Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-02-02

J That would make discrimination in our favor
as unjust and unconstitutional as the discrm
nation they ak against US in their favor II is
not for them nor for the federal government &c
determine whether our domestic institution is
good or bad; or whether it should be repressed
or preserved. 1t teoDgs 10 US, and US only, &c
decide such questions What then we do insist
on, is, not TO extend slavery, but that we shall
not be prohibited from immigrating, with our
property, into the Territories of the United
States, because we are shareholders; or, in other
words, that we shall not on that account be dis
franchised OF privilege possessed by all others
citizens aud foreigners, without Discrimination
as 10 character, profession or color All whether
savage, barbarian, or civilized, may freely enter
and remain, We only being excluded
We resi- our claims, not onl, on the high
grounds above stated, but also on The solid loun.
dation Of right, justice and equality. The terri.
tories Immediately in controversy Mexico
and Cali!ornia-were acquired by the common
sacrifice and efforts ot all the Sla'es, towards
which the :souh Cunribu'et lar more Than her
tul! share Of mens TO say no hing Of money ana
is, OF course, on every principle OF ish, justice,
fairness and equality entitled 10 participate July
in The benefits 10 be derived from their acquisition.
But as impiesnab.e as /, This ground, there is
another no! less 50. Ours is federal govern.
nent-a government in which, MT individuals,
bot States, as distinct sovereign communities are
the constituents To them, as members uf the
federal Union, the territories belong; and they are
hence declared 10 be territories belonging Ia the
Unlled States. The States, then, are the joint
owners Now il Is conceded by all writers on
the subject, that in all such governments their
members are all equal-equal in rights and equal
in dignity. They also concedc that This equality
constitutes the basis oil such government, aud,
that it cannot be destroyed Thou, changing their
nature and character To deprive, then, The
Southern States and their citizens OF their lul
share in territories declared 10 belong 10 them, in
| common with the other States, wunld b. in dern-
CATION oi the equality belonging To them as menu
hers Of a ieierd Union, and sink Them, iIum be-
ing equals, into a subordinate and Dependant, con-
d,lion. Slch are he solid and impregnable
| grounds on which we rest our demand 10 an
equal participation in the territories.
But as solid and ilnpresnable as they are in the
eyes Of justice ard eason, they oppose feeble
resistance to a majority determined 10 cnoross the
whole. AT The asst session OF Congress, bill
was passed establishing territorial government
Tor Oregon, excluding slavery lhereirom The
President gave his sanction 10 the BILL and sent
sps cial message 10 Congress assigning his rea-
| sons for doing so. These reasons pfe-supposed
iha. The Missouri compromise was 10 be, and
would be, extended west OF The Rocky mountains
| TO the Pacific ocean. And The President inlima-
ted his intention in his message 10 veto any future
bill that should restrict slavery south Of Inc line
Il thai Compromise Assuming il 10 have been
the purp Sc and inlcGliun OF The North 10 extend
he Missouri compromise line as above indicated,
the passage Of the Oregon bill could only be re-
garded as evlncng The acQuiescence OF the South
in that line. But The Developments Of the pre-
sent session OF Congress have made il manifest
10 all that no such purpose Or intention now e1-
isis with the North to any considerable extent
| OF the truth Of this We have ample evidence IN
what has occurred already in the House o.
Representatives, where The popular feelings
| are soonest and most intensely ielt.
Although Congress has been in session 5u, lit
tie more Than one month, greater number OF
measures OF An aggressive character have been
introduced and they more aggravated and DANCE
rous, than have been Tor years before. And what
clearly dscloses whence they take their origin, is
the tact that they all relate 10 III territorial aspect
| u the subject OF slavery or some other of IA.
The FIST OF ,1;s ;eiss Of agsrcssions is a Feso-
luton introduced by member from Massachu-
sets. the object OF which is 10 repeal all acts or
paris OF acts which recognise The existence OF sla-
yery. or authorize the selling and disposing oil
slaves in this District. On question OF leave TO
bling in bill, the votes stood GO for and 80 against
| leave The nexl was resolution offered by
member from Ohio, inslrucing The Committee on
Territories to report forthwith bills tot excluding
slavery from California and New Mexico II
passed BY a vote of l07 10 so. That was follow
Cd by bill introduced by another member from
Ohio, to take the votes OF The inhabitants Of his
District on the question whether slavery within
lis limits should be abolished.
The bill provided according The admission
Of the mover, that free negroes and slaves should
| Inn nj La no hill the
ME Inc votes .too!-ior, LOG; against, 49, To
his succeeded the resolution Of member from
New York in The following words:
s.Whereas the traffic now prosecuted IN ms metro
mil. Of the Republic in human beings rs chaueis Is
contrary to natural justice and the fnianie nal prnci'
nes nj our political system, and Is notOrinuSly a re-
nro,ch u our Country throughout chrlstendon ana
serious hndrance 10 the progress OF Republican Liberty
among the nations OF the earth. Therefore,
s.Resolred That the committee for the District oil 20
uu,ba be instructed report bill. as soon as practi'
cable pruhihtng The slave trade In said district
On The question ui adj pling The resolution, the
votes stood 8 for and % against. lie was io!-
lowed by A member from lllinuis, who offered a
resolution for aboli>hug slavery in The Terrific
ries. and all places where Congress ascsclnslve
powers of legisiat,op; thai i, in all torIs, maya
zines. arscnais, dcck.yafjs, aud oih'r netd'n
buildings. plrchaset 81 Cong ess with The con
sen, OF the legislature Of ne Stae.
This resolution was passed over under The rules
of he House without being put To vote
The votes in favor OF all these measures were
confined Ia the members from he Northern STATES
Tine. there are some patriotic members from
that section who vncd against AL q mem and
whose high sense o. Justice is duly appreciated
VINO in the progress VI the assrcssions upon ib'
S nth have, ~ their woes, sustained The guar
antees of The constitution, and Of whom We r.
: oref 10 say MANY have been sacrificed al home by
their patriotic course.
] We have now brough, 10 close narrative
Of tie series oi acts OF aggression and encloacn
mcnt connected with The subject Of his address
including those that are consummaed and most
sill in progress. They are numerous, great anu
, DANGEROUS and threaten with destruction 'ne
E o.c,,,s, and mos vial 81 all The interests
{ and institutions Of tn Souh Indeed, IL may
he doubted whether there is single proVi'
sion stimulation or guaranty OF the consi u'lon
| intended for the security OF The South, that has
J mi been rendered almost nugatory. II may
oven be mad a serious question, whether the en-
croachmcnls already made, without the aid Of
any other, would not, il perniIIcd u operate un-
I checked, end in emancipation and lhat al no dis
ian, day. Bu b. that as il may, il hardly adj
mi,s OF doub! that il the agsressions already
commenced in The House. and now in progress
, should be consummalei, such in the end would
certainly be The consequence.
! Il,lle in truth, would be eiI 10 be done aHei
we have been excluded from all The Territories
inclul,ne those 10 be hereafter acquired; aftcl
slavery is abolished in this District and in me
, numerous places dispersed all over the SouIh
where Congress has the exclusive right oil esisla
ton. and after tie other measures proposed are
consummaed. Every outpost and barrier would
be carried, and nothing would be left but to llnIsf
the work Of abolition al pleasure in The STATE:
themselves This District, and all places owe
which Congress has exclusive power OF iesisla
lion would be asylums Tor fugitive slaves, where
as suon as they placed their feet, they would DC
I come, according 10 the doctrines ot our norlnerl
; assaiIants. free: unless there should be some pc
$ sive enactments 10 prevent H.
, Under such a state OF things the probability IS
tha, emancipation would soon follow, wiihou! an
final act 10 abolish slavery. The depressing Ell
. feels of such measures on the white race at 10
Ssn,h and The hope they wouid create in hi