The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-06-27


Union; detailed account OF the numerous acts OF the
federal government sustaining and carrying into full effect
States, and extension the territories and the steps
taken the States suppress neuaiize
undue agitation IN regard 10 ~ would be alike instructive
and honorable the in them Bur il will be readily
perceived hat this could be given within the
fire suffice say that from 1887, the date OF tue ordinance
for the prevention OF s9ye in the northwestern territory,
down 10 and including 1888, least eleven acts of Con
have beer passed, organizing territories which have
since become States, IN all OF which the constitutional
power Congress the introduction OF slavery
into the territories of the Unted States is either directly
exercised or clearly asserted by enacments, which, as
OF authority, tanarnoun it, exercise and
tlaI the only period when the peace of savehodug
states was supposed 10 be seriously endangered by abo
zion agitation, there was spontaneous uprising of the
people OF the NORTH oiboh parties by which agitation
paulyzed. and the south treasured of fidelity the
co,n promises OF the constitution
In the laws for the organization of the Territories which
nois, Wisconsin, and Iowa, slavery expressly prohibits
Cd Inc laws Tor tne organization of the Terri,oes of
contained enacmens fully equivalent in regard to the
tent OF power Ia Congress the subject OF slavery in the
Territories, the press il in The other
The acts approved by Presidents Washington the
elder Adams Jefferson, Madison Monroe, Jackson, and
myself all bound by oarhs OF Office To withhold our
respective aPprovals from laws which believed uncon
snsutnlal Ii in the passage these laws during period
Of bali century, and under the ADMINISTRATION OF so
many Presidents, there anything like sectional
divisions or greater loss participation in their
,lavehodlng of the non-slavehoding States, | am
nor appuAed OF IL. believe the plan devised by The
olnders OF tue government including the fathers OF our
political chorch o the OF this great subject and
which has hitherto been faithfully sustained and which
proven successful preserving the OF these
States, 10 be not only the wisest which the wit Of man
safety and property OF the whole country do therefore
desire TO see 1t continued long slavery exists in the
the various public stations have occupied is known to
the country. was at the time well that Went fur
Bat deeply penetrated by the convict that slave
" was the only subject that could endanger our blessed
Union, was determined that effort my part, within
the pale o. the should be wanting 10 sustain It's
CON promises as they then understood and it is now
source OF consolation TO me that pursued the course
then adopted.
The doctrine which the late Baltimore convention has pre-
sen'ed Tor the sanction OF the naonis in ha the
laws have referred to were but so many violations OF e
constitution that this instrument coners power on Con
gess 70 e&cnde slavery from the territories as ia. 80 oen
been done with the assent OF all This doctrine set forih IN
the published opinion of the highly respectable nominee OF
because he avowed that opinion and who II Is equally
certain would have received if he had not done Il
proposed to give this doctrine the most solemn sanction
known political system, by the election OF rs de
cared ADVOCATE and supporter to the presidency Hire, re-
States, the result be doubtful The policy ia regard
TO the extension OF slavery to the territories 81 The United
has existed since the commencement othe government
and the consequences of which have been so sau1ary,
into effect be defeated by the Of the Executive.
The territories now owned by the United States, and
by the United States, whether obtained by annexation, by
cesson for valuable consideration, or by conquest must
as long this opinion is held and as far as the acton OF
the national leg stature is concerned be subject the in
roads OF slavery And this consequence TO be submitted
with their attention directed to the subject, and with well
understood desire do So have failed cohe Congress
vote contribute this sanction cannot do so, because
cannot in the opinion which called upon to
sustain
Entertaining these views of the constitution could not
by my vote contribute the proposed sanction OF this new
principle the administration of tho iede raj government
without, at the tme avowng myself 10 be in favor OF
the extension of slavery in the and This can
stence of the power expedency exercising
It, and can still bring their minds TO dissent from this con-
cuson must have light upon the subject, or have
greater power Of discriminating than possess do, there
pursue withholding your from Governor Cass and
shall do myself n no other candidates than those now
before the country are presented, shall not vote Tor Pres
dent The in which POLITICAL brethren in other
States shall dispose other snages is Tor
them determine and with it we have nothing to do But
they accord with us in the opinion as to the existence
OF ths power in question: and the expedency OF exercising
whenever the occasion for SO doing arrives we nave the
best reasons to know.
The powerhe existence Of which u.s. this late day,
the constitution Its language the circumstances under
which adopted, The recorded explanations which &C
companed its formation, the construction It has received
from highest judicial tribunals and the very solemn
and repeated conrmaons 1t has derived from the meas
ures OF the government leave no. tho shadow OF doubt IA
my mind in regard to The authority OF Congress to exercise
part nor the fst occasion on which been avowed
Whilst the candidate OF my friends for the presidency
distinctly announced opinion IN favor OF the power Of
Congress abolish slavery in the District of Columbia, a.
though was, for reasons which were then, and are s'i
There fhe question OF power certainty clear IN
the territories, it is in regard to that District
in still solemn form, by giving the executive APP
prova required by the the bill for the
lzation OF the territorial government OF Iowa, which pro-
hibed the Introduction of slavery into that Territory
| Tue opinion from which dissent given in the
face o. and directly contrary the views expressed, in
forms the solemn and explicit by all or nearly all the
-slavehoding States and at liberty TO sus
pect the OF these expressions. Honest and well
meaning men, know the masses of our political
friends in those States be, incapable Of ung with
SC grave subject
Our sgnalizcd the commencement of this g!o
rous government ours, by escng from subsection
slavery territory which is covered by five great
States and peoped by than four millions OF ireemen
good institutions confer. They I'D this when the opn-
ions and conduct of the world in regard TO the institution OF
slavery very different from what it Is now.
| They did before Great Britain had even commenced
those gigantic efforts for the suppression OF slavery, by
which he has greatly distinguished herself After sew
right eigovernnen Obtained for by the valor and
discretion of ancestors, their descendants are cal
ed upon DOOM that word to expose
the of slavery territory capable OF sustaining
acy-a territory great part of which slavery has
existed fact and from the residue OF which has been
expressly abolished by the existing government We are
do this period when minds nearly
all mankind have been penetrated by conviction oi the
evils osSavery and united in efforts for its suppression
moment, when the spirit OF freedom and reform
is everywhere far prevalent than IL has ever BEEN
and when republic stands proudly forth the great
empar OF the world in the science OF free government
Who can believe that population like that which in
habits the savehodng States, probably amounting
twelve millions, who, by their acts by the foresight
OF others, have been exempted from the evils OF slavery
can, such moment be induced by considerations oil
ption, make retrograde movement OF char
extraordinary and so painful! Such movement
would, in my view OF the matteand say twith unieign
TO