The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-30
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
TUESDAY MORNING, JAN. 30, ,s4s.


on Wednesday last in speech which wholly
commend, nor yet seriously coademn. Mr. Thompson is
wing and represents northern constituency yet he
manifested liberal, generous, conservative spirit;
which, if acted on in good faith by the members of his
party and his section OF the confederacy would speedily
adjust this snarng, agiiatng. territorial question He
did not indeed discuss the Wnlot Protiso; yet il the
same feeling should prevail generally which portion of
his remarks expressed, there would have been Mis-
souri, contest and free sosm would have entered
the heads of men, for it would have found no place in
the hearts of men.
We attach the more consequence TO Mr. Thompson's
speech, not only because of the generally liberal spirit
which breahed, but because it came from Mr.. Thomp
soma gentleman with whom we have no personal &C.
quainance, but who has distinguished himself du
ring the last campaign stump champion in favor of
the wing cand iaeas of the best speakers, indeed
in the House OF Representatives. His speech on We'd
nes1ay last commanded the most respectful attention 1t
seized upon the House with irresistible FORCE which
nothing but its liberal sentiments. conveyed in eloquent
anguageits thoughts that breathed" its words that
burned"-could have commanded We heard only its
beautiful peroraon, and deeply did we regret tina, we
lost syllable OF the speech Every pulsation OF our
heart sympathzed with the efuson. We copy il from the
printed report of the speech which is now before
He (Mr. To northern man in sympathy and in
feeling but he loved the South The South the
his earliest and dearest recolecons; there yet
the playmaes OF his early boyhood but his home
the North; his interests there his affections
there; his sympathes were there. But should he
like the Nor'h more than the Sonthi or the East
than the West :! Should his patriotism be crcum-
ssrbed by the little spot of earth where he happened
to have been born, 10 live =! No, nos he trusted in
God that the time should when he should
equal the sterile hills of New England
,l,a mia rho al
And though he represented constituency who had
ded i'm to him he declared here in tho
hall OF this national Legislature, that he would give
which should look the rights the interests, and
prosperity of the whole Unionthe North as well as the
South. the East as well as the West
Mr. Thompson commenced his speech by stating that
slavery existed against the consent and in despite OF the
urgent rernonstrances of the colonies before the orma
ton of the articles of confederation, and before the foun
daton OF federal government When the Declara-
ton of Independence was signed, every one OF the Amer
lean colonies held. by virtue of existing laws, right TO
slaves property, fixed and recognised by the municipal
regulations OF each of them. The difficulties which
grew out of that institution were compromised and ad-
uste by the Congress OF the confederation and that
compromise and adjustment were adopted by the conven
ton which framed the constitution under which we live
He stated that after the government went into ope
ration, and before fixed construction had been given TO
the constitution, appeal was made to the federal arm
interfere with the institution OF slavery in the several
States. This unavailing, and faction became STILL
till Missouri applied for admission, when again the diff
cul,y settled by conclation compromise and con-
cession Afterwards the abolition party sprung up like
a hydra and in 1855, petition offered pray
ing Congress TO abolish slavery and the slave trade in
the District of Columbia motion made TO lay the
memorial on the table, and large majority carried that
motion For, said MIR Thompson, "men had not learned
in that day disregard the stituon and the law
men had not learned at that day to be continually at
tempting chments upon the rights of the States Of
this Unon fixed and guaranteed under federal con-
stu,ion"
The celebrated "2st rule" also alluded to- and the
course OF Mr.. Adams that OCCASION and the action OF
his in the late presidential contest That election
over, Mr. Thompson asked
What did Iduring the present session. Firs'a
proposition made upon the floor OF the House Of Represent
directly, unqualiiedy abolish slavery in the Dis
rc OF Columbia without the consent OF Marylind wHhou'
the of Virginia. without the of the slave
holders of the Districts disct attempt to exercise tue
federal of this government to do that which all good
OF all parties had declared that Congress had neither
the legal power to do that was right tina should DO
done That resolution had been down by this House.
but he astonished that commanded largea
| vote it did.
the District of Columbia the question 10 whether slavery
should should exist here and placing the man
the slave of the Disrct--upon par with the white
in determining the question whether the slaves bonds
should be broken proposition thus legsate needed
but be stated portion of the American people DO
repudiated, condemned and spurned by that people.
Mr.. Thompson then took up Mr.. Cots PROPOSE
ton to abolish the slave trade in the District OF Co.
lumba. He himself had opposed that movement, and
he spoke al length and with great force against
the preamble and resolution. AT this point OF the
Speech regret TO state, there appeared evident
attempt TO do some Injustice to portion Of the
southern democrats and to claim for northern wings the
credit to which they were not Justly entitled. When the
previous question called on Mr.. Cots resolution he
said that "tweny-six gentlemen of the democratic
party from the slave States representing slave constuen
cies voted to order the main question, and force the
House TO direct vote upon the question, against the
earnest remonstrances and direct vote OF tweny-elgh
wings and ten democrats from the slave States" THIS
the gentleman from Indiana contendeI admission
OF the jurisdiction of Congress the subject by the
twenty six democrats who wished order the main ques
ton He forgot to state, that Mr. HARRISON of Georgia
had made effort TO deny the House any jurisdiction
moving to lay the resolution the table, and that this
motion negatived by northern MEMBERS eleven dem
and only four wings voting with the united South
and we do Mr. Thompson the justice to say that he was
one of the four. Thus it will be that the House hal