The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1847-02-25

NJ, President. not only is ,ha, proposition
grossly Inconsistent with the constitution. but the
"thrr. which undertakes To say that no Star.
shall b. admitted in,o this Union. which shall
not prohibit nv its constitution the existence at
slaves. * equally great outrage against the con
s'i'ntloo at the United States. Sir hold IL To
'e fundamental principle uf our pull,icsl system
that the people have a right t., establish what
'r"vernmen, they NAV think proper Cor themselves;
that every State ahnut TO hecnme member of iii g
Union has right To form lis ow n government az
MS pieases and that, in order To he admitted there
Is hut "ne qnalif alton. aud that is that the GOV
"rnnr'n' shall be republican. II is not So ex
"e>sly prescribed by the instrument itself bu, by
that great sec,"n which guarantees tn every
state IN the Union republican firm Of govern
'neh'. Now. sir, what is proposed? |, is pro
posed from vague, indefinite. erroneous and
most dangerous conception of private individual
liberty, In override this great common liberty
which people have cf framing their own cnns,i-
tuition! Sir. the individual right of men is MOI
nearly :" easily To be established by any course of
f'aN"hlng as his cummnn liberty. And yet. sir.
there are men of such delicate feeling On the snh
Jrci OF hberiy-there are men whu cannot possibly
bear what they call slavery in one section of the
c"nn'ry-(and il is not ST. much slavery as an
institution indispensable for the good of both
races)-men $" squeamish this point. tha,
they are ready To strike down the higher ripht of
4 community To govern themselves, in orde. To
maintain the absolute rights of individuals in all
circumstances. Ia govern themselves
Mr. President, the resolutions tina, have pro
posed present, In exact terms, these great truths
propose Ia present them tu The Senate; pro
nose To have vote npnn them and | trust there
IS no gentleman here who will refuse direct vote
upon these propositions. Ii is manly Tint we
shall kDpyy Tho eta e L.,
constituents that we should lnsis, upon il; and
as "nf. will insist npon it that the sense of this
BODY shall he taken: the hndy which represents
me States In their capacity as communities, and
the members OF which To be their special
guardians IL is due Ia them, sir. that there
should be fair expression of what is the sense
ut this body. Upon that expression much d.,
pends. 1t is the only stand which we can have.
II Is the only position which We can take, which
VIII uphold MS with anything like independence
which will give us any chance at all to main
'a.h an eqnaiity IN this Union, on those great
principles To which have had reference. Over
rule these principles, and we ars nothing! Pc
serve them. and we will ever be respectable
PARTON of the community
Or, here let me say word. as Ia the compro
mise Iine have always considered il as great
err"r-hIghly Injurious Ia the south because il
surrendered, tor mere temporary purposes those
h'en principles OF the constitution upon which |
think we ought to stand. am against any corn
promise line. Yet | would have been WILLING to
nave continued the compromise line. One Of the
resolutions In the House. 10 that effect, was of.
Tered at my suggestion said to friend there
VT BURT. " Let us not be dis,nrhers of this
Union As abhnrrent To my feelings as is tlat
compromise line, let it be adhered In in rood faith :.
ana u The other portions of the Union are willing
10 stand by 1t, let us not refuse to and by IT, II
mas Kept peace lor some time. and in the crcum
Stances. sperhaps II w0nld be better to keep peace
rs II Is But, sir, it was vnied down bv an
overwhelming majority. Ii was renewed by a
gentleman from 4 non slavehnlding State, and
again voted by an overwhelming majority.
wen, ! see my way in the constitution. |
cannot In the compromise. compromise is hut
an act OF Congress. Ii may be overruled at any
time. 1t gives no security But the cons,i,n
ton is stable 1t is rock On I can stand
1t Is principle on which can meet our friends
from the non slaveholding States |, is firm
ground, on which they can better stand in opuo.
sItI"n /" innaiiclsm, than the shifting sands of
compromise.
Let US be done with compromise. Let us gn
back and stand upon the constitution.
Veil. sir, what if the decision of this body
shall deny to us this high constitutional riohi.
which IN my opinion is as clear as any in The in
strunent ltsel-the more defined and stable. in
deed. because deducted from the entire body of
the instrument. and the nature of the subject TO
which IT relates? What then7 That is a oues
ton which will not undertake to decide. +, 10
question Tor our cOnstituenis-the slaveholdin0
States. solemn and a great question Mr.
President. And 1t the decision should be adverse
at lhis time, trust and do believe that they will
take under solemn consideration what they ought
t" DO give no advice. 1t would he hazardous
and dangerous fur me to do so. Blu, may speak
as an individual member Of that section IF the
Union. There drew my first breath There
are all my hopes. ! am planter-a cotton plan
Ter. am southern man and slaveholder-a
kind and merciiul one, | irnsi-and none tbs.
worse for being Stakeholder. say. for enc. I
would rather meet any extremity ppm earth Than
give up one inch of eqnality-one inch Of
what belongs tn us as members of this area, re-
public! What! acknowledged inferiurify -
The surrender at life is nothing 10 snkipn down
into acknowledged inferiorily!
have examined this subject largely--widely
think ] see the future if we do not stand nm
now and IN my humble opinion the conditinn nC
Ireland Is merclfnI and happy-Ihe condition. of
HIodostan is peace and happiness-the condition
"f Jamaica is prosperous and happy, to what the
southern States will be if now they Weld
Mr. President. | desire that the resolutions
which now send to the table be read.
The resolutions, we're read as EoIlows.1
ResntUed, That the territories of the United
Staies belong To the several States composing this
Union. and are held by them as their pint and
common property.
Rcsotped. That Congress. as the joint aoen,
and representative Of the States Of this Union.
has no right to make any law or do any act what
ever, that shall directly, or by IFS effects. make
any discrimination between the States of this
Union. by which any Of them shall be deprived Of
its foil and equal right in any territory Of The Uni
ted States, acquired, or to be acquired.
ResoiDed, That the enactment of any lsw
which shonld directly, or by lis effects, deprive
the citizens Of any Of the STATES Of this Union from
ENGRAVING with their property into any Of the
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