Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1848-08-02
Mr. CaIIaoun's Speech 0sa
THE OREGON BILL.
]. S. Senate. Tuesday, June 9Th, 1917.
lCONCLUDED.| !

I have now shown. trust. beyond con.
troversy, that Congress has no power
whatever to exclude the citizens Of the
Southern States from emisra'ius with
their properly into the territories Of the
United States, or to give all exclusive mo-
nopoly of them to the North. now pro-
pose TO go one step farther, aud show that
neither the inhabitants of the territories
nor their legislatures have any such right.
A very few words will be Sufficient for he
purpose; for of all The positions ever ia
ken. hold that which claims the power
for them 10 be the most absurd. If the
territories belong 10 the United S;atcs-if
the ownership, dominion and sovereignty
over them be in the States Of this Uuiun,
then neither The inhabitants Of The terrific
lies, nor their legislatures, eau exercise
auy power but what is subordinate to them;
bu, il The contrary could he shown, which
hold to he impossible, il would be sub
ject 10 all the restrictions To which have
shown The power Of Congress is and for
the same reas0n, whatever power they
nigh; hold, would in the case supposed be
subordinate 10 the constitution, aud con-
lroleJ by the nature aud character of our
political institutions. But if The Laxetse !
hn is..----: S-',-------', 60,
l,ner The territories be III their inhabitants,
;nstead of tie Uuiled Slales. they would
;r,,.eh in that casa, have the exclusive
and absolute power of governing them,
and minhr exclude whom they pleased and
wha, they pleased. But in 'hal case they
,.,,,Id crase to he the territories of the
Haired STATES, the moment we acquired
,Lo,, and hermit them TO he Inhabt~d.-
'The frs, half dozen oI squal'ers would
becoue the sovereiSns, with iuii dom'u-
inn aud sovereignty over them; aud Tie
ful, Jomini u aud sovereignty of The coun-
,,v as soon as they become The territory
nf,he United States, vested with the full
,;.h, o( excluding their conquerors. There
is no escaping from this alternative, but
hv resorting TO the greatest oil all absurIi-
,ss that of divided sovereisuty-a sore'
.a;n,,v. parl of which would reside in
Tho limited States, and a part in The luha-
h;,,n,s of The territory. How can sove
reituty-lhe ultimate AMI supreme power
nf y Sta,e-be divided! The exescise OF
The power Of sovereignty may be divided,
Inn, how can there be two supreme powers!
We are next told that the laws Of Mex
;co nrerlude slavery; aud assuming that
,Lov will remain in force until repealed,
!, ;s con,endeJ, lha, until Congress passes
an act for their repeal, the ci'ize"s ot-lhe
South cannot emigrate with 'he'r proper.
~ into The territory acquired from her
.dmit ,ba, the laws Of Mexico prohibit moi
slavery, bul slavery in the form It exists
with US. The Puros are as mnch slave:
as our negroes and are less Intelligent an1
we'll rea,ed. But deny that the
lave Of Mexico can have The effect air
bp,ed 10 them. As soon as The treaty be
tween The Two countries is ratified, TIT
sovereignty aud authority of Mexico III 'h'
,erritury acquired by il becomes extinct
and that of The United STATES is subs'tu
led 10 its place, carrying with 1t 'he Con
.,i,o,ion. with It's overriden control owe
all Tho laws and institutions Of Mexico IN
consistent with il. 1t is true, the munI'l
nal laws Of the territory not lnconslslen
w;,h The condition aud the nature OF ou
ooiiical system would, according to III
writer's on the laws OF nations, remain un
Ill changed, not as matter oi 'ish' VI
merely of sufIerance, and as between III
;nhobirau,, of territory, in order to avo'
n STATE Of ANARCHY, before they can
brouoh, under our laws. This is the y
mos, limit to which suiferance goes. VI
der II, the peon System would c"n''nu
bu, not 10 The exclusion Of such OF our c.
zens as may cho"se to c"Isra'e WIN 'he
slaves or other property. that may be e:
cludeL by he laws of Mexico: Inc h'
name provisions of the laws oi nations
10 farther than 10 project the Inhah'an
in their property and civil rights, lnd
,ncir former laws, until others can be su
s,itu,ed. TO extend them farther, al
give Them The force ofexcluding emsran
from the United States, because their pr
pcrlv and religion are such as are pr
hibiled from being introduced by the 'a'
Of Mexico, would not only exclude gre
majority OF the people of 'ho United i,. Stat
from emisralins into the acquired terri
ry, but wo>hI DC 10 give a higher au'h"
" 10 The exlinc, authority of Mexico o'
the territory than our actual authority