Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-08-30
y zf SPEECH OF
c. B. SMITH. OF IA.
On the Extension Of Slavery


nG,e,,d i. tie House nj Rspyt~"fafires n u
- Inited Siaies. Jsiy3lsf, Isis.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: Before proceeding II
'tbe vote on this bill, will avail myself
This opportunity 10 present my views OF
some Of the topics connected win 'i''
measure, which have been so eiabofaieij
discussed. Although the bill now before
Us provides only for Territorial Govern
sncnt in Oregon. yet. the propriefy ofpro
hibi,inc slavery in New Mexico and Cali
fornia has been embraced IN the discus
sion. The subjects are SO intimately con
ncctcd that what may be said in relation
% either ono Of them applies very natu-
rally 10 the others. shall. therefore
xpeak Of the matter in its relation to all oil
fhcsc Territories.
II is now two years since the title OF
the United States to the Territory of Ore
.eon was relieved from all question or con-
iroycrsy by the treaty witt, Great Britain
Esrr since that time there has resi-
ied in the Territory an industrious, en-
ierprising. and constantly increasing pop
ylation. numbering, NOW some twelve or
fifteen thousand souls, who, acknowledge
their allegiance to the Government of the
United States, aud claim its protection
Remote from the inhabitants OF every
State Of the Union, accessible only to any
portion Of our people by q long and peril
Gus passage BY sea. around Cape Horn,
Or by an equally pc6ilous route through
thousands Of miles OF wilderness, sur
rounded on all sides by numerous tribes
of savagcs. likely at any moment TO be
converted into fierce and deadly enemies.
"a n nd al
Of "a wealthy and powerful British Com
pany ia their immediate vicinify-they
need regularly organized form Of Gov
ernment under the authority and sanction
of the United States. 1t is our duty to at
FORD them such u government, with all the
means necessary to enable them TO sustain
it. and 10 protect themselves against all
the dangers which surround them. They
have a right to claim this u. our hands
The duties of allegiance from the subject
and protection from the Government are
yeciprocal Unless we intend to afford
them the protection which their situation
renders necessary, we should renounce
MI claim To their allegiance, and author
ne them TO depend upon their own re-
sources, and form u government Tor them
selves.
Tho object Of the bill now before the
committee is to give them such a govern
Iiscnt, and trust it will receive the sane
ton of both Houses of Congress-, and be-
come law during the present session.
The debate which has arisen upon this
bin has not been so much upon the gen
eral question of creating a territorial gov
crnmcnt. Che necessity of which is gene
rally conccded.) as upon that provision OF
the bill which applies to the Territory the
principles Of the ordinance Of l787.-I
The attempt to prevent the extension of
slavery into Oregon by this provision has |
been assailed with much warmth and vio- |
lcncc. We are charged with viola /
ton Of the rights Of the South. and are /
gravcly threatened with dissolution of
the Union. if the attempt shall be persis-
ted in by the North.
These threats, of dissolution of the |
Union, have been repeated SO often, and
upon SD many different occasions. that /
they will have but little weight or intlu-
ence. presume the members of this 4.
House will not be deferred BY their repe-
tition from what they believe to be their
duty. IL it is right to prohibit slavery in
that Territory. we should do it without be-
Ing influenced by threats from any quar-
Ter.
is somewhat extraordinary. Mr.. Chair
i'ian. that we have witnessed SO mitch sem
sitiveness. dhring the present session.
from southern gentlemen. on the subjec,
of prohibiting slavery in Oregon. 1t the
question were new one. if the prohbi-
ton was proposed now for the first time.
this Indignation. at what is alleged as an
INVASION of southern rights. would not ap-
pear SO rcnarkab The proposition
is not new one. 1t has been repeatedly
decided by the lJotse, at previous sessions,
that slavery should be prohibited i'm that !.
Territory. This decision has been made
with the Appreciation and concurrence of :
at least a portion Of the southern men,
bers. while the great mass Of them have :
acquicsced in il. Let us examine for '
!ew minutes the action OF the House here +.
'o'orc on this question. I,
:. During the second session Of the o3th !;
Congress. in l6i5. the House had before ,
q bill, similar to the one we are now |
TO organize territorial gov. ,
in Oregon. The Journal Of that ,
On the bill, which will be found on page
3l8: GG2fHE4 1Gr
1.-THE question being. "lst, w III the House a. :
s'e0 70 he auseNdweWts to the said Hill reported
rom TIE COMMITTEE Of the Whole House on the ,
''Ne 81 0se Uniosf When
- e"~sw OF the SAID anne ndmc nts being
ra''ed scr, she FIRST Of the said anne ndmen,s was ,
'ead aud agrccd TO; and iss s-cond Of said A.
seneme~ts was then read us follows: Add nj the
~ Q. '"e o'a section the following: Provided.
however. that there shall neither be slavery nor
nvo'"ntnry serviiude in the said Territory, 9th
'sw.se than in the punishment Of crimes. Nh. re- :
p use party shall have boon duly convic,ed.''-
And the question: being put. will the House zee
was decided in the affirmative. Yeas
l29, nays Co.
" those who votcd for the prohibition .
y slavery, Is an amendment to the bill,
i've were from slave StaIes-Messrs Bren. j
gle: OF Maryland, Rodney. of Delaware.
md order, Thompson. and White, of I
kentucky. Three members from free /;
Naaes voted against M-Wm. J. Brown, of ;