The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-08-23
SPEECH OF JOS. A. WOODARD,

SPEECH OF JOS. A. WOODARD,
OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
In the House of Representatives, July ls4s.
The House being in Committee OF the
Whole on hestate ofthe Union on the Civ.
Il and diplomatic Appropriation bill, Mr..
Woodward having obtained the floor,
said
Mr.. CHA1RMAs: Some days since thought
proper to address the House in reply to
speech made by the honorable gentleman
from Virginia, (Nr. Bayly) upon the ques-
ton of the right of Congress to Iegslate for
the settlers upon the public lands. 1t was
not my intention at that time to 60 INTO The
general argument, but only to devel"pe the
true practical issue before the country, and
to show that he had not presented it fully
and fairly. True. in order to prevent mis-
apprehension, used the occasion to define
nv position. but with no view entering upon
an argument in defence of it. | expressly
reserved that for future occasion. shall
embrace the one now offered.
Are sIavehnders, under the common Con-
stitution Of the Union entitled, with their
slaves, to enter upon. purchase. and occupy,
peaeeabIy, the public lands, which are the
property of the United States? This is the
true question at ISSUE | take bit little in
terest in any inquiry into the powers OF Con-
'gress within the territory. except as il affects
this question. care as little about the au-
thority attributed to first settlers or Mexican
pre-occupanfs. or as to the supposed abiding
CT nt >,ysI-
auered territories by Mexico, except as they
bear upon this question. It'll could nave
guarantee that The rights. honor and safely
cf the Southern States and people were TO
he respected and maintained, ! should ieel
disposed to indulge gentlemen in any op,,n-
ions they might choose to entertain IN re'a-
ton to these abstract propositions. III you
could separate this reasoning from the Prac'
tical consequences that are TO flow from II,
should not object to their reasoning as oes1
suited their fancies. But, sir, in the nature
Of things such a separation is impossible:
The vital interests, If not the very safety OF
the South, are dependant upon the conclu-
sons to which gentlemen may come. ine'r
logic is 10 be Jaw to the South; radical, fun
damentaI law; law upon which our destiny
is 10 depend, unless indeed we should choose
to take our destiny oul OF other peoples
hands. Ifa be true that the Constitution
affords no guaranty for us in this emergency;
ifCongress, TOO, be impntcnt. for our defence;
If our rights are to be held even less sacred
than the laws and institutions lett by Mex
CO IN the conquered country, as our'Nor'hern
fr;;ee ends insist must be done, then ls the con-
di,ion Of the Southern States Illuminating
and deplorabIe in the extreme. dePrecate
the agitation ofthese questions and their IN
troduclion into politics. Would that they
had never risen. But it will not 40 Tor
those who have made the occasion, TO ask
that it be permitted to pass in silence.
know Il would be great accommodation to
some gentleman to do so. Aud l should
find no difficulty in fabricaiing plausible ex-
cuses that would be perfectly satisfactory t"
nv constituents, especially when found 10
B.: b:cpdorsed by " desirable number OF po-
I;cal writers: and should prove incomPe.
ten, to the task, ! could find friends rea ~
and skiIlful to serve me. Should choose
,n crafty others by taking such course
;nsiead Of being here under the scowls OF an
ery partisans glared upon by fierce and hun.
Sry ambition, with its horsc-leech cry OF
aeiye, give" its Anaconda nav, that moth
ing can overgIut, should find myself IN the
mids, Of smiling faces and sympathetic hearts
the object of hearty gratitude for the present,
and possibly not without hopes OF more SUD-
staptial reward for the future.
But. MIR. Chairman, shall proceed to the
argument. And my intention is to present a
fair and ingenious argument l shal! wound
no gentIeman's feelings intentionally, but
shall leave every one wholly without excuse
for not following an example Of frank and
liberal discussion.
aThe people of the territories have exciu'
siye right manage their own internal affairs
given to govern themselves" This is one
ofthe propositions to be met. Sir, there
runs throughout this phrase more lurking
sophisiry than was ever couched IN the same
number of words, while on its front it pre-
seo,s about as available an ad cap.andun as
politician could find convenient to make
use Of for any elec,ioneerlng emergency
whatever.
In the first place, occupants found upon
public domain, external TO some sovereign
~ owning il, can in no proper sense be eau
ed"a people;" ;"if we are to have any regard Io'
political science as taught from Kent back
wards through the whole train OF public wr'
tor. E,.cnt ue mean 10 repudiate all suct