The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-08-15

the constitution was adopted, the state OF existing
things this There large portion OF terrific
ry Destined form States the north western por
ton of the river Ohio; and neutrality-suspicious. the for
nation Of the constitution in i'sl IT was agreed that
slav.ry should exist in that territory. Well sir,
gather this that the prevailing reason why the
North agreed TO give the South their existing relation
arose in this wise assume two things, aud If they
disputed have nothing more TO say. One is that
when The oonstit ton adopted, no man in out
OF public life, looked forward TO such thing as
an acquisition Of territory 10 form new slave
States by acquisition conquest the south western
portion Of This continent ! assume also looking
TO The debates in Congress and elsewhere that as the
North western territory declared by ordinance 10
be free, and looked TO the formstcn OF terri
tory in the Southwest there was pressure IN the
North 10 allow slave representation inaRuch, as II
was limited Ivy these considerations to wit :-Ihat
there to be slave territory in the North west
and. secondly that there never contemplated in
the South. any accession OF territory am one
who belle wing in the constitution in this way mean
to adhere TO IT, And also be all along in the
early stages OF government it conceded by every
thst slavery was Cover ned by the State in which
il existed, and Congress had no power it |,
therefore, that all attempts to interfere between
master and lave by people not living in slave States,
is unconstitutional and wrong The manner in which
the people treat their slaves is their businesst is
question between themselves their laws, and God
People, also, the of humanity received
any concurrence from me, and will Well, sir,
this was the state of things the formation of the
government. No acquisition of slave States
templated by any one and on he other hand iu-
terri renee with slavery in the States where it existed
was contemplated by any one Well, now, sir what
has happened since? 1t has happened, that beyond
the expectation of the trainers of the constitution
large portion Of territory has been acquired first from
France and then from Spain. and five slsycholding
States have been added To the conntry sending ten
Senators, including Texas, which consider in the
line Of foreign acquisition. By foreign acquisition,
territory has been added TO the Unionye States and
ten Senators ot contemplated by the constitution
and mp to the time speak, not free State has been
admitted into our Union Sepator-lowa Has
Iowa been added CA lsugh) Her Senators are not
here-her constitution is not formed. Let them come
and will then count her. Well, sir, leave these
facts Let 60 little further, the gentleman from
Georgia, (Mr. Berrien has very properly put US
GUeS,on on Which we h are Nth to appear before the
case as am willing to be judged by the civil
ised community sn say That the , holding
when they agreed to take five slave States
into the Union giving ten Senators and large
Der Of Represe natives Mr. President what the
suit of this? We stand here now at least do for one
to say that considering there have been already FIVE
new slavehodipg States formed out of new acquired
territory and one only at most of non slaveh gliding
States, do not feel am called upon to go further
But here friends from the slaveholdng say
you deny us our rightsyou deny all fertilization
Let us how this is. Let consider how it stands
what is it? Gentlemen who advocate and espouse
South-that We invade their rights to the territory
which they have common rights in. How do we de-
them the privilege of moving their slaves with them
into new territories They say we deprive them of the
perty. What do they by that! We certainly
do not prevent them from going into the territory
with all property which civilized people want They
want to bring in what they call property by their Pc
culisr local laws am not going to enter into dis
cusson about those local laws for that would excite
the Senator from South Carolina, and we should
Wander in lost"
from this till long after the period fixed for the
the session. (Laughter.) Well, they complain we do
not ,cognise property. fixed by their local laws
How just that is leave to the generations that will
come after 1T is not confer that slavery exists
by general law-it exists by local law, and wherever
that does not exist property in does not exist
Well WI at the proposition Of friends from the
South? Why, that Congress say they does us an in
justice unless it will consent to establish LEGAL law
con istent with deny the right to claim this
uniess IT can be proved that pe-sons owning property
under their ocailaw enter into other States and
establish their peculiar local law to the exclusion of
the LEGAL laws of the State they into. don't
deny that local law can be made-but say it is a
any portion Of the earth the presumption he is free
They must be proved to be slaves. Such the old
sur, our jurisdiction over the territory ceases
Nhen The territory becomes State but the
argument is that create the ineq uality
Well is there nothing to be said the other side? 1t
isasetted idea that slave labor and free labor do
go well together have before statement made by
MI Mason, Of Virginia. in which he states the fact
mat slaves will not work with free people This may
not be usual but it is so stated in the work have
quoted And now, sir what is the inequality Let
us look at it little There is prete that South
ern gentlemen may not go into territory which shall
be subect the ordinance of 1877 the only objection
as that they shall not carry their local slave laws with
Them. This does not excludethem there is nothing
further from the fact understand that the half Of
The population of Illinois desce of Southern
people and at least onetbrd of Ohio Is settled by peo-
pie of similar origin, in great proportion fully
y PeOpN VI ng into consider
stion the relative population of North and South.
There liz no exclusions is merely the exclusion of
regal relation Well the question: then, is, whether 1t
is not fair matter for discussion, to say there has
been five slave States added the whether il is
unfair to limit its extension see injustice in it,
Mr. President, have said that ! will consent to
extension Of slavery this continent these are
my reasons for fer it. We have already gone far be-
yoDd what any Southern man had a right to expect
speak of facts, that in yielding the creation of FIVE
new slavehoding States, out of new territory
CURED we have done what believe would have
COnstitntiOn |
say, in conclusion, that rest these positions First,
when the constitution was adopted nobody looked to
any new accession of territory to be formed into slave
States Second that the principle of the constitution
prohibits, and was intended to prohibit and should
the general government; and that, looking to the |
fact of these new acquisitions which have in great
admission Of the five States there is nothing unjust
nothing which an honest man reproach himself
with nor the civilized world reproach him for, when
say that under circumstances, would agree to the
extension of the Of slave States slave repre-
sentstion to the limits of the United States
During MIR Websters speech, which lasted about
the Senate were densely crowded. nearly all the men,
bers from the House being PRESENT.
Mr.. JOHNSON, Of Geo when Mr.. Webst er had taken Il
his seat, resumed his argument suspended at the
CESS in support of the South the equal rights of the
the magnanimity of the North; and in exposition Of
the object Of the Wlmot proyso and the necessity of
by the House with Something of scorn OF ali the com
promises offered to it, it idle to trust to the siren
song Of the of the North He referred to
the designs of free soil people, and spoke of the
nominee Of the fanatics of the North arch apos
tate.
MIR. UrHAM--who does the Senator mean? There
are so many nominees?
: MIR. II. JoHNsoS-I do not mean the Senator from
Vermont. He has not apostatized.
Mr. JOHNSON said the Senator from Ohio MIR Corwin)
had denounced the war plumber land conspiracy,
murder and robbery and those who thus denounce
the war; willing and demand to seize the whole of
the spoils" He regretted the Of Mr. Bell and
Of Mr. Houston, Senators from the South going
TO the enemy largely directed his remarks to their
consideration; but the object of MIR. Johnson of
Ca appeared to be the consumption of time desst
rom the attempt TO follow him through Talk, said he
about the maj nap imity Of the North. Let yield
this principle and voices hereafter calling upon their
will be impotent the wailings of
an infant in the throat Of a volcano. Finally. Mr..
johnson said that he who would violate the constitu