The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-04-22
CONGRESSIONAL.
REMARKS OF slR. CAMERON,
OF PENNSYLVANIA.
IN the .Nsnafe-ADrn2 20 1913

IN the Senate-ApH 20, 1s4s.
O. Mt CAMERON SAID he rose merely TO defend his own
Staetha great State which he had the honor in part to
Tepresen-ona single point which had been alluded 10
by the distinguished senator from South Carolina mir
CALHOUN That senator had done injustice to PennsyI-
yania Sqnlntentonally, doubtless in comparing recent
law OF hers with an act of the late legislature OF New
York. The New York statute il is said, makes il a
penal offence for any of her citizens aid in the arrest
or restoration OF fugitive slaves to their owners The
law OF Pennsylvania is widely different affair Her act
OF 1925 made it the duty of the State officers to aid in the
arrest OF slaves which act has been stated by the
colleague OF the senator, rendered null by the decs
decaratoy one setting forth the fact thar those officers
were not required BY the State laws to repder such aid
The duty of the citizens remains unchanged and is no
way affected.
No attempt has been made by Pennsylvania to interfere,
in any way with the power authority OF the general
government nor the duty OF the citizens to that govern
ment The marshal or his deputy can call to his aid a
sufficient posse at any time, when may be necessary
sustain the laws OF the Union and in the history
OF Pennsylvania can be pointed to- which will show that
she has, IN single instance, been wanting in due re-
gard for the guarantees OF the constitution and the
promises under It, Nor will she ever be. The senator
alluded, ALSO to disturbance in Carlisle. Undue i'm
portance has been attached to that affair The persons
concerned in tried, and those found guilty were
properly, and, may add, severely punished They are
still incarceraed within the walls OF pentenary AS
to the death OF citizen from another State, | am posi-
lively assured that he the victim OF disease and that
his death not at all attributable to this disturbance
Pennsylvania has no sympathy with the ultra abol-
honists She has within her borders no fanatics a
body. She may have and doubtless has, few individ
uals who join in these movements of the ultra abolition
lists but they have aid counenance from the great
body OF her Intelligent people very few menhonest
tor from New Hampshire in doctrine and feeling; but the
masses of the people entirely willing to leave the
domestic institutions OF other States where they properly
belong-in their own hands. They feel that they have
right whatever. under the constitution interfere with
them What they claim for themselves they cheerfully
accord to ohers-he right to regulate their own affairs
long since abolished it within their borders They
willing, they should be, to let other States act for
themselves in this and other domestic matters
He was not surprised at the feeling evinced upon this
subject by southern senator's II is NATURAL and not to be
wondered at. We have seen vessel come within sight
of the Capitol upon which floats the proud flag which, he
Union and in the dead of night decoy and carry off near
y hundred negroes the property OF citizens of the Dis
trict They feel that if such things tolerated here in
the very presence of the government to them the guar
antics OF the constitution utterly uselesSthe safe
guards and compromises upon which they have been
lying only mockery. He differed toto from the
senator from Illinois with regard to the effect of the ag
taon of this question II anybody is injured by it, it
must be the senator from New Hampshire and his friends
Nor did he believe that this body should be deferred from
discussing question: from fear OF its effects upon the
presidency. The south well the north have inter-
ests which they value infinitely above the ques-
ton to who shall fill the presidential chair. And
why shall they, therefore, not be excited In the
outrage to which he had alluded the senator from New
HAMPSHIRE has gravsy introduced hill pnrporting 10 be
bill to protect the property of citizens OF this District;
but rightly viewed, bill calculated to encourage
similar ouirages. What could have induced him to in
troduce such at this moment OF excitement,
Mr. G. was utterly at loss to deermne-unless it was
done piece Of amusement, as the senator from New
Hampshire much in the habit OF entertaining the
Senate in that way
Here the senator from New Hampshire called the
senator from Pennsylvania order The point of order
being reduced to wrtng the President decided that the
senator from Pennsy lvana was not out OF order.
MIR. c. resumed. The bill itself wholly uncalled
for No citizen of the District had called for its and II
would be unjust to force upon them law Tor which
they had not askcdo say nothing OF the inappicabty
OF its provisions to the circumstances OF the District
Whene YER any such needed the people OF
the District will doubtless ask for it; and when properly
dgested by the committee through which they are rep
resented here, it will receive the due consideration of
Congress ~
But, Mr. c. said, he rose only for the purpose OF put
ting his State right point or two on which her posi-
ton seemed to be misapprehended to discuss this
question at length She needed not vlndlcaton at his
hands. Her citizens were an intelligent and rejecting
people, strongly attached to the contederacy under which
they had prospered greatly They will abide by the
constitution to the last An occasional excitement may
for mo nent have misled few of her citizens; but II
has ever been only momenary, and has passed away
with the occasion. Much of the recent excitement on
this subject Mr. c. said, may be fairly attributable to
the far famed Wilmot proviso. That is now numbered
among the things that passed, and Its results Will
soon be forgotten Famous as it was Tor tune, there
are none now Pennsylvania poor as to DO 1t rever-
rary Importance Some may take hold OF it, as here
tofore, to give himself local popularity or general
notoriey He may be encouraged BY recent appoint,
ment here which seems like reward for having agated
this question and procuring the M bS by B eg tha
will amount to very little in the end, and Will die for
gotten as a dream.