Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1849-12-17

District was coded Immediately after the constitution
was formed. 1t was the gift of MARYLAND TO her sister
States Tor the location OF their common government
Its municipal law maintained and protected domestic sa-
very You accepted it. Your honor was pledged Tor it,
maintenance as a national Capital. Your faith was
pledged TO the maintenance OF the rights OF the people
who were thus placed under your care Your fathers
accepted the trust, protected the stakeholder and all
other citizens in their rights and in all respects
faithfully and honestly executed the trust but they
have been gathered to their fathers and it was
lett to their degenerate sons to break their faith
with us, and insolently TO attempt to play the
master where they admitted as brethren trust
sir, the representatives OF the North prove themselves
unworthy OF their ancestors shall not prove ourselves
unworthy OF that have the courage defend
what they had the valor to win The territories the
common property OF the people of the United States
purchased by their common blood and treasure. You
are their common agents; it is your duty while they
IN territorial state to remove all impedmens to their
Tree enjoyment by all sections and people OF the Union,
the stakeholder ard the non-slavehoder. You have
given the strongest indications that you will not perform
this trus-hat you will appropriate yourselves all of
this territory, perpetate all these wrongs which have
enumerated; yet with these declarations on your lips
when Southern refused to act in party caucuses
with you, in which you have controlling majority
when we ask the simplest guaranty for the futurewe
are denounced out OF doors and actonst
and indoors met with the cry Of Union, Union"
Sir we have passed that point. 1t is too late. have
used all my energies from the beginning of this question
to the country from this CONFUSION. Ihave resist
ed what deemed unnecessary and hurtfu agitation.
hoped against hope that OF justice and patriotism
would induce the North TO settle these questions upon
principles honorable and safe to both sections of the
Union. l have planted mysetupon national PLATFORM
resisting extremes at home and abro ad willingly sub
Jectlng myself to the aspersons of enemies and far
worse than that, the mseonstruction of friends deter
mined to struggle for and accept any fair and honora
Ole adjustment OF these questions have almost des-
pared OF any such at least from this House. We must
arouse and appeal to the nation. We must tell them
boldly and frankly that we prefer any calamties to sub
MISSION to such degradation and injury they would
entail upon us; that hold that to be the consumma-
ton OF all evil have stated my positions have not
argued them. | reserve that for future OCCASION
These are principles upon which act here. Give me
securities that the power Of the organization which you
seek will not be used to the injury of my constituents
then you can have my cooperation, but not till then
Grant them, dyou prevent the OF the dis
graceful scenes OF the last wenyour hours and restore
tranquility to the country. Refuse them, and as far as
am concerned, "let discord reign forever
A member moved that the House do now adjourn
but the Clerk recognised Mr.. Baker, who gave way to
MI Dner for personal explanation
Mr ~ SAID he ready to vote for any Northern or
Southern Wing, to organize He voted for the Wing
member from Louisiana.
n Mr.. lNeE Will you vote for the member [Mr.
Toombsl from Georgia?
Mr. DUER Not believing from what he has said
tnat ne Is now dsunionst, would vote Tor him in
order to organize. He has said only that he would pre-
Ter dsunlon to contingencies which, in his opinion, may
arisea
Mr.. HARMANsoN asked Mr.. Duer question in a tone
too low to be heard by the reporter.
Mr.. DuER said that il he believed man in the Speak
er S char would his power directly or indirectly to
dissolve the Union, he would not vote for him.
Mr.. HUBBARD. 1t is tearing your names from the
bond and leaving it binding on us.
Mr., BAKER, OF Illinois, said Although among the
weakest and humbest OF the Northern men. cannot
reconcile to my oduty permit the observations
OF the honorable gentleman from Georgia Mr. Toombs
to pass without immediate and distinct reply. And
while know him to be one of the most eloquent and
gifted OF the gentlemen OF the South it is precisely for
this reason shall utter this response without unreason-
able excitement, and trust in becoming temper.
ayow myself in the first place. decidedly in favor Of
what is called the Wilmo Proviso 1t embodies min
cple approved by my judgment, and dear to my heart
and yet may say at once in answer to questions such as
those proposed to the honorable gentleman from New
ork Mr. Duerl that have not sought to make this
test in the selection of Speaker the organization OF
this House.
would have cheerfuy voted for the honorable gen.
tleman from Georgia Mr. Toombs,l and did on yes
lucky Mr.. Morehead Sir, voting thus as in voting
t Sd MI Winthrop, have desired to select Wing
asked and would not ask, that his opinions upon the
subject OF slavery should influence him in the selection
OF committees but do desire that he should be Wing
constant and reable-and with this have been, and
would be, content DESIRE IN the next place to remark
as to these threats OF dsunion listened to painfully
and so intensely Sir deny that the great body OF the
people OF the North have wished to raise such question:
or to excite unreasonable agitation nor, when the
and speeches OF this day shall be spread before
them, will they believe our brethren Of the South to be
in earnest
NlT w Al4LACE Oh oOulu SdTOlna, we Will teach
you that we are in earnest.
Mr.. BAKER. | should be obgedto gentlemen it thew
would tell me how this knowledge shall be impaired.
Mr. WALLACE. When said they would teach you,
spoke in the name OF the people of the South and
in my opinion, they will have their rights in spite Of the
North--and it is that we intend to teach you
Mr.. BAKER. Sir, ! profess myself still unable to
learn from the gentemans explanation hoae we are to
be taught The North will stand by the Constitution,
and thus stand by the Union We will think and act
and vote upon the provso Jefferson did We will be
governed by the majority OF the people upon this ques-
ton.
Here Mr.. Hilliard, of Alabama, denied that ma
Jory OF the people had right, under the Constitution
to decide it..
Jorry Of the people, constituonaly expressed but
neither for the District of Columbia nor California
nor New Mexico, will we desire even dream of
dissolution of this Union
Gentlemen, when you threaten it, we shall doubt
when you protest, we shall disclam but no ervd de-
claratlons no hery appeals to Southern feelings no
solemn lnvocations addressed to the Almighty Gas it.
indeed, he were God OF discord0 will make believe
that here in this hall there is one who chambers in
ms secret heart purpose so accused and so deadly
Slr we do not believe the Union be dissolved
NO evidence shall convince us till the deed is DONE
Yet such thing be possible, shall not be our fault
We shall not be inundated by threats OF Violence
We shall not shrink from the calm expression of our de-
lberate Judgment We are here as freemen TO speak
Tor reenen, and we Will speak and act as becomes us
in the face OF the world and of posterity. Gentlemen
who is there among us, amid all this talk of dissolu-
tlon, that does not love the Union Is there man
in this vast assembage who on the coolest reflection
would not give his blood to cement it Is not this
our country, and is it not all country Applause
Sir confess this response ggddEns my heart and al
ready reproach myself that could waver in my conf
dence but fora moment. It was mournful spectacle to
minded man, when threats of dsunion fierce and
bitter could draw forth shouts of applause from gentle
men on the other side of this House triumphant as ii
disunion were glory, and if indeed the threat were
already accomplished And yet, sir, the echo contra
diets the utterance. This shout for the Union will be
taken up among the masses, till it becomes perpetual
anthem OF hope and joy. Ii will swell amid the noun
tans OF the North and travel with the winds across the
prares OF the West 1t will reveberate through all the
vast extension OF the confederacy and be repeated BY
thousand advancing generations. Sir,i the name of
the men Of the North so rudey attacked-and speak,
ing what know to be their sentiments say disco
luton OF this Union is, must be- shall be impossible as
long as an American heart beats in American bosom
or the Almighty sends his wisdom and his goodness to
guide us and to bless u.s.
Mr. STEPHENS, OF Georgia, did not wish to be called
to discuss the question OF the Union of these States