The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-18

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which Vermont TO enter into the Union | speak of
it being presented to her while territory Now,
take another case still more extreme, and let give
little history of by way OF illustrating the point
distinctly. The territory comprised in the States of
Alabama and Mississippi were originally part of the ter
rtory OF Georgia and by one OF the most stupendous
frauds, perhaps perpeated 10 the dishonor of
entire people, il is very well known, that By a combina-
ton Of corruption that territory ceded to company,
who claimed under that grant, Well, the Indignation
OF e people OF Georgia finding themselves despoed
OF their territory, was, ms may readily be imagined
IRENE The anecdoe goes 50 lar, indeed, to inform
MS that by way of showing then Indignation the whole
assembly, for the next year, the presence of vast
coneourse OF peoplesuch az had never been witnessed
IN that part of the iand-coecng the rays of the sun
literally by fire from heaven, burnt up the record But
the good faith which had always characterized, and
hope will characterize the people of this nation,
still retained IFS controlling influence, and when
the Question came up upon the grant, il was
confirmed war between this company and the
State OF Georgia followed and, in these circumstances
what did The federal government do? Ii nterposel and
bought up the claim Well now, MIR President suppose
the federal Legislature had undertaken 10 prescribe 10 that
territory terms prohibiting involuntary servude, do you
think That The people OF Georgia, IN that territory, would
have submitted Why not! For the veryreason that the
federal government had authority do so 1t would
have been fraud, and whilst the government nteposed
for the purpose of remedyng the consequences of fraud
II would itself have perperated the constitution OF
the most supendous frauds which could be imposed upon
free people And why Ii the federal government have
the power they had ii them and just much then
now But al that time, when good faith and regard 10
the principles OF the constitution prevailed the very
thought of il would have been repudated with by
every section OF the Union Yes, by New York, that
here with her resolutions nsructng her senators
to acquire territory by war, and then portion il out ac
corjng TO her prescription take North Carolina as an
other example She owned Tennessee. North Carolina
vas the State IN which the first symptom OF the revolution
was found. Did she attempt to prescribe any terms for
her 'eiritory Oh the ground that Inc constitution
gave her the power of sovereignty over it No,
she never dreamed of such thing now, sir, come to
my proposition, that Congress exercising the power,
which has been conferred upon in lis organic form,
same sovereign control as OF the commonwealth of
this republic IN relation to the territories OF the Union
deny utterly any such sovereignty. Congress has
right TO make all needfu rules and regulations for her
Territories; but what power has Congress to appropriate
territory Now, by way of illustration. Suppose now,
by majority Congress were to undertake TO convert
Oregon Territory into State, and 10 impose upon it
sttuon giving it Territorial State rights send
members here, not only to speak but vote, would you
have the power3 State would have the power. A
State has the right to say don't know but it may say
that no who owns slaves shall be eligible. State
also has the power to say that shall be eligible
unless he be Protestant, or unless he be non-slave-
holder don't know but in State constitution it might
be But the proposition supposes this, whether Con
gress to undertake now relation to any territory
whatever, to say that shall go upon that territory
and be eligible TO office to franchise in that territory
unless he is a non-slavehoder? No Congress has
the territory State within its jurisdiction
with its own land If the power--as Mr.
Pmckney says-lt rs wilderness of powerit is one of
assumption and not OF warrant; and have been aston
shed at the indifference on this subject say however,
now, with good faith, | would abide by the Missouri
compromise, because it made by good men, and ac-
guessed IN from that time TO this But will YOU ever
find the south violating any OF her OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ting her honor any respect Have YOU any symp-
tom OF yee If the consequences OF dsunion upon
us, and all the horrors OF civil she say, "Shake
not thy CORY locks at me, thou canst not say did it,"
She has violated engagement She will adhere TO all
her obligations with scrupuosy, and occupying that
position, she has right to rebuke the attempts nj spoil
alton and invasion of her rights under the federal const
tuition. What, then, is you say The New York reso
lutons discaim it. All! 1t may be the hand of Esau,
but suspect very much that all the blessings, il you
choose to say are to go to Jacob not that
these innocent women, honestly entertained an opinion
on this subject The Friends and enthusiasts phan-
hropy may agitte but you may depend it, the daring
and ambitious men, looking to Office to avail them
selves OF It, II may originate in good motives but de-
pend upon IT. the result will not be in that way put
this case. Bounty lands awarded your soldiers
soldier from Massachusetts, takes one secon-a sol
der from Louisiana the next-a soldier from New York
another, and soldier from South Carolina might 90
an adjacent section: They Were comrades in armsthey
generous in Their confidence with each other And
when of the soldiers goes to settle on the land or
his mother even To shed tear the tomb of her son,
she is told that we poutng the soil which contains
the bones OF her gallant son. One soldier says you can
not possess II, whilst another says you may, because
your government had right 10 confer it, Am TO be
told that, in the distribution of these lands the gallant
soldiers who have gone out from section OF the
Union and shed their blood on the soil, shall be ey-
cuded from the enjoyment of il on the ground that they
could not put slave labor it, Or il YOU choose say
IT. and II Congress has the jurisdiction, that they shall
privileges unless they within the conditions pre-
scrlbed by The Congress OF the United States. Could
any people submit to that do not believe that il is
going TO result IN disunon. cannot believe that Con
gress break down the of the constitution
Tor The purpose OF peperating such fraud Like the
ghost of Hamlet, il would rise and speak TO the young
men OF South Carolina
al thou hat nature IN thee, bear it not ~
And they would not They could not II they appre-
cate any OF the principles handed down To them. But
hope the calamity viii be aver'ed have made these
remarks IN illustration. have some other views which
there rs not time perhaps 10 present fully as
might otherwise desire The federal government has
hducary agency. II is trustee. II is guardian 1t
has charge and disposition of their lands for all the peo
pie OF the United States who may choose TO settle upon
them, until such people, by ma lory, position
TO be invested with the attributes of sovereignty They
have the power TO hold these lands and dispose of them
IN subservlency TO this trust, until the minority OF the
people be overcome in majority. What right has this
government to prescribe constitution for these people
None. 1t would be prescription without authority
Therefore deny this power. But there is another view
of the subject, and that is claim under treaty All
| have heard that before from a very imposing
source IL was sad by who has author
ity in the United States, that if we al
with strong power, and the southern States should
be subugated treaty could be made spnatng that the
territory could be eeed to foreign power Are you
dertaxng to indicate here that you WILL under that
treaty. acquire territory with advertisement that in that
treaty you wall conne its privileges and advantages to
TO an exclusive class of czensl That is what is avow-
ed by your resolutions Well, them here we arc placed
IN thus predlcament We are to gain nothing. The |
south is be told that her soldiers may go and NAV conquer
the flesperlan fruit but must not touch it, They may
encounter all the hazards, but reap of the fruits of
victory We must deal with this subject as we find it, |
and am very much afraid that the treatyif there be
treaty madewlll include some of the territory such
H.. Al Il.