and happy-the condition Of Hindossan peace and
happy to what the Southern States viii DO, i now they
yied. Mr. President desire that the resolutions which
new send TO the table be read
The resolutions were read, as follows
Resolved, That the territories of the United States
belong to the several States composing this Union, and
held by them their Joint and common property.
Resolved That Congress- the joint agent and repre-
sentative Of the States of this Union, has right to
make any law do any act whatever that shall directly,
or by its effects make any discrimination between the
States of this Union by which any Of them shall be de-
Prved Of its full and equal right in territory of the
United States, acquired or to be acquired.
Resolved That the enactment of any law which should
directly, by its effects deprive the citizens Of any Of
the States Of This Union from emgratng with their pro-
perty, into any of tho territories of the United States,
will make such discrimir alton and would, therefore, be
violation OF the constitution and the rights Of the States
from which such citizens emgated and in of
that perfect equality which belongs to them as members
Of this Union and would tend directly 10 subvet the
Union itself
Resolved, That, as fundamental principle in po
nucal creed that people in forming tuition have
the unconditional right TO form sdopt the govern
ment which they may think best calcua ed secure
their liberty prosperity and happiness and that in
formity thereto, other condition is imposed by
deral constitution on State IN order to be admitted