Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1848-08-16

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j trusl, ,ssirs sthe institutions Of the Soulh
stand yindicated from the impua,ions
which hayeEbeen cast upon Them; tina
however our Northern brethren may he
disposed toSqpesIion their policy. they
will agree tilarAhey are not 80 sreeped in
iniguiyS as i6sexclude those who tolerate
them from tEeirright TO participate equally
in the enjoyment oil that which is the
common properly Of the people of the
l'United5 5StatessA And now. ask, can this
exclusion beswiihin the spirit of the con-
| stitution
Mr.. Presiaent,the Senate has been told,
and uninnndsdEas it is in fact, The declura-
tim will be Ieiteraled, that tho South has
originated .tlfss ssdiscussion-lhat they are
iagilaing this sSdisrscted question. ] say.
simply and ffankly, the fact is not so.
The discOssitnisfo upon US by our
Nor,herpbreltren. If they had conlen'ed
themselves with; organizing government
for The .ierfitoryof Oregon. leaving the
question Of avery untouched, this ques-
,ion w0nldendyeItlave arisen. Why, sir.
look atSihe SplscIcal operation Of The 18th
section Of thistill |, proposes by an acl
of lesislalions doubtful at least in relation
TO the question nIofscons,i,ulional power, 10
exclude the feiiizens of one half of the
States for alfparlicipalion in territory
which is 5theEcommon property of all.
You say thai Slavery shall not exist in the
territory off Qfegon-that Southern men
shall notsbs psrmilled to go there with
their slaves. I'VE do not ask you to say
ina, slavery shall or may exist in that ter
ritory ;slhat We may be permitted TO go
there with. We ask you simply 10 with-
draw your prohibition, to say nothing, and
then therscante discussion. You tell us
that slaverse exists only by force of State
laws; thatIhsmomeDt we pass The boun-
Diary ryiofFttte8Slale they are free; that Ore
gon is asfTees sleEitory, and that if we carry
our slavesstfsse they will become free.
Then why issisIate TO forbid slavery
there !? SE yoasare right, the thing is
already done 10 your hands. Prove the
sincerity Of y6iir belief by withholding
The prohibitIoH and leave us TO test the
ccrrectnesssof sour opinion by carrying
our slaves tflire in the absence of such
prohibition. will not do this; you
insist upon feDaclment by which sla-
~ & >->insisling. do YOU
faIjacv If yoiS s9saHn5,Yirt own Snhf5% Yirtonanfaihc
You admit the right Of the people Of the
territory when.lhey come TO form State
constitution to determine the question
whether slavery shall or shall mol exist
there. NoWlook q, The practical operation
of'lhe course which you propose upon the
exercise ofthatright. You forbid slavery,
so long as Oregon remains territory; no
Shareholder cango there with his properly,
and of course will not go. When the
question comes.to be settled it is then %
he decided exclusively by citizens from the
free States. Who does|not foresee how il
will be decided? And who does not as
plainly sec that This decision would be
produced by your previous Legislation !
You cannot bu; be aware how much this
question at this momen, agilates the
Union. You know that hundreds OF
demagogues, mounted on this political
hobby, are dislracting the American peo-
pie. The South is comparatively trans
quill; but when you come 10 apply TO
other lerritories:adapted to slave labor the
principle which you will have established
by passing this bill you will awaken a
feeling which twill be difficult 10 repress.
do not desire the extension Of slavery.
Personality am opposed to The acquisI-
lion of territory. aud | believe that my
constituents would profit more by The im-
provenent Of the lands which they possess
than by emigration 10 any other. II sla.
very is extendedby the acquisition Of ter.
ri,ory, aud without any act Of legislation
on our porI, II must result from The operas
ton OF our constitution and laws. If we
have resisted The acquisition, we are not
responsible fnr$its consequences. But 10
gentlemen who voted for the treaty with
Mexico. and who now make an Query
agains, the extension of slavery, say you
voted for the extension of slavery when
you voted for the*acquisilion oil territory,
unless, in violation OF lhe plainest princi-
Piles of justice and the manifest spirit OF
the couslitulion,you meant 10 appropriate
that territory 10 one-haIf Of tho Slales,
excluding the remainder from all pariici-
patton in it.
Que more consideration he country is
separated inlotwo great political parties,
who are divided ION principles which they
respectively believe 10 be important to The
best interestsof The American pe9aie. |
affirm The sincerityjofmy own esseious,
and accord 10 others what claim lor my
self. The principles which we respective
ly maintain concern:the great interests OF
the nation; but every thing must yield to
the excitement Rhict1is produced by this
agilating question. The free soil dema.
gogue mounted on his political hobby,
breaks through your RANKS, and both par.
lies are,lhrown!into confuson.
To7my apolilica afriends-lo those with
whom have voted in resisting the aequi.
silion of; territory--l say, adhere to !he
principle whichgoverned you then. You
sought to exclude this question from our
national councils byIesistance 10 terrific:
rial acquisition. ln,lhis you have failed
+, What remaiussbut to refuse all Legislative
Interference swith ia question. so preguan!
with dangerto Tie iniegrily of The Union
4 Eaddress myself also, in a perfectly re
Il c.,I, !, tha ofta