The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-07-27

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his colleague IMr H1LlARDl from the second district,
who took occasion attack the President OF the United
States instead OF attending to the provision OF the bill
Of so much importance to the State which they mutually
in part represented Since that ne however the peace
had come and his colleague was answered But yester-
day. again, when his colleague had the floor he took
occasion to denounce the President usurper, for
ordering our troops westward from Corpus Christi. Mr.
H. defended the President from this charge and passed
on TO notice his colleagues declaration that this order
Was gwen at the same time when the government had
sent minister to treat with Mexico upon this question
OF boundary-thus employing the sword and comms-
sloner at the same time to settle the same question: lie
showed the goundessness of this charge by the citation
of facts and dates
Mr. H. then speak of the twelfth section OF the
bill, which prohibits the introduction OF slavery INTO the
Territory of Oregon He spoke oil the territory belong
ing to the United States acquisition which has cost
the blood and treasure Of ALL Upon the question
of the establishment of territorial governments Tor these
regions, met with question OF most fearful I'M
portance-a question affecting the ownership OF Ger
tain description Of property IN the southern Sates ,
constitution of the United States which recognise prop
ery in slavesthe clauses authorizing the Importation OF
slaves fer twenty years. and the clause which
the power for the etakng of fugitive slaves found IN the
savehoding States II was the power OF the con-
stuton OF the United States that enabled the master to
retake his slave in Connecticut, when he could not
recover him in Canada He demonstrated also, that the
constitution recognises slaves as property by the exist
| ence of the provision for direct taxation. ;,
AS slavery became unproiitable the institution dis
| appeared at the north. Their slaves were sold to
the south, and their price was pocketed by the north
ern opponents of slavery He trusted that gentlemen
were not prepared to legisate IN contavenhon OF the
constitution: for he need not tell this assemblage
of lawyers that legislative enactment could not con-
clude constitutional provision. From hence he ar
s hs7 of ns vsy aa1 aboshe f
slavery only some time last winter and he maintained
that the State Of Illinois might exercise the function
wthsandng the provision of the ordinance. Mr. Madi
had said that this provision OF the ordinance had moi
the shadow OF authority under the constitution.
The assumption of power TO legislate upon this ques-
ton in conavention Of the constitution, to his mind
truly alarming The plea of necessity was OF no validity
it was the yrants and the robbers plea This assump-
ton the most alarming OF all the tendencies to
| trasm. The executive encroachmens nothing,
dust the balance, compared with the dangerous ten
denotes of this assumption of legislative power
He examined the constitution particularly to show that
that instrument gave such power TO Congress All
the advocates OF the constitutional power of Congress
gress to make all needful rules and regulations for the
disposition OF the territory and other property belonging
to the United States He excepted, however, the gentle
from Massachusetts, IMr MANNl who claimed that
Congress had the right to egsate upon the subject of
slavery in the Territories because the Territories belong
to Congress. Nevertheless, the constitution says ex-
csion OF the Supreme Court upon this question fixes the
meaning of this term territory and declares that in
this conneyion in the constitution is employed to rep
resent land and property in land Under this provision
OF the constitution, il Congress may egsate and make
needu rules and regulations for the disposition sale
Of the public lands in the Territories. it may, under
the same provision, make rules and regulations for
the sale OF the public lands in the sovereign States.
change tomorrow If, then, Congress may legislate
over the subject OF slavery in the Territories under
this clause. they may aso legslae upon the subject
recognised in fundamental law 1t became also the
subject of municipal legislation The Congress and the
general government was but the agent OF the States;
and Alabama had not authorized this agent to inhbit
slavery in the region OF Oregon. They had not author
lied Congress to decide upon the rights of private prop
erty; did this power belong to the settlers that may
happen to reside in the Territories II could have no ex-
stence till the people of those Territories shall put on
their soveregnty-sha emerge from their chysalis state
and become Independent States OF this Union
He would say nothing OF the morality of slavery since
the Messiah-he whose mission it was to rebuke sin
MI C0NGER next obtained the floor, and spoke an
hour favor of the prohibition of slavery in Oregon
and in support Of the authority of Congress the SUBJ
| jec, in the Territories.
Mr.. WALLACE then obtained the floor; and when
the committee was about to rise
MIR. BAYLY, by consent, and by way OF personal ex-
PLANTATION, delivered written explanation and correction
of statements in the printed speech of Mr. HOLMES OF
South Carolina delivered the 2sh of June with ref
10 the position and of the Virginia deega-
ton in Congress upon the Oregon boundary question
The committee then rose, and reported the Indian APP
preparation BILL and the action in committee upon the
Senate amendments thereto.
On motion OF Mr. VINTON, the House concurred in
the report Of the Committee of the Whole the Of
the Union in regard to the Senate amendments.
The House then adjourned.