Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-05-20


win equally apply free States. The Of this argument
is embraced in tie position that the Territories not The
property OF the United States but Of the States
uaied ha these Territories are not to be disposed Of or
managed by majority so as to prevent the inhabitants Of any
from aing possession Of and ENJOYING their portion
Of this common man Without laboring the subject take
this be the result Of The argument Of the extreme prosave-
~ men, II adoped this position defeats entirely the right Of
selfgovenment IN The Territories. The objection that few
inhabitants oughtno 10 prescribe rules for The government Of
large Territory applies only to the expediency, and not
the right Of such sxercise Of power.
In conclusion, will say that it does TO that Con-
gress does not posses NE right TO legate Oregon
California New Mexico except that right of general egs
aion which she possess the whole Conederacy That
Congress- in heretofore exercising this right Of legislation
the territories coporg e States of Tennessee, Alabama,
Mississippi, Lou Dana and Florida, &c. did by virtue Of
the several deed Of ceson and treaties Of transfer and by the
Of such haban'z and that part Of the cons
deraton Of such ale and ise Of these territories Congress
bound 70 Povlas prrecon to the inhabitants Of such
territories and 10 dm their INTO the Union sovereign States
of the Confedey which an obligation assumed by Con-
gess, act to lie performed on her part but with
responding obgons the part Of the inhabitants Of such
territories TO submit 70 my legislation action Of Congress
except such general legislation may be exercised the
States we'll Tertoe That the territory northwest Of
the river ohowas provided with government previous the
adoption Of the constitution and that all the evocabe pro-
visions Of that ordinance were superseded and merge in that
constitution That the provision the constitution, which
is relied upon giving Congress power Of general egisla
ton Territories, both by its phraseoogy and the history
of its adopon povcs 10 have been intended for the DISPOSE
ton OF the Weston lands and not for exclusive legislation
these Territories and, having arrived the conclusion
that the municipal government of Territories should be left
the inhabitants same, feel bound to obey; and if
adopt the cousewhch 10 appears to be the only eg
mate one, the unpleasant discussion of slavery
and host fagtsos will be without abi.aton abiding
place.
The appointed tune having arrived The Chairman closed
the debate on The hl.
Mr. WHITE offered an amendment as an additional sec
ton 10 the bill .
Mr.. VINTON point of ORDER and objected to the
amendment as irrelevant to the bill
The CHAIRMAN sustained the objection, and decided
the amendment not in order
THE POST OFFICE BILL.-SLAVERY, &c..
Some conversation ensued between Messrs. GOGGN and
VlNTON liter which the bill laid aside be reported
the House, and the committee proceeded consider the
bill making appropriations for the Of the Post Office
Department for the year ending June 80 ls4s.
Mr.. WOOD WARD, referring by way of apology for the
remarks he about to make TO the indulgence allowed
Mr. BAYLY in the latitude OF debate which he had taken
erday observed that the gentleman had taken upon the
abstract proposition the power of Congress egsae
for the Territories. Besides not being before House,
there such direct issue before the country He grant
ed there questions before the country which involved the
discussion Of that proposition there before the
country in which law to be applied, and that
the issue the Wmot povo the issue before the
try He could not consent that the particular provso intro
duced here by tie gentleman from Pennsylvania the d.
ISSUE but the principles and purposes contemplated by
that measure, whatever might be used carry
He Indifferent whether you bled hin death with
spring lancet, thumb lancet whether you destroyed his
life by bowie knife pistol He TO the principles
and purposes Of that proviso and took bis position against
those principles and purposes he condemned all the means
for carrying out that measure.
He assented 10 many of the propositions laid down by the
gentleman from Virginia, and he did not undertake TO saw
when fully understood, that there would be any material DIFF
ference between them the constitutional questions involved
He did not rise TO answer that geneman ech he should
take future occasion 10 do that's he say what
the issue which he made and which the party with which he
connected made before the country. What he said was
that the Territories belonging the United states the
common property of all the people Of all the States and that
could disturb any Of the States any Of the people
any of the States The thing impossible He did no,
inquire for the power; he inquired for the possibility OF doing
the thing by any power whatever He therefore denied
proposition that the inhabitants occupying any designated region
of territory belonging TO the United States could ju
rScon impose any conditions upon the purchase and
settlement Of lands not belonging them He denied when
the United States had marked territory 600 miles square,
that few settlers could 90 there and settle rs and thereby
assume eminent domain the whole territory, and
tie power prescribe who should and who should
no. wha conditions the territory should be disposed
OF, and what il should not This a matter OF sub
stance with the Southern States; il matter Of nte
rest 10 them whether that population to be prevented
from amplyng and Spreading; il matter Of interest
whether, while all the rest OF the nation might camor for
land, nd, bad been said by distinguished Senator
they were To- restricted to their present homes whether
they become unlawful emgranis unless they sacrificed
every thing that could give rise motives for emigration.
They wantet lands they wanted cheap lands, they
wanted the means Of being relieved from their crowded popu
atiun they wanted contiguous territory well their bre
then Of the North. Who would deny them this Our
rory now was given up to whoever might choose to occupy
ii and the trtory Of the mountains filed with
authorized settlers What right had the people Of Oregon 10
occupy that territory what right, what authority, the
part Of the United States What right had your adventn
rers, the Momons and Others TO occupy Caiomia--to APP
proprae il 10 defiance Of rights And should be tolerated
that the squaer there without authority should turn round
and tell the people Of the South, You shall not buy il
will take possession and occupy ia defiance Of the
Of the owner; will ask questions you shall boy
stay where you you cannot come here That was what
he was talking about.
Now, he wanted that question go before the country.
He did not know that he making ISSUE throwing
any difficulty in the way ofany aspant to the Presidency
his side Of TIC House. II he not msnfomed mscd,
had alluded might consistent with the views be
had expressed He trusted might be he wished the
whole country might meet the safe and the only platform
he wished all would consent violate the constitution
that ground the ground which his support would be
obtained by any public He to defend the rights
Of the South He took il for granted that other persons
would expect him the example Of defending his
rights before they would defend them. He imagined
that another would have greater respect for himself per-
sonally or his rights than he himself entertained.
HIS friend from Virginia had dismissed this question by
giving the Judiciary Of the country, and the Jodi
cary the Territory, the gentleman held bot the Lesis
atue was not there lie had supposed that the Government
was compsced that every connected with oil Tho
other parts that there could be perfect operation Of one
part OF the Government without the cooperation Of all the
other parts. How, then he would like understand could