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

nitey better that day that South Carolina and Georgia
had remained out of the Union for WHILE rather than
that the constitution should have been made to sanction
the slave trade for twenty years The dissolution Of the
old Confederation would have been nothing in compan-
son with that recognition OF piracy and murder. |
conceive OF nothing IN the dark record OF mans enomi-
Bile as that of stealing people from their home. and
making them and their posterty slaves forever 1t is
crime which we know has been visited with such signal
punishment in the history of nations TO warrant the
belief that Heaven itself had insrlered avense the
wrongs OF earth.
In thu, charae,srane this accursed traffic speak bu!
the common sentiment OF all mankind. could not,
taxed my feeble intellect to the utmost denouncs it in
language strong that uttered by Thomas Jefferson
himself Nay. more the spirit OF that great man de-
denounced the slave trade carried on between
the States being no less infamous than that foreign
slave trade carried in ships that went down into the
sea. | speak OF Thomas Jefferson Randolph. II you
would not 80 to Africa. and thence people California
here You take the child from It's mothers bosom you
separate husband and wife and you transport them three
thousand miles of to the shores of the Pacific ocean
know that this is peculiar institution; and doubt
not that in the hands OF such gentlemen talk about it
here, It may be made very attractive. 1t may be very
agreeable sight to behold large company OF dependents
kindly treated by benevolent MASTER and to TRACE the
manifestations of gratitude which they exhibit But in
my eyes much grateful spectacle would be that of
apatrarch in the neghborhood with his dependents
all around him, invested with all the attributes Of free
dom bestowed upon them by the Common Father in
peculiar Institution According to the account OF the
senator from Mississippi. lMr. DAvIsl this institution
exhibits all that is most amable AMI beautiful in
ture That senator drew picture Of old. gayheaded
negro woman exhausng the kindness OF her heart upon
the white child she had nursed. This is true; and it
shows the good master and the graceful servant But
sir all such these The senator concealed the
other side OF the pictures and was only revealed to US
by the quick apprehension of the senator from Florida
Mr. Wrsrcorr, who wanted the power to send patrol
all the country to prevent the slaves from rising TO
aptun the order OF society had almost believed after
hearing the beautiful, romantic sentimental narration OF
the senator from Mississippi. that God had indeed as he
wait upon US till the senator from Florida walked me up
recollection OF the old doctrines Of Washington and
institution existed rigid police should be maintained in
order prevent the uprising OF the slave. Sir il is in
deed peculiar institution know many good men who
and moderation OF their rule and government OF their
slaves; but put bad man, sometimes happens, as
often happens IN possession OF uncontrolled dominion
over another, black or white, and then wrongs follow
that make angels weep. 1t is. sir. troublesome instu-
ton It requires too much law too much force to keep
up social and domestic securty therefore do not wish
to extend it to these and as yet feeble territories
Is it pretended that slave labor could be profitable in
Oregon California; Do expect TO grow cotton and
sugar therei do not know that may not be done
there; for, the gentleman from New York has told u.s.
just you go west upon this Continent, the line OF la
ude changes in temperature SO that you may have very
different isoheImal line as you approach the Pachc
lection is radical one to the institution everywhere.
do believe if there is any place upon the globe which we
ness there If that place is fit only for black men to
work, let black men alone work there. 40 not know
any better law for mans good than that old one which
was announced to after the first transgresslon that
by the sweat of his brow he should his bread. do
not know what business men have In the world, unless
it to work any man has work OF heal or hand
to do in this world, let him get out OF soon The hog
the only gentleman who has nothing to do but eat and
sleep. Ham we dispose OF as soon as ne is fat Difficult
the settlement OF this question seems to some, it s in
,,,Jx Innk and
treat it original proposition, TO be decided by the
influence its determination may have on the Territories
themselves are r., away from thu ms and
States" The only question mainly to be considered s
How will this policy affect the Territories for which tbs
my Of the suee
consider bad policy to plant slavery any soil where
do not find il already growing, look upon it as an
plant it; therefore, satisfied of constitutional
power to prohibit it, SO arm equally certain it is our duty
to do so.
In the States where law and long usage have made the
slave property, property treat it, 1t. is there, and
while there it should and will receive that protection
which the constitution and the good neghborhood OF the
false to my best convictions of duty policy, and right if
by my vote should extend it acre beyond its present
limits may be mistaken in all this; but OF one thing
am satisfed-of the honest conviction OF my judg-
ment and no Imaginary interruption of the ties which
bind the various sections of the confederacy shall induce
to shrink from these convictions whenever am called
|
But told that when the constitution was made
there existed certain relative proportions between the
power of the slave and the power of the free States
understood the senator from South Carolina that
under obligations to preserve forever these relative pro-
portions in the same way
Mr. CALHOUN. | said nothing of the kind
Mr. CoRwIN. | am very happy to be undeceived |
understood the senator to conceive that this question
of power II is not so. 1t is question of municipal
law of civil polity The who framed the constitu
ton dreamed that there to be conflict OF
power between the slave and the free States They
never dreamed that the South to contend that they
would always be equal in representation in the Senate TO
| the North They had no idea OF that equilibrium Of
power of which we have heard much. The circum-
of that period forbade any such supposon Look
ing all these circumstances, (and have doubt those
seeing regarded them carefully you would have
had fourteen free States and nine slave States. But
every man who had much to do with the formation of
the constitution expected and desired that slavery should
be prohibited in the States, and they expected
to have it abolished in many of the States where it
isted They had idea of conflict and it the ultra ia
nacs in the South well as those in the North would
let the subject alone, should have much less difficulty
in a. proper settlement of the question.
While the extreme fanaticsm of the North it is said,
would burst the barriers of the constitution and rush in
10 the slave States to enforce their abolition views,
trampling your laws and mady overiurning existing
Institutions there the South its fiery Indignation
tones OF unmeasured reproach But have southern gen
emen considered their position before the world this
question You declare the opinion that slavery does not
exist either in Oregon, California New Mexico; all
these immense regions and for many years have
ultra fanatics OF the South ask Sir, they avow their
determination rush into these free Territories overturn
the social system there existing uproot all establishments
founded and moulded by absence OF slavery, and