Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-08-03
Important Senatorial Debate
ON THE SLAVERY COMPROMISE BILL.


We take from the New York Herald a sketch of the
commencement OF the debate on this important meas
ure. The bill having been taken up on Saturday,
Mr.. Clayton explained the various sections, and
said he would not discuss the merits of thu bill The
compromise agreed upon it was believed would meet
the approval of the Senate The why the South
had preferred it to the Missouri compromise was that
the latter gave very small proportion of inhabable
territory to the South.
Mr.. Niles inquired what was the compromise of the
bill? Does it afford the power to Congress of egisla-
ting upon the question of slavery in the territories?
Mr.. Clayton said that the bill neither afrms it nor
dsafrms it 1t refers the subject to the highest u-
dicia tribunal in the country
Mr.. Miles, That amounts to just nothing at all
The whole question has been surrendered to the de-
mands of the slave power.
| Mr.. Calhoun. Weclam nothing for slavery-noth-
ing at ALL only ask adherence to the Consttu-
ton. 1t is only upon this basis that the Union
can be preserved. We wish to maintain harmony
among the members-it is only by harmony we can
maintain the Union.
Mr. Niles said it was the first time he had heard so
satisfactory declaration by the Senator from South
Carolina. If his remarks are to be taken literally,
there is subject of controversy. He had thought
that the South had claimed the right to carry their
slaves to all the territories. But, sir, said Mr.. Nes)
by this declaration of a common basis, are not free
SOIL free labor, and free principles, in institutions,
implied? Yes, sir, but apprehend it means some
thing else; it punctilio of inequality in the
doctrine of free soil and free labor see no inequa
ity at all sir The laws by which this slave property,
as is called, may be restricted will be uniform; and
whatever rules of property will apply to one section,
will apply to all.
Mr. Dickinson stated the difficulty of the former de-
bate, and in the objection to the selection of the COM
lnlttee to establish compromise, the Senator from
Connecticut had said that they who should 90 for a
compromise, might find themselves burnt in eigy
when they 60 home am not alarmed at that threat;
people who only by burning in efigy, are
welcome to do it. think the Senator, however, spoke
more than set down for him, when he spoke of
burning in efigy. Mr.. d. explained the purpose of
the committee to be Cancellation and compromise, and
warmly approved the bill.
Mr.. Niles contrased the bill with a late speech of
Mr.. Dickenson in which he commended that Congress
had power slavery in the territories. And what
is this compromise 1t is no compromise at ALL 1t
lodges the question in every way; it does nohingit
settles nothing it amounts to nothing-t is worse
than nothing 1t leaves the question open and there
Is the great danger. These paltry schemes of avoid
ing the slavery question for day for amoment-of
shrinking from the duty which we to the country
ARE, in my humble judgement, unworthy of the
American Senate. The territory is free by the act of
God which created it and free by the act Of man. and
the half civilized people who improved it, by the laws
of freedom. The question is, shall it remain so, or
shawe directly Or indirectly subvert the law of heav
en- and man, and open it to different institutions p
The committee shrink from responsibility; there is
cowardy vsage the face of the bill to get rid of the
issue submitted to them.
Mr.. Corwin submitted few observations, prelimin-
airy to asking whether the question ofslavery could be
brought by writ of before the Supreme Court of
the United States without previous legislation on the
subject? How is the value of slave to be ascertain
ell when told that there is no property in man
tO tho yol1a ofhi Abov,
two thousand dollars is the question to be decided by
the Judges appointed by the President?
Mr. Clayton, In reply to a question, said that the
committee thought after full inquiry, that the people
Of the territories of California and New Mexico were
not capable of electing delegates to Congress.
Mr. Corwin, Why are they not?
Mr. Clayton. They are too ignorant:
Mr. Phelps followed in reply to Mr. Corwin, and said
the question, in the outset, to be settled by the
proper Judicial tribunal it must rest with the Supreme
Court, where the Constitution placed it, and where it
must be left 1t involves a construction of the Con-
stltuton of which Congress is not the constitutional
eXpounder. here bring no law which protects this
species of property the guarantees will, of course
percede the local laws of the conquered territories
The question can be brought up before the Supreme
Court writ of hdbc corpus, and not as to the
value of the slavc where they have jurisdiction over
all the means to bring it before the court.
Mr.. Westcott wished to know whether a certain
and the judges of California from passing laws for the
punishment of venal offences of slaves, as class
Mr.. Phelps replied that what laws shall be passed
must be uniform; if distinction be made between one
class of people and another there would be no limit to
the power to be exercised. He was for leaving the
legislative question where Congress had placed it
Mr.. Calhoun said that the object was not to decide
the contested question here One side contends that
slavery cannot go into the territories according to the
constitution and laws of Mexico. The other side
take an opposite view. The Committee did not pre-
tend to decide the question. Throughout they pro-
ceeded the ground that the constitution decided it
Mr. Niles said he would like. to know the opinion
of the majority and he asked whether the Committee,
by establishing temporary governments and give them
the power of local government exhausted jurisdiction
over the subject of slavery or whether we may pass
laws reference to slavery or other matters?
Mr. Baldwin, after few preliminaries remarked,
that his object in rising for the purpose of striking
out all that part of the bill which follows the Goth
ton so as to leave in it only much provides for
a territorial government in Oregon.
Mr. Hale said that SO far as he understood the ques-
tion in the little state from which he came, the ques-
ton between the Wing and Democrat was, who is the
most orthodox on the Wilmot Proyiso2 He stated
some of the objections which he had to the bill. He
would vote against it. If we could have an honest,
fair judicial execution the law it would not be very
exceptionable; but he had no confidence in the Su-
preme Court because they had gone into the free
States ana Stricken DOWN the WIFI OF hG0eeS corpus De-
meath the iron heel of slavery. The heart of the ma.
ton is beating and throbbing with anxiety on this
great question, and when we are asked for something
to give peace and quiet to the people, what do the
committee? Nothing. The Senator from Vermont
Mr. Pheps recommended this bill, becauseit carries
with it the laws of freedom and the Senator from
South Carolina (NIr. Calhoun) says-yes, take it, be-
cause it carries slaverya those gentlemen SO inform
their respective constituents
The conclusion of the days debate is given in the
correspondence of the Express, as followss--
The question was on Mr. Baldwin's amendment to
strike out all the sections of the bill, commencing
with the 20th
Mr.. Johnson of Maryland wished to know if Mr..
Baldwin desired different government for California
and New Mexico and he replied that he only wished
to attend to Oregon by ITSELF AIR. Calhoun said thai