Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-03-26

8 numbers we are minority in interest we ar
I thus labormg under double ncal acity to de
fend ourselves representatiyely, here, and hav
no other reliance, wathin the Constitution, 70
the protection OF our rights and interests, whel
questioned or assailed except in the faithful AM
; righteous administration of that Instrument
under the limitations, Tor the objects, and in tn
traternal spirit; in which it was formed. Thi
IS our reliance it may be what we expect it t.
: pe-a sale and solid reliance; it may be
worthless and rotten one. " lateyer it be, it i
our constitutional all ar d we are determined Il
stand upon whilst it lasts. Should it fail us
which Heaven forbid and we as a conse
quenee, be thrown off, unprotected and aogriey
ca, then. A. in that dread hour, we shall lool
Tor such rald Tor ourselves, outside OF the Con
stltution, as eur Whole case of exigency and O.
duty shall suggest Meanwhile and as the
wise and iltpreyentiye of any such ultimate re-
sort, we invoke the earnt st and instant use ofal
the safeguards and protecting energies of the
Constitution And this we do with ii conf.
dence made stronger and deeper by the fact that
our own SouthernlStates were among the fore
most TO surrenderlhe powers upon which these
very safeguards were stall lished What State.
Tor instance, ever sacrificed as Virginia sacri-
iced Ill constituting the co-eauality of the SEN
ate I'm admitting to an equal participation
With herself, eyenln the adjustment of questions
affecting her own rights, some States which
would not have figured as handbreadth upon
the map OF her immense dominions9 When
this was done, Q7SS) Virginia was the most
powerful OF all the States in the Union the most
powerful in population, in wealth, in physical
capablllty, III Prospective growth, and immeas-
urably the mos so i'll political influence and
control. Yet she surrendered these great ad-
yantages, generously and without a murmur
that she might cooperate with her sister States
N building uph permanent and, as far as posi-
Bile, perfect constitutional safeguard for the pro.
lection OF the defenceess and the weak The
feeble In interest or in numbers were never to be
tranpled on by the strong in either or in both =
his was the immunity which she abored and
winch she sacrificed to establish; and this, there
lore with special and emphatic Justice she is en-
titled to demand. Give to her, wherever the
action of the Government touches her rights, that
safety which she contributed so much and SC
freely to secure for the benefit of others and Of
all give her this and so let her experience and
so show on your part, that national generosity
such as hers, isnot in all cases simple and UNI.
adulterated national folly
But, Mr.. Chairman, when | thus speak O
compromise, 1desire to be understood as doiua
it with reference only to the general representa-.
tive duty which it imposes, but with none what
ever to the meaaure which have been endeav.
orlng to support. that OF allowing our Mexican
territories 10 take upon themselves Immediately
the functions and the independence of a State
50 tar from referring to that it would be extreme
~ dlfflcult as 1t seems to me, to prevent any
measure upon any great or greatly contro-
yerted subject of national policy, which Ell
Their eonsltutionally OF otherwise, involves
so little OF compromise in it as that mea
sure does. Constitutionally considered il
scarcely affords ground enough upon which the
subtlest expositor could support the most shad
owy abstraction whilst as practical measure
corning into competition with other measures
1t demands only that it should be preferred, thai
1t should be taken as choice, and is to that ex.
tent, and that only, compromise. 1t calls upon
no one to dlsavow his avowals 1t asks not that
any member should repudiate or retlact his opin-
ions. The anti-proviso man and the provisc
man can both support it i'll perfect consistency
with hat each OF them has said of his opinions
& what each has said of the opinions of the other
1 The antl-provlso member cannot and will moi
vote tor or support any act of this Government
by which the introduction of slavery into the
Territories or the United States from any Of the
slayeholding States will be prohibited The pro
vlso member, taking the opposite ground, viii
not, and Cannot as he AYERS, give his vote or his
sanction to any act OF this Government by which
the introduction of slaves from any Quarter into
I
mutually facing and defying one another, anC
both calling upon the great geographical section.
which they respectively represent, to stand u,
and SUI port them. Here it is, at this point, tina
the measure now offered proposes to interfere
1t proposes to step in before the contending par
ties, and cut oft all necessity for decision upon
the questions in controversy between them i
asks the privilege of making up new record il
the matter and going to trial upon that. Ii pro
poses, in other words, to sink the whole ques
ton of a territorial government with its Ions
train of difficulties, doubts: and dangers, and tt
entertain in place OF it the question OF an imme-
diate formation of a State government with its
admitted rights and admitted jurisdiction Oul
whole embodiment with one another here, re-
lates to the extent of the legislative authorit,
Which Congress may constitutionally exercise O
yer the territories whilst they are subject to it
control. We have no disagreement OF opinion
Whatsoever as TO the powers and rights of these
territories over their own affairs, from the mo
ment their territorial condition is renowned. ant
their State condition is assumed. From tina
moment, as we all agree, they are absolutely
and entirely independent of this Government il
the regulation and control OF their own interna
concerns, and have the full and sovereign RICH
OF perfect State to establish Just such system
OF civil rights and civil institutions as may b
most agreeable to themselves. The measure be
fore us, wisely avoiding the ground of inecon
cilabe and hopeless dispute, puts itself upon tia
OF our common agreement, and therefore, witt
great justice, calls upon us all to come up ant
support it there. 1t gives to neither of the an
tagonist parties, what each one of them woult
doubtless have preierred-the triumph of hi
own side On the contrary, it mediates between
them IN spirit of fraterlial and perfect fdelit,
to each; and by inclining neither to the one no
the other, it proposes and expects to accomplish
the wise and lpst and national end, Of settln
I the claims OF both, consistently with the homo
and rights OF both. Looking at it in this light
} | cannot but regard it as seasonable and hap
Ply measure OF deliyerance and relief, worthy {
all aceeptation ana all assistance. Take it, an
our troubles are over-our reassurarce of cordi;
| and permanent brotherhood is complete III
| upheaying deep of the public feeling, the surge
of which already break at our very feet, will b
5 soohed at once, and will sink rack again into
calm as smooth and CLASSY as that OF a summe
sea But reject it, and follow up that reiectio
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