The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-09-22

laws VI the whose nag uics "co o"i'i"5
would have determined the personal relations Of the IN
divduals on board The vessel, while the high seas
would have been regarded with all board stl under
the jurisdiction of the State which she belonged But
under the of the United States the sovereignty
of the several States confined to their territorial limits
The jurisdiction vessels at sea Is national Com
and navigation by subject to the exclusive
regulation of Congress- Our vessels vessels not OF
particular State but of the United States whose flag they
bear and offences committed board OF them al sea are
offences against the sovereignty of the United States The
slave laws of Maryland and Virginia. therefore, could have
force of themselves board vessel on the high seas
any more than they would have In the Territory OF Iowa
slave who had been voluntarily sent there by his
master The constitution of the United States confers no
power on the government to establish or regulate the ins'
tuition of slavery forms part othe duty OF Inc govern
ment IN the exercise of power to regulate commerce
among the several Sates protect or recognise as eg-
mate commerce the traffic and transportion Of slaves by
merchandise But Congress have in fact passed
law to regulate the transportation OF slaves, II
has been supposed that during their passage on shpboar
their former legal relation would continue.
Sir, cannot regard this merely local question: at
ectng the people of Oregon alone 1t is great question of
national policy involving responsibilities and consequences
affecting the whole American people, and fixing for all future
time the desnies of immense territorial acquisitions
bordering the Pacific We have acquired this terri
tory for the purpose of giving for the expansion
OF our population We have room enough already and to
spare, for generations yet unborn II Is regarded as an
object of national interest from its position, Its capabilities
of sustaining vigorous and industrious population, and OF
opening to our enerprsng citizens new avenues 10 the
trade and commerce of the world belongs to the nation
TO the people Of the United States organized commu
nifty 1t is for acting their representatives. dlscardng
sectional feelings, and regarding national question,
to Judge of what will conduce to the welfare OF the
whole people, and now, while the territory all free to
decde for all time come, whether It Will promote tho
common veal and be accordance with the spirit OF our
institutions, to plant slavery there or to exclude IT,
Who that bears in mind the countless blessings that have
bee and enjoyed by the great States, whose un
exampled prosperity has filled the Northwestern Ter
rory with prosperous and happy people, and added 50
much to the wealth and the strength and glory Of this
republic consequence of the exclusion of slavery by the
ordinance of 1887 wish deprive the people of Oregon
Of the opportunity of initiating this glorious example
Have not common interest in whatever will promote
the prosperity and add the strength of
the borders of the Pacific? Will it aid us in the perform
of duty of defending them against foreign
aggression introduce what Mr. Madison" declared to be
element of imbccty" in their midst? Would 1t not
tend increase has done elsewhere the danger of
with the surrounding Indian tribes w,l with the peo
pie of the adjoining erritores And if sO-whlch would
be quite apparen-have really duty imposed
upon by the constitution, extend and sustain the
sution of slavery from the shores of the Atlantic to the
Pacific ocean, Is that the guarantee which is found in
the constitutions No, sr duty exercise the
powers conferred by the for the promotion OF the
good of the people of the United States IN harmony
with those great principles of human right and liberty which
this whole people, people, have united to declare and
establish Those principles authorize Congress to
slavery any other institution founded in violation
of the laws Of nature disturb the compromises OF the
constitution by laying the foundation for the establishment
the free territories Of the Unon of States be ad
med with slave representation increase the inequalities
already existing.
MIR Madison in speech in the Congress of 1885, the abolition
of the slave trade, thus expressed himself:
and south Carolina Of any state in the nGn ys{ addition hs
and renders them less capable Of drfsncs
nations they will be the Of inviting attack instead OF
every the empire danger we'll
Ssy Ss AFFAIR." 'snS
% ss o na q M
| the general administration OF the government"