Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-08-29
THE COMPROMISE BILL-ALExANDER
HAMILTON STEPHENS.

of Conference and Arrangement.
THE COMPROMlSE BILL-ALEXANDER
HAMILTON STEPHENS.
We promised on Saturday 10 review the late
speech of this individual 10 the House of Repre-.
sen,a,ives on The Compromise Bill, and we now
undertake the task. There are some who VIII
consider our article incorporate, bal we will ap-
peal to the people OF The whole South TO sustain
us in these trying times in the discharge OF what
we consider sacred duty. We mean TO lay bare
and TO expose this monslrous production, which
saps the very foundation OF Southern institutions
The author, not content with having stricken a
parricidal blow at his own section, must insult
the South by making speech containing doc
trines which 60 bow-shot beyond Wiimoi Fro
yisoism, and amount 10 rank abolitionism-not
the aboi,ionism OF VIM. Lloyd Garrison and
Abbey Kelly, who would Gu, our hroas 10 Tree
the slave hnt that Of Adams. and Giddings, anc
Fillmore These latter tell US they do not wish 10
disturb slavery in the States, bn, they are tor
keeping il out Of the territories; and Mr.. Sic
phens has furnished them with an argument
which, If true, will render i, utterly Impossible Tor
he STAKEHOLDER ever 10 carry his slaves into the
territories wthou, palpable violation OF The
Constitution
What is the sum and substance OF the letter
Of MIR. R. T. Daniel, and the speech of MIR. A
H. Stephens What is this new doctrine which
they preach' 1t is, that what both parties a.
the South almost unanimously believe, that nei
thor the Congress of the United States, under
the Constitution, nor the Territorial Leglsia-
lures. mr. even the people Of the territories
themselves until they assemble to form State
Constitution, are able to do, may be accom-
pished by law of barbarous, half civilized
Mexico a law passed by those whom we have
beaten, conquered, snHiued, and whose lands
ue have wTes,ed rom them, ard male our own
by half breeds and moDgre.-. mnattnss anc
Indians unless. indeed, we can get Webster
and Dix, and Hale, and Corwin, Tuck and Pal
frey, and Giddinss, and Wil,not, to consent to
repeal it! The argument Of Messrs Daniel and
Stephens is, that the territories which we have
acquired from Mexico, are free by Mexican law,
md that the Compromise Bill did not repeal this
law; that il remains in force until repealed; and
that the Supreme Court will have to be go
yer. ed BY this law. In other words, Mes.rs.
Daniel and Stephens believe, with Justice Nc
Lean, who was prominent candidate before the
Buffalo Convention Of Barnburners, Free Soil
men and Fanatics, that New Mexico and Cali
fornia are already, by Mexican law, free
,ho elo hoI1
there; that slavery can never exist there;
unless by an act # Congress they are made
slape SOIL And as every body knows that the
Constitution cannot enact slavery cannot estab.
li.h slavery, cannot create the institution
the positions OF these very learned gentlemen lead
them Just as far as Justice Mclean, or the very
rankes, Aboli;ionist, upon the question Of slavery
in the territories
We will extract from Mr.. Stephens speech the
principle. in support of which he makes so o.
tenacious parade of authorities He says
"All The laws which were in force in the con-
quered country, al The time OF the conquest, are
held continue 10 force until altered or modified
by The ccnquering power, eIccp' snlh as may be
inconsistent ,cth the fundamental lao Of the con-
que,in. po,cer, or inconsistent with some stpu
laions 10 the hnal treaty, or such as were purely
political in their character, and concerned only
the relations between The people and their former
sovereign or ruling power"
We will admit his principle in lis fullest ex-
tent; but we pledge ourselves 10 prove beyond
the shadow OF doubl, tina, any law OF Mexico,
prohibiting slavery in The new territories, is Gin,
consistent with" our fundamental law-tha, is,
with the Constitution of The United States.
The first argument which We shall offer for
this purpose, will turn upon very simple propo.
sion, which, unlil we saw Mr. Daniels letter
and Mr.. Stephens speech, we had supposed thai
no man South OF Mason and Dixons line would
dispute, aud that none bu, Daniel Webster and
other Northern men would deny. That PROPOSE
ton is, that apes are property In ne territories
or, 10 simplify il somewhat, the slave does moi
become entitled TO his freedom by The bare act OF
being carried into The lcrriorie. by his master
surprising, tor the present, The territories TO be
raeons. or that there is no law oil the nation from
which they may be acquired prohibiting slavery
We presume, of course that Messrs Slephe and
Daniel dispute both OF these propositions, for
none are so stupid not to see that if they admit
them, they utterly destroy their whole argument,
And has it come 10 ,his7 Is this poor, bleed.
ing, down troddep, much abused South reduced
so low, that We find ourselves under The necessity
OF arguing with our own politicians 10 sustain
sach proposition Z Do we find ourselves com
PEELED TO comba, those whose highest and most sa.
cred duty it ought to be, TO guard, defend and pro.
lect our rights and Interests, but who have used
against US exactly the same arguments, The same
process OF reasoning, the same weapons as Da |