Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-08-15

ther on the question, or prolrac, tn. debate. The
House had sent Them bill, giving government
10 Oregon, 10 no part nt which he Senate had OBJ.
isclcd. But the Senate had proposed an amend.
ment, the succeeding portion OF which was the
ordinance of 1857, so that the amendment really
had nothing whatever TO do with Oregon, no
bearing whatever upon Oregon. IL says that the
line OF SO 80 shall be The line TO the Pacific and
then il gees on 10 say that the ordinance o! 1877
shall be in power in Oregon. This amendment
has been attached by strong majority oil The Sc,
nate-some 10 or l2-lo which he did not obl'c';
they had right 10 do So. But be had voted
against the Amendment, and h preferred the ca
siest method 10 get rid OF il, by iecedng from the
Amendment. II others preferred Committee OF
Conference, that was all right, also. so much
Tor the Parliamentary question.
And now ia regard 10 the question a! issue
He was glad il had been proposed 10 refer the
question to the great judicial tribunal OF The
country, as we'll as TO the tribunal OF The PEG
pie. But he desired 10 saw word on the parti.
cuar description OF slavery mentioned in The or
dnance Of l7S7-it was no! the description of
slavery existing in Hungary, &c, but descrp.
ton Of slaves transferable from hand 10 hand
Slavery may have existed in the several couE-
tries OF Europe, bat he had never known That any
slavery, thus transferable, bad existed anywhere
but in the American States and Colonies, and
perhaps in some Of the West India Islands.
This institution in America stands upon the
constitution, adopted in 1859, al he time of the
adoption o: which il hac been decided tha Slave
ry should not exist Northwest Of the Ohio =
When this constitution was adopted no person
looked 10 such thing as The acquisition 81 ter
ritory out OF which 10 form new Staes. Thctsr
ia. cat H. 1l,tr ,I n,
tended 10 be free and nasmuch as slavery was
limited b. these TWO considerations, it was agreed
that il should continue where i, did exist. And
further, that in the States where it did exist, II
was mauer Of State regulation, over which
Congress had no control whatever. Therefore
these agi,ations, in regard 10 slavery, ne con-
sidered equally out OF pace. They had never re-
ceiyed any encouragement ffom him, and they
never would.
BY foreign acquisition five new slave States
had been added 10 this Union, and no. one free
State. TIE Senators from Iowa had not yet
come here-when they did come, the representa-
lion in this chamber would stand as ten 10 Two,
from this foreign acquisition. The Shareholders
interest therefore had not been an unlavored in
stituion in Congress. He did no! feel any obi
gallon 10 go further. And yet the South said
you have deprived US OF all our rights. And as
the Senator from Georgia had proposed 10 leave
The question 10 the highest tribunal lei US see
how The question stands. The gentleman says
that we deprived them OF going into this newly
acquired territory with their properly. We don'l
prevent them from going with their property in
the ordinary accep aIlon Of the term But they
have peculiar law which recognizes peculiar
property in slaves. And the complaint i. lha,
they cannot 60 into these territories carrying with
them this property recognized by their own local
laws. Wherever that local law does not extend,
property in slaves does not exist. What The North
requests is that they shall, not carry there any
property under Civil laws Inconsistent with our
local laws. This is all The inequality which can
exist if this law be considered an Inequality. II
is mailer TO be proved, when persons 90 10 any
part OF the globe, that they are not tree thati they
are not free until they are provedlo be otherwise.
He contended that as FIVE Slave States had
been added to the Union from acquired foreign
territory, there was no injustice in limiting its
further extension; and he repeated as he had
the other day, that he should do nothing to ex
tend the area of Slayery-to increase the Slave
representation in the other branch Of Congress.
He voted upon these propositions:
l. That when this Constitution was adopted,
no one looked to the acquisition of new terri.
tory.
.. That there should be no interference with
Slavery in the States where it now exists.
g. That as five States have been added from
foreign territory. no injustice would be done in
restricting the further extension of the area Of
Slavery.
For these reasons it was that he had declared
that by no vote of his could he do anything cal
cuated to increase the slave representation in
either House of Congress.
The debate was continued by Mr.. Johnson OF
Georgia. lie concluded the remarks he had
commenced before the recess.
Mr.. johnson of Maryland replied briefly to
the remarks of Mr. Benton and MIR. Webster.
Those who agreed with him tMr. J believed
that the l4th section contained proyis on au.
thorizlng 1.-THE exercise Of an unconstitutional
power, or the unjust exercise of constitu
tional power. He examined the provisions Of
the bill, referred to the Compromise bill which
had been SO unceremoniously laid on the table
by the House, and said that this had now been
followed by rejecting the Missouri Compro
mise by still more decided vote, and sending
the bill back to them as it was originally passed
by them. If the friends Of the bill were willing
to strike out the l4th section, he was willing to
recede from the amendment And if, as it wa.
said, Slavery could never exist in Oregon that
section was Of no use, or it was intended to have
a bearing on all other territory.
The assumption by the Senator from Mass
chusetts (Mr. Webster) that the powers OF the
Constitution never contemplated any acquisition
OF new territory, he considered reflection
upon the sagacity of those powers, surrounded
as the country then was with foreign territory
He contcnded also that the United States had,
under tho Constitution, the power by treaty to
acquire territory, and to govern it, too, under
the Constitution. The assumption that this
looked only to the creating of future free States,
fell with the others, because Louisiana, then
lying on our Southern border, if its acquisition
was contemplated, the creation of slare States
must have been contemplated.
II the convention looked TO the acquisition OF
new slave States then il looked 10 the creation OF
no new Tree States excepting those coming in
from the Northwest territory. So far, then accor.
ding even 10 the Senator's argument the slave
and the free States stand on The same footing
and the free States possess no power 10 exclude
the slave States from an equal participation in il,
or The enjoyment OF the rights which they nov
possess. |, is a question OF life and DEAN with
the South. A leading press otN-w York is even
now advocating an amendment OF the consliiu-
ton, with view TO This very questionable e.
tension Of slavery-and surrender 10 The power
vi TIC ANoiui' OiFe up tuiS FtINoIy-dHu INK
power OF the South here is gonc-lher only Ie
source would be resistance by force. All lha,
they desired was stric, regard 10 The letter and |
spirit OF The constitution.
The debate was continued BY Messrs. Houston |
and Fooie.
A motion was then made TO adjourn, and the
yeas and nays were ordered, and the Senate re.
fused 10 adjourn-l6lo 80.
Mr.. Butler rose 10 question Of privilege, and
wished that certain resolutions published in The
New York Herald Of today, lin reference 10 Gen.
Kearney, which had been offered in executive
session, and, by The publication oil which, he said,
The rules OF the Senate had been violated by The
Senator from Missouri, Mr.. Bcnton He NOV.
ed 10 go into executive session, with view 10
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