Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-07-14
,,,,,nrlETH CoNGREss--Fir.. Session.
MONDAY, July 10, l64s.

utu,rlErH CoNGREss--Fir.ts Session.
MONDAY, July 10, ls4s.
SENATE.
AFTER some uuimportant business, the Oregon
Tcrrrorial bill was again taken up, and Mr.
I,,nson OF Maryland, addressed the Senate. be
al, that there we're FIVE propositions before the
Senate ,.a ,,,o,oh
eciicn. - e,,o, from Mic.
..s,s,i, 10 prohibi, expressly any legislation
3tHrhe proposition Of The Senator IRON lndl-
-, 10 incorporate in II the Missouri compro-
mise
An. The proposition of the Senator from ken-
,ucky. that Slavery shall exist south CT ina line,
N dcfiance OF The legislation oil Congress or The
wishes of the people of The territories.
5h. Not stated by him.
These several propositions he proceeded to e1-
anime, in all their constitutional bearings:
The absorbing question OF the day is The cleo
ion OF an executive magistrate, and all great
,nssions, whether this is right or not appear 10
: examined, and 10 some extent decided, with
,s.erence to their bearing upon The final result
Il. regretted tina, question like that involved
.,,retore, should be now before them, and ne
would infinitely have preferred That the question
lad teen postponed until that election HAD been
.eci.si.
N he STATE Of the public mind now, IL is
QUESTION not only oil importance, but oil momen'
toas importance, involving one OF mos, delicate,
powers 81 the constitution, and 81 vital interest,"
d me sovereign SAFES oil this UnioD-the right
!. one portion 10 maintain and extend slavery,
AMI 0. Inc other TO exclude altogether this moral
pollution from our territories
Tire Importance 10 the safety and property oil
me Union of settlement OF these questions, and
me consequences OF their continued a2i'ation,
were yiyGiy depicted, and ihe consequences ari-
sing prove The bad management Of the executive,
Nv he annexation oil Texas. To annex Texas,
under The circumstances, he said, We had per-
teci rishi, and proper management, subsequently
on The part OF be executive, would have proven
led any war with Mexico, and the shedding one
i!op Of American blood And had this been pre-.
yenei, The question now before them never would
have arisen.
And when il did come had il been conducted
in the proper spirit, without reference 10 he &C
QUESTION ot territories, This question sill might
h.ge been avoided. But The lust OF glory and OF
tomnion had induced the Executive 10 pursue a
iifsren! course.
The Senator from Massachusetts had viewed
and ne should view il in another. 10 favor of
annexation he found among the names OF Sena-
.ofs from tree States, thirteen; from the slave
Sises iwelve.
sir Davis said his remark was that Texas
had been brought in BY The Southern Democracy
o; The South, in the lead, aided BY The Democra-
g of the North.
Mr. Johnson proceeded. The object OF the
Senator had been 10 shew that Texas had come
IL through Southern influence. which he (Mr. J. }
.snied was correci, to The alledsed extent.
In regard 10 the justice of The Mexican war,
and the proprie,y Of taking territory as indemni-
g, it was we'll known that he (Mr. j. had DIFF.
srei from The majority OF his poltica associates.
He had voted for taking territory for the very pur.
poe OF avoiding this great question which is
nov asitating. and if no, alayed may destroy
lax Union. And il his views, then expressed,
had been carried out, the consequences which
are dlwing from different course of conduct
II a the influence oil different connsels upon the
EIecGtive-would have been avoided.
And the Senator from Massachusetts, instead
ii -nieavoriug to allay the excitement upon this
glesi,on appears willing 10 head party, in this
var on Inc South-ro say that within its present
walls must slavery be confined.
De proceeded to examine the powers of Con-
pls>s 10 adopt either OF the propositions which he
hal stated.
Hlt Congress the power to prohibit slavery in
the ,erri,ofes1 He denied tha, either The sixth
arc'e oil the ordinance OF 1887, or the provision
OF the Missouri compromise, warranted The con.
clusion 10 which the Senator from New York had
arrived as to this power.
He had understood the Senator from Massa-
chuseus, on Saturday, 10 contend, that so Tar as
his power existed in relation 10 the Territories
ACQUIRED, il was TO b. fonnd out of and not IN The
con> tuition. And was il 10 be con.ended that
Congress has the power Of legislation independ
en- OF The Constitution His argument that the
power 10 acquire carries with it incidentally the
power 10 govern. he should examine by and by,
bn in regard 10 The arguments Of others, ne in
s.. ed thai there was not 10 be found in the Con-
Sntion one line 10 show that Congress pussess-
ei his power.
The legislative power OF the government is the
p,%er expressly granted by the constitution
MS is a government OF enumerated powers, and
aol OF seneral-and the only question 10 deciie IS
what are the powers 50 expressly granted2 One
ii mem is, TO make all neediul rules and regula-
TOPS, preparatory 10 its introduction into The
Union.
he denied that there was any force 10 the arsu-
mento OF the Senator from Massachusetts, in re-
gari 10 Laws prohibiting the introduction OF i'm.
proper books, &c. Slaves were regarded in the
rish, Of persons aud property, and he should
lie 10 know by what right this Senator associa-
red any criminal with The Institutions of slavery :
The arguments adduced, on the admission of
Missouri into the Union, were examined, 10 show
what were the views then entertained as 10 this
power, and that the views Of Northern men have
CHANGED on this subject. II The movements at the
NoIih possessed The power 10 regulate commerce,
he though. il would soon be seized upon by men
al he North, 10 prohibit altogether slavery, and
i he slaves Vi The South were in state Of insur-
Eec;ion, The South, he believed, would call 10 vain
on he Nor;h for aid.
Nolhat the disposition TO do it, would not exist
q the par, OF prominent men, but that il would
be impossible so to control and direct public
opinion as to afford such assistance.
He was no advocate ct slaveIy-he had his
osn views on tina, subjsct-lhere was nothing ln-
conss,en, with the highest patriotism in The hold
iag o; slaves. Every school boy knew this
Bl, the evils overbalanced The benefits.
Tweoiy wears ago, 50 far from desiring TO be
placed in such situation, any respectable man
al he north would have considered il an insult 10
have been placed in the position which Mr.. Van
Barren now occupies. And YET he is now, in The
mi!,, OF the enthusiasm supposed 10 exist ready 10
accept that which few years ago he would have
REJECTED with sc)rn and contempt.
de lid not believe that, in the spirit now rag
in2 al The North against the institutions OF the
South any OF The compromises or requirements
OF The Constitution would BE- observed.
The right TO prohibit slavery, he contended, if
II existed under The Constitution at all, existed as
much prohibit il after as before territories are
admitted as States Whatever laws they may
deem wholesome 10 the regulation of the territory,
as sucn, they have Just The same power 10 make
follow il into the Union as State.
And il this relation of master aud servant can
be regulated by Congress in this way, wha, is to
prevent Congress from saying that man shall
no, go into The territory with his wife, or her
chilil Would any one pretend that Congress
could make any such regulation And yet the
power is as great in one as The other case. II can
be proved as easily 10 exist in the Constitution in
one case as in the other.
Though the declaration that all men are born
equal strikes at The foundation of a law given by
our Ceaor-a law which should be rermued 10
20 on without erruption-though slavery is an