The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-12-05

On looking back what has happened to thar period
South Carolina himself will be obliged to concede to the
northern States at least apology for the slight de-
gree OF excitement on this subject His hypohesiss thai
orRa not excepted every STAKEHOLDER the United States
has right 70 migrate Tomorrow and carry with him his
slaves holding them there forever, subject only to the
abolition OF slavery when these territories shall be made
into States and come into the Union What then would
be those few chapters in history We find ourselves
now in the possession of territories with population OF
one hundred and fifty thousand souls if am correctly
Informed, IN California and New Mexico. The best
thentcated history OF the social institutions OF that popu
laton informs that there exists there this
species OF slavery absolute aud memorable exists
anywhere the face Of the earth, and that about FIVE
six of the population OF that country subjected TO the
iron rule of this abominable institution there
Now, do no! expect that any will rise up and say
that because individual happens to be the debtor Of
another he shall have his person sold into slavery
and not only that but that the shall extend,
than that of the Hebrew not 10 the third and fourth gen
eraons bat to the remoest poserty of that unfortunate
proposition as that Now, then, will give over the
criticism Suppose there is law in New Mexico which
obges man TO work all the days OF his life for another
because he happens TO him five dollars by some
means conrved by the creditor to keep him always his
debio do YOU intend that that law shall exist there for
an hour Well, you have made law here that your
law makers who are TO go to New Mexico and Caor
MIA shall not touch the subject of slavery; and, that
which is designated in the popular language of that
country slavery exists there do you indeed send abroad
as you promised to do, your missionary of liberty You
went there with the sword and made red in the blood
Of these people, VIVA, did you tell them' ave come
to give you freedom !" Instead of that you enact in your
code hereboody that of Draco-hat there shall be
judges and awgvers them bat that they shall make
no law touching that slavery to which five out of six Of
them subjected.
Mr. President, this chapter in your history furnishes
instructive matter for our consideration. 1t strange
act in the great drama OF what we call PROCESS have
looked upon II with some concern: was one of those
who predicted that this, something like this would be
the result of your Mexican always believed, not
whsandng your denials here that you made war upon
| a
quest ventured TO predict just what we see that
acquisition OF territory would follow the its
sequence, and lis object was that and nothing else and
that this very question would arise, ami here
distract your councils, dsunite your people, and threaten
as we are now told it does that peace which you thought
of SO lightly when so wantony waged agains,
Mexico 1t now seems your preensions were all hypo
critical from the beginning. You said your armed men
went forth TO her in the spirit Of love- You pretended
their mission was no, conquest but to set free the cap
ve to raise the PROSTATE peon OF that country and
now what follows AS soon as your arms have subdued
the country the gentle note OF the dove is changed the
lions Instead OF the proper blessing OF peace
your conquered SUBJECTS propose leave the chains
of the peon untouched. and now gravely contend that
negro slavery shall be superadded slavery for debt
Ihls is your Improvement, this your progress Mexico
To exat the miserable peon you give him the ensaved
negro for association and example Sir this is indeed
spectacle worth noting in this bright noon Of the nine
| teenh century.
We proclaimed to the world we would take nothing by
conquest This was our SOLEMN hypocritcal declaration
for two dark years, while progress marked BY
blood, while the march OF your power like another
people OF Old by clouds Of smoke in the day, and fire by
night City after city fell beneath the assaults of your
gallant army, and still you ceased not TO declare YOU
would take nothing BY conquest Now you say this ter
ritory conquered acquired by the common blood
OF our common country You trace back the consdera.
ton which you have paid for this country the blood
and the bones of the gallant that you there TO
be Sacrificed and pointing to the unbured of her
who have fallen there, the South excaims. "These
these constitute my title to carry my slaves that land
1t was purchased by the blood of my sons" The aged
parent, bereft OF his children, and the widow with the
family that remains, desire TO there better their for
tunes, if It may be- and, pointing to the graves of hus
bands and children, excam There there was the price
paid for our proportion OF this territory Is that true, If
that could be made out you dare put that upon your
record if you can assert that hold the country by the
strong hand then you have right go there with your
slaves If of the North have united with YOU of the
South in expedition OF piracy, and robbery, and MUIR
der, that Oldest law known among men-"hones,y among
Ithieves"-requres US to divide IL with you equally
[Laughter]
If, indeed Mr. President we have no other right than
that which force gives US to these
if, indeed, we have slaughtered fifty thousand of Gods
creatures only TO subject to power hundred and
fifty thousand OF an alien, ensayed, and barbarous peo
pie it is but fitting finale to all this to rvet yet closer
the chain OF personal slavery upon the Mexican peon
and people your possessions thus acquired by slaves
repeat that this right of conquest applied to territory
the other and better than that by which orr
ginally could claim to hold another in slavery
1t but the right right may be called of the strong
es-the law in both cases is simply the law of force
You march over country. wrest it by war from its
owner and say to the vanqushed possessor this is
mine. have seized your property; hold it by the law
OF Ana so originally the Slavedcaer The
negro in his African home, slaughtered combat part of
his family, bound the rest in chains, brought them here
and sold them 1t is simply poer and not right in both
cases. that makes the claim repeat, it seems, indeed
fitting and in character that the two should accompany
each other.
As in the of lands thus acquired long possession
and continued acquescence lin the Judgment of men)
rpen the claim into legal right, the of legal
slavery, the oaprs, originally held only by force in
time, by the law OF men, and by the judgment of men.
becomes property And told by the senator from
Virginia Mr. MAsoNl that the posteriy of such become
property only through the magical influence of these
words, Roman words "Parus scquitur uenfreni s'he
child follows the condition of its mother" Admirable,
philosophical, RATIONAL Christian maxim Ii the mother
be captured in war, then, the will Of just God,
whose tender merces ali his works., that her
offspring 10 the remotes time shall be doomed to slavery
What sublime morality what lovely justice combine to
sanctify this article that decaogue OF freedom
which say it is destiny TO give TO the world.
mon law" Alas Mr. President, ii is but too "commo ;"
This right of conquest over land is the same
as that by which may hold another in bondage
You may make it into law If you please you may en-
act that IL may be SO; II may be convenient TO do so
after pepeuating the original SIM ii may be well do
So But the is not altered the of the right
remains unchanged. What is the meaning of the Old
Roman word servus2 profess no skill in pathological
learning but 1 very well conceive how somebody
look ing into this thing might understand what was the
law in those days. The mans life was saved when his
enemy conquered him in battle He became serrus-ihe
man preserved by has magnanmous foe; and perpetual
slavery then thought 10 be boon preferable 10
death That was the way in which slavery began. Has
anybody found out the face of the earth man fool
enough 10 give himself up TO another and beg him 10
make him a save' do not know OF oae such instance
,,,xtar hA~x Vat, L. 81 a. ..l