The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-06-02
senator Benton and his Grent speech on
the Que.tion of slavery.

We learn by telegraph, from st. Louis, that
Senator Benton, few days ago, made speech
at Jefferson City. This speech has not yet
reached US. Ii has created much excitement,
and will, we have no doubt, command the at
tentlon of the whole country. Much anxiety |
has lately prevailed, to know the precise posi-
ton Mr.. Benton would take on the slavery /
question. From his persevering hostility to the
absurd doctrines of the South Carolina school, |
enough was known to warrant US in expecting
that he had no sympathy with those men who |
have been endeayoring to embtter the South |
against the North, on the question Of applying
the WiImOt PrOviso TO the territories acquired
from Mexico.
From the Geographic dispatches that have
come 10 hand, we understand that Mr.. Benton
devOtes large portion of his speech to an ex-
position of the inconsistencies of Mr.. Calhoun
on the subject of slavery. While member of
Mr.. MOnroe's cabinet, Mr.. Calhoun gave ig as
cIude slavery from the territories belonging to
our Government-an opinion which he has Sc
dulously endeavored to hunt down of late years
Mr.. Benton, it is said, takes the ground that it
is absurd to deny to Congress the power TO leg
islate it chooses in regard TO slavery in terri
tories. This is certainly the ground in favor Of
which We have the entire experience of the
Government from its foundation in 1883, when
1t legalised the North western ordinance, down
to lS45 when il admitted Texas, with the pro-
hibition of slavery in that portion of the ter
ritory lying North of 81 30, or the comPro-
mise line. Oregon was last year provided
with Territorial Government in which was a
clause forever fOrbidding involuntary seryitude
in that territory. And yet, Notwithstanding the
men of the South as well as the men OF the
North have constantly up to within a very
few years past voted in Congress for terri
torial bills, in the formation of which Con-
gress asserted and exercised the power of ex-
GLIDING slavery, yet now, Mr.. Calhoun, and
those other Inconsistent men who cooperate
with him, declare that Congress has no power,
under the Constitution, to forbid slavery in any
territory belonging to the United States. And
more than this, they call on men in the different
slave States to combine, with view 10 dissolv-
ing the Union in the event of the passage of a
bill through Congress forbidding slavery in Cali
lornia and New Mexico Well may Mr.. Ben
ton charge the most Prodigous and unstates-
manlke inconsistency on Mr.. Calhoun and his
friends-men who have heretofore voted in ia
vor Of the exercise of the power by Congress,
and who now assert that tho exercise of such
power by that body should be met by dsunion.
Further-we learn from the teegraphc dis
patch, that the distinguished Missouri Senator
assumes the ground that Congress alone has the
power TO prohibit OF to admit slavery in terri
tories. This position is at war with the doc
trine laid down by Senator Cass, in his celebra-
ted letter TO Mr.. Nicholson. In that letter 1t is
asserted that Congress has no power to legislate
on the subject of slavery, and that the people in
the different territories alone have the right 10
admit or TO exclude slavery. The ultra South
ern men, headed by Mr.. Calhoun, take the
ground on this subject, which was sustained
by the Democratic State Conventions in Ala
bama and Virginia last year, namely-that nei-
ther Congress nor the people of the territories
themselves have the right 10 forbid the intro
duction of slavery into any territory. This ex-
IRENE opinion has not met with any thing like
general acceptation, even with the advocates
of slavery and its extension. 1t is so manifest.
ly absurd, and so utterly contradictory to the
entire past policy and conduct of the Govern
ment, that but few men, having respect for
their own standing as statesmen, are willing to
leopard their reputation on an issue so unques-
ably unsound.
Mr.. Benton declares that no citizen Of
slave State can carry property" to which he
derives his title from the law Of the State, one
inch beyond the reach Of that law. This is 3
sound position. The law of slavery is opposed
to natural rights, and slavery can exist only I'M
der the auspices Of positive legislative sanction
When municipal law creates slavery, then it
may exist; but in the absence of such law, II
can have no existence for moment. This
doctrine Is sound, and must be sustained.
Judge Shsrkey, Of Mississippi, for whose judg-
ment we had entertained much respect, found
ed on his noble cause in favor Of paying the in
debtedness of that State, has lately favored the
world with an address in favor of slavery, which
takes the astounding ground that slavery did
not originate in positive or statute law, but
that II exists by universal law Of conquest,
which the God of Nature gave to man when
he authorised him to hold dominion over things
inferior to himself! The doctrines Of Messrs
Cass, Calhoun and Starkey are, we are glad to
see, alike Tepudiated by Mr.. Benton, who
throws the whole weight Of his authority on
the side of the past experience Of the Govern
ment, and sustains the doctrine that slavery can
exist only by virtue of positive law.
A consequence of Mr.. Benton's position is,
that slavery cannot be introduced into Califor-
mia and New Mexico, and this he insists on as
,he only true and safe doctrine. 1t follows
that airy slaves carried thither are entitled to
their freedom, because there is no law there to
sustain the claim of the master TO the services
Of the servant.
Mr. Benton says that the people of both of
the territories acquired of Mexico, are unani-
nous in their opposition to the introduction Of
slilvery among them. This, we learn from other
sources, is true. The great unanimity which
prevails among the people of those countries
in opposition to slovery, has always satisfied us
that, whether the Wilmot Proviso were adopted
or not, slavery never could have an existence in
those sections Of ourconfederacy. Mr.. Benton
is hostile to the extension of slavery into the
Mexican territories. This we are glad to learn
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