Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-03-03

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SPEECH OF THE Hon. r. B. RHETT,
OF SoUTu CAROLINA.
On the Oregon Territory Bill, e1eluding
Slavery from that 1erritOry-ths Mis-,
souri Compromise being proposed ana
rejected.
Mr.. Rhett rose and said:
AIR. Speaker agree in opinion. with
hose who have expressed regret at The IN
PRODUCTION of the subject of slavery al the
present session into the discussions OF Con
gross. Ii was introduced here, a, the last
session, most unwarrap,ably, think. from
PENNSYLVANIA, on the proposition TO ap-
propriate two millions Of money 10 tacill-
tate peace with Mexico. On the same
proposition, it has been again introduced,
at The present session, from New York,
and, on The bill before you, it stands out,
in strong relief, in the clause prohibiting
slavery in the Oregon Territory, after a
vote refusing 10 recognize the Missouri
. COMPROMISE. Under such circumstan.
ces, il appears to me impossible 10 avoid
the agitation of this question. The South
is compelled to defend herself, or stand
mule and inactive under aggression aud
insult. The present stale Of things, is not
lhe growth of yesterday. When fsrame
here, len years ago, i found the question o!
slavery IA Congress and iEtiheDpclicysi J.
then proposed had been pursued, think
irwould have been suppressed, aud sup:
pressed efec,ualIy. a member from Yer
mont, since made Governor OF that
State, on account OF tie hostility he dis
PLAYED 10 The institutions Of The South,
though! proper TO cn:er upon the discus.
sion of slavery in The States. i proposed
10 the Southern gentlemen, tina, we should
leave this Hall. They did SO; and had
,hev followed up that decisive step, with
other corresponding measures, to project
themselves and their people from insult
and aggression, upon this floor, ON the sub
jec, Of slavery, we would have had peace,
aud the Union greater strength. There
are occasions, with States as with indi-
viduals, when in courage only, there IS
safety; aud boldness, is true wisdom. We
fateEed; and from that day to this, have
witnessed ant-slavery asialions at every
CONGRESS which has since assembled
The very men who told us that the 2ls1
rule was the cause Of these a2ilations, have
themselves now commenced it, although
that rule is repealed; and we are involved
10 war, and the territory is not yet obtained
from which they propose ia The South 10
exclude slavery. Democrats now, mol
Wings, are the assailanls; whilst both par
ties from the free States, joiu in our cxclu'
sion and denuncia,ion. Sir, .donol think
we can avoid this question; aud, if We are
10 meet it, the sooner the belter-lhe bet
Ter for the South, the better for the whole
Union.
The question made by the bill is, has
Congress the power of excluding the peo-
pie Of the Southern States from entering
and .colonizing with their slaves the terri
tories OF the United States The gentle
man from Indiana, (Mr. Peltil,) and ot'l
crs, affirm that il has, because the sover-
eighty over the Territories is in the Gov
ernnent of the United States. That is
their position; and the only position which
can justify their conclusion; for in my
judgment there. cannot be higher act OF
sovereignty than determining the persons
who shall constitute members of the body
polite, or be excluded from the territory
belonging 10 State. If The principle is
good, lha, sovereignty over our territories
Is in either Congress or the Government
Of the United SIaes-I yield the conclu-
sion-the tight in Congress 10 exclude
slavery from their limits. The discretion
in Congress rules the question; majority
governs The minority; and, for one, | will
bow in acquiescence. But deny the
principle; deny that sovereignty IS in
either Congress or this Government. 10
show where the sovereignty is, in our sys.
ter! Of government, must carry US up TO
its first principles. and there | propose 10
lead the argument.
Before, however, we enter upon the
merits of the grave questions involved i'll
The discussion, i, is OF the utmost impor-
lance that we should understand The terms
we use. Half Of the sophslries in argu-
ment, consist in the abuse OF words. II
is about sovereignty, we are TO reason.-
What does The word sovereignty, mean
The meaning Of the term, is well under
Il - Ia L't,p