The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-07-22

have now repealed all the charges intended to shake
your confidence in my fidelity to YOU IN reference to the
most vital of all subjects the South have shown
that they all rest either statements that utterly
false conclusions that are entirely erroneous or m
conclusive. have also shown that Col Benton has m
voved himself at every step in false statements contra
dction inconsistency and absurdities will not say
that he made his charges knowing them to be false, Tor
that would brand him as base caumnator and Islander.
were II may be- however, that he was too much blind
ed by passion and prejudice, or lacked the discrimination
have passed over all that was directed against me
personally, and not intended 70 jmPeach my fidelity to
you and Your cause because II did not fall within the
reasons which induced me TO notice him at all have
also passed over the torrent OF abuse he has poured out
against mes not only for the same rson, but because
deem il beneath my notice He douDtess thinks differ
eny and regards as the finest portion of his speech
for he has used expressions which pretty clearly indicate
that he anticipates il will raise him TO the level OF the
great Athenan orator for indignant denunciaton: He
escape sinking 10 the level Of Therstes He seems not
to apprehend that the difference is wide between the
indignant eoquence OF patriotism and truth and sour
Southern Address because il has been too generally
read and is too well understood by you, for him to do
any mischief by assailing IT, The wonder is that he
should venture TO make an attack in open daylight The
remote twilight region of the past lying between truth
and fiction, best suits his taste and genius
Passing all these by, am brought to where he throws
off his disguise and enters the camp OF the enemy and
openly proclaming himself abolitonisi, endorses all
their doctrines and steps forth their champion In that
character he assumes dciaoal air and that
is absurd to deny the power OF Congress TO egate
peases the subject OF slavery in the Territories that
has exercised the power from the foundation without
being questioned, until introduced my resolutions that
BY law and cannot be carried inch beyond the limits
OF the State that enacted ii that slaves be carried
into New Mexico or California, because the Mexican
laws abolished slavery there and still in force and
concludes that il is abstract question of import
because the people there and especially the foreign
opposed to il and will not permit you to emigrae
ne tafr al
do NOT propose TO enter into formal competition Of
assertions osenatiously pronounced il is not neces
sry They were the same that were put forth and relied
by those opposed you the discussion the Ore
gon territorial bill during the session preceding the last
and which then fully met and refuied BY and
Others who took your side of the question What now
propose IS very summary and brief notice OF these sew
eral assertions
begin with that which asserts that Congress has the
power to do it peases upon the subject slavery in
the territories deny the assertion, and maintain that
Congress has such power slavery there else
where any other subject Edeny that Congress
has any absolute powers whatever or that has any of
any description, except such specifically delegated
that necessary and proper TO carry them into
cuton. maintain that all its powers are delegated and
trust powers and not positive and absolute and that all
oil the latter description belong exclusively the people
Of the several States in their sovereign character also
hold that Congress is but their representative aud trustee,
and that in carrying into execution It's powers, il cannot
righuy exercise any inconsistent with Ee nature and
object OF the trust with the character OF the party who
created the trust, or for whose benefit it created
over the territories of doing peases, Congress is
strained by all these limitations, and that its power TO
clude you from emigrating with your slaves into them
cannot be maintained without denying that gov
eminent of which States, and not individuals, are the
constituents and that Congress holds its powers dele
rated and trust powers Nor can il be maintained with
out assuming that ours consolidated government, and
holds its powers absolutely in Its own sovereign right Of
doing as pleases.
also deny the ruh of his next assertion that it has
exercised the power over the territories pleased,
without being questioned, until introduced my resoiu.
lions l maintain, on the contrary, that such power
exercised by Congress until he and his assoc
passed the Oregon territorial bill That was the first
bill containing the Wlmo Provso ihatever passed. has
been satedpassed solely toasser the absolute right Of
doing peases All Others including the ordinances
OF 1857, passed as compromises which waived the
question of power, has been frequently shown Nor
his assertion more correct that the power
questioned from the start beginning with the ordinance
Of 1887. Mr. Madison pronounced that il was adopted
without shadow OF right Since then II has been
guessed in. not as right but as compromise, until the
North refused all compromise and forced the South TO
stand It's rights, where should have stood from the
first.
The next assertion that slavery local in its charac-
ter that must be enacted by law, and he carried
inch beyond the limits OF the State that enacted H. is
equally unmantanabe Ii is clear that, in making it,
he intended to affirm that in these respects property in
slaves stands on very different ground from every other
description OF properly.
deny the fact and maintain that there is no dis,inc
ton between i and other property in that respect 1t no
more requires TO be enacted By law, express more
specifically, To have positive enactment for its origin
than property in land anything else The relation OF
master and slave was OF the first and most universal
forms in record OF IFS origin II is probably ancient
than separate and distinct property in lands and quite
easily defended on abstract principles So far from being
created by positive enactment, know Of instance in
which ever was or, 10 express IL accurately in
which Il had its origin in acts OF legislatures II Is al
ways older than the laws which undertake 10 regulate H.
and such rs the case with slavery il exists with
They were for the most part slaves in Africa; they
bought slaves, brought here slaves, sold here
slaves, and held as slaves long before any
made them slaves. | doubt whether there is a
single State in the South that enacted them be
slaves There are hundreds OF acts that recognise and
dertake to create them slaves. Master and slaves are
constantly regarded as pre- existing relations.
Nor any more local in its character than other
property The laws OF all countries reference 10 every
thing, including property Of every kind local. and
cannot go an inch beyond the limits which the author
y OF the country extends In OF property Of every
description II passes beyond the authority OF the
try where is into another where the same description OF
things are regarded as properly il continues TO be
there but becomes subject 10 the laws and regulations OF
the place in reference TO such property Bot, ~ il be
prohibited as property IN the country into which passes
Il ceases to be so unless il has been forced in under cir
cumsances which placed il under the protection Of inter
national laws. Thus one and the principle apply in
this respect 10 all property in things animate mani
mate, and rational or irrational There be excep
lion as property everywhere and Of every kind is snb
iect 70 the control Of the authority Of the couB Thus
far hold that there be no reasonable doubt
Nor there be any that the same principle applies
between the several States in system OF government
Slaves or any other property carried into State where
is also property continues still be so but II into one
where il is prohibited Il ceases to be property This is
admitted, too, by all is also admitted by all that The
general government cannot override the laws OF State
as TO what shall shall not be property within the
limits authority The only stion Than ia