The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-07-29

Of this meeting the imperative duty Of the friends OF free SOIL in
their respective Political connections throughout the Union to
look, with The utmost vigilance and care and prn
ey propose Vote e their best eScr,ons to the
q rSwp to be IN vor e. the me law
Of Oregon New Mexico and California long the shall
Resolved representative Of this city in Congress be
to use all honorable to defeat the bill
Resolved Lata copy Of those resolutions signed by the off,
from city in the House Of
ssd w @ me ss S sd h ss
the great mass their fellow Of all parties and classes
D. d. FIELD, Esq the first speaker, and after
few preliminary remarks the purport of which our
porter did not hear said that the compromise bill it
is called which has just passed the Senate of the Uni
ted States, embraced within it issue of extra
ordinary nature, one, the like Of which, have not
the objects of the BILL Mr. Field said Fellow. cit-
zens we say in the call of this meeting that
dom on the territory of this Union. We say SO,
because believe that any compromise of this great
and vital question derogatory to the credit of free
men, and fatal to the honor prosperity and union of
this ccnfederacy We say SO, fellowctzens, because
we believe that that compromise is based funda
mental error in relation to government That
believe to be this-that the South demands as
right, under the constitution that their people may
go into the new territories Of this Union and
may take their property with them wherever they may
choose togo. Now, there are two answers to this
first that the Shareholders themselves from the origin
that slaves were persons and not things. They de-
clare it, because there is provision in the constitu-
ZION OF the Unted Statee which declares that Con-
gress may regulate trade and commerce between the
several States of the confederacy and it has been
commended side, that of the Shareholders that
this extends to the passage Of slaves from State to
any other. This has been denied the other hand,
on the ground that slaves are not property and be-
cause The argument implies that they may go from
any of the old States, taking with them their
property - and as a consequence, that they may
use it in the new territory in the same way
as they could in the States which they left and have
the same right it. Now let look at this If it
should, for instance be declared in South Carolina
hat na hnea 1onY rfy x tn aud
that he might sell and dispose of them if he chose to
do So could he carry that property into Oregon,
tives in Congress could not prevent it! Now let
apply the rule to any kind Of property, and it will be
seen that the argument is equally faacious. While
we admit that man may hold any property recognized
as such by the laws of his State deny that he
hold as such in another State provided that to do
SO, would be contrary to the laws of such State to
which he may go. Take, for instance, the sale of liz
quor among the indians. This is, as you are all
say in principle, that if a man has hundred hogs,
heads of rum, he take it, as his property among
the savagcs and sell it. Now this we know is not So
We know that 1T is against all the practice of the 60
vernment from its first origin. Take, again, for in
stance, the sale Of gunpowder win it be said that
If merchant Of South Carolina is permitted to keep
hundred kegs of gunpowder that he can so to Ore
gon or OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the law states that he shall
he do as he did in South Carolina? No, he can't
do it, and wether der men as slaves or pro-
pery the right is in the Legislature to regulate the
transmission OF property and if this right is super
ceded by the passage of this compromise bill it is
called, we will endeavor to repeal it, (applause)
because the very proposition is insult to our
understanding, because the proposition is outrageous
(Applause.) Because 1t procaims at that these
free States of the North bound to the slave States
of the South in partnership of crime, and that
can't go in any drection-North, East, South, West
without carrying with that internal institution of
human servitude. (Prolonged appause) They may
proclaim the monstrous doctrine that glorious
ag the herald offreedom carries with it not emanci
pation-not freedom and glory, but human servtude,
human savery-and with It. dens of savers and negro
drivers. applause and hisses) Fellow citizens the
proudest thing that Of the orators of gland
did, was the proclamation which he made in Parlia-
men that wherever the standard of England Is plant
ed there shall be slaves; and when he made it, all
the members of the House and applauded the
sentme inland the citizens of the only free
public In the world are you who have lowered the
standard of that England to the dust-you who have
displayed to the nations of the earth the flag Of eman
cipaton. are you to be induced at this day-in the
year 1S4S-shall it be said of you, at this period of
the worlds history that your flag is black night
that it is the herald Of slavery and not of enamel
pation-tbat it is covered with slavery, not with
union and glory, and freedom but with slavery bond
age-that it justifes the selling of men and women
Renewed and prolonged applause) No. forever no.
After saying that we opposed to all compromise
compromise bill which has passed the Senate
Our objections to it stated at length in
the resolutions, but will call your attention to the
most important parts of it. In the first place, the
section which applies to the legislative power over
tive power shall pass laws respecting slavery Now,
ask you. fellow citizens, in what aspect are we to be
regarded by the world in this matter? In the same
clause of that same bill, we have prohibition on the
part of the local legislature pass laws the sub
ject Of religion as If religion and slavery are in the
same category In our federal constitution it is pro-
vided that the States shall not interfere with certain
things, such as trial by jury, the habeas corpus
act and other things, which the legislature shall
not invade; but now for the first time, we see
clause put in that the legislature shall not in
terfere with the question of slavery. In the first
place. the citizens Of certain States maintained that
odershave right to go into territories with
their slaves and that therefore slavery exists in Ore
gon New Mexico and California, If they should go
there Now deny it, and assert expressly the con-
trary OF the proposition Well passing over the alb
surdty of THE say that whether the slaveholder is
right wrong, canshow that there never was more
monstrous law proposed in any legislature repeat
this law is an infamous law; and let me tell you Why
pass law about it n What doessthis mean! Let me
read report of which occurred in the State of
Mississippi and which you will find reported at length
in Towards Mississippi Reports. Mr. Field then re-
| lated the circumstances which condense. 1t APP
pears that planter Of that State had child by of
his slaves, md having the natural feelings of
and father, he desired to bring up that child, who
son, in proper way according to his own ideas
and wealth. He accordingly removed to Ohio and
there xecuted deed manumittng the child and his
mother, the slave and afterwards made will giving
his property to that child The relatives contested
the legality of the document after the testators DEATH
before the of Miss ssppi and the decision in
their and against the slave mother and her child
The consequence was, that they took their own blood
relative a slave. Now would ask you, fellow-citi
zens. II goes to California from Mississippi with
his slaves, whether he is to he bound by the laws Of
ssisPp' OF not ana yet 'nls preeisey t'e IorE vi
the law which has passed the Senate and is before
the other branch OF Congress.
Az this point our reporter was so much incommoded
by the pressure of the crowd that he could not take
note, aud was oblig'd to appeal to those who were
crushing him, to push no more than they could help.
lille he doing this he lost few remarks of the
| speaker
Mr.. FIELD continued-Now the slaves which go to
California or New Me- xco has under the provisions of
this bill to gate his rights In the district courts of
those erritorics To get Lis decided there, will
occupy one or two years but he has got appeal
from there by this BILL but gives the stakeholder the
right to apl cal to the Supreme Court of the United
States, that it Is mpos ibc for slave to get his
care heard by that count
For one am determined TO look this danger in tho
face, aud will never, long as ! live, or so
long my tongue shall move will cease to aggitatc IL