Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-03-10

a free people, corporation called The va
zoo Company claiming 10 own aipart O
hat territory. endeavored to control il:
institutions. The indignation of the people
of Georgia, on finding themselves des
poiled of their rights, was aroused TO such
pitch that The General Assembly of thai
State, in the presence of concourse oI
people, drew fire from Heaven and burnt
the record of the grant under which tina,
company claimed. The interference with
the institutions of our Government haye
always, and believe will always. and l
5y whomsoever that interference may be
attempted, be visited with the vengeance
of Heaven. A contention arose between
the Company | have spoken Of and The
State Of Georgia, which was not brought
to an accommodation until this Govern.
ment inlerposed, ,notwilhs,andin the fraud
and brought out the claims Of both, What
would have taken place if the Federal
Government had undertaken to prescribe
similar terms, that slavery should not
exist in that territory ? Do yeu think that
The people Of Georgia. or the people Of
The territory, would have submitted ? Not
a: all. :And for this reason, that the Fed
eral Government has no such authority
according 10 the compact entered into at
The adoption Of the constitution. 1t would
have been fraud if il had been attempted
to be exercised and had the Federal Gov
ernment not purchased the territory for
the purpose Of remedying tho mischief, it
would have been one Of the most slupen-
dous frauds that could have been perpe-
tated upun a free people.
This Government had not the power to force
upon the people oflhat Territory The adoption
of Institutions which they were disnclined to
adopt. And if they had not the power then
they have not now. And yet the Legislature
of the State Of New York comes here with a
resolution such as never could have been con.
tempated when the constitution was framed,
declaring that if we acquire territory we ought
to divide il out. Yes, sir. She has the decen
cy to nsk us to divide it ont according to terms
prescribed by her. Can ii be expected that
the people of the South will submit 10 dictation
like this7 1t is supposed tha, the people Of
Georgia would acquiese in any such dis,a,on7
Is il supposed that the Congress OF the United
States has the e'powertp assume sovereignty and
10 dictate terms for the regulation of the inter.
nal afiilrs Of State In my apprehension
such is not q power belonging to Congress
such power was neither conferred upon it,
nor has it an organic power 10 control the in
ternal affairs ofihe States of. this confoderacy.
It has the right to make all righ.fu rules and
regulations in regard TO this species Of proper
ty, but it has no right to appropria,e it, or 10
-annihilate it. Suppose, ssir, that Congress
1itory into State, and give her ike TigRf 70
send men hero not only to speak, but,to vote.
would they have the power 10 prescribe for
that State who shall be eligible to offce--to say
thar no man unless he be a Protestant or a nom
slavehoher, shall enjoy any privileges within
the Statel Suppose that Congress should un-
dertuke now, in view Of the territory Of Geor-
ga and by the most stnpendous fraud in rela
ton to any Territory whatever, to say that a
man going into such Territory should roi be
eligible to uffice nor entitled 10 franchise unless
he were non-slayeholdei. Such proposition
would be perfectly incompatible with the pow.
er Of Congress. Congress has no such power.
hus no sovereign authority within State +;
und if assumes such power, it assumes q
power which does not belong to it. have
been aStunshed at This assumption of power,
for have, seen it attempted to be assumed in
foimer iimes.
l say now that / wonld abide by the Nilsson.
ri compromise, because It has heen acgulesced
in since the lime it was formed But that com.
promise ought to be held inviola,e. Had
Southern men, he asked, ever been found to
violate an engagement? Had the South ever
violated an engagement which she had formedi
Never. On the contrary, (said MIR. b. she
abides by uIl her engagements with the utmost
fidelity and she expects that others will acl in
the same manner. Wherefore has New Y ork
forgotten what was due to pllghted faitiI7 Is
che desirous of exh biung herself in the char.
acier of yiolalor ola solemn compact2
Mr. B. proceeded 10 argue at length the i'm
propriety, as well as the injustice, Of attaching
any restriction. such as had been referred ia
any proposition for the acquisition of rritory
He was Of opinion that we had territory enough
already. He was far from desiring, as mat
ter of policy, to obtain more. But there wa:
one feature in the case which deserved 10 be
considered, which was, that it would be o
great advantage to our maritime interests t
obtain one or more ports upon the Pacific
And if a certain extent of-terrltory could be &C
auired with the consent Of Mexico, and with
| out the reSulcuOilS WHICH were SOuSnt W w
imposed upon its acquisition, he would be- IL
favor oft. But as TO wrestling from Mexico
her territory by force of arms, he was altoseth
er opposed to such proceeding The conai
ton in which, they were placed in regard Il
this war was certainly somewhat embarrassing
irthey were to abadon it, it would be consider
ed national dishoner; and if they were I
prosecute it with view to; o;compel Mexi,.o ,
Yield to propositions Of peace, they wo' aid fin
themselves necessarily in possession. of larg
territories, the acquisition of whic..n a would 3
accompanied with those dire ealami,ies
which he had already allud ed. They wer
somewhat like the shepherd who held ,h
wolf by the fears; it was hazardous 10 hol
linn, and siI! more Hazardous to let him gi
His own course wo1lld be 10 take refuge in Ii
moderation, the Fifmness, and the wisdoi
which he had full confidence would be exhibi
! ed by Senators upon that aoor in regard to a
these subjects,