The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-09

the first public declaration that slavery abolished
made in 1929; the by the Congress OF 1887, and re-
affirmed by the constitution OF 1874 do not design now
to go beyond the limits of these executive, legislative
and constitutional acts, to inquire into the authorities
upon which they rested stated when was inter
would be TO subvet the prohibition contained IN these
acts his is the first great objection. The second is,
hat II would be unjust to the community at large by
promoting the multiplication OF which adds neither
to the intellectual nor physical power OF the community,
and which excludes free labor far as II extends the
labor OF slaves consider this of the greatest OBJ
Jecuons to IT. II should be object to promote, IN
every constitutional mode the extension OF free labor,
and the most eectua mode devote the unoccuped
spaces OF the west to the white The third obec
on is, that 1t would be unjust to California and New
Mexico. They have slaves. | believe | am author
lied to say they desire none
Mr.; FOoTE. would inquire of the senator from
New York II he considers that any injustice will result 10
California and New Mexico by allowing the people OF
those territories to do with this matter they pease'
MIR. DIX am in favor OF doing what the fathers OF
the republic did in relation to the Northwest Territory;
OF preventing the extension to California of what they
considered. and what | consider, great evil. If we
carry slavery into New Mexico and California we shall
do it against the wishes of the people there They have
no slaves and should plant slavery where does
not exist We should stand before the wo in the same
relation in which Great Britain stood 10 her American
colonies She allowed slavery to be carried into these
colonies against their wishes, and in instances,
against their earnest Inconsistencies
The Introduction OF slavery into California and New
Mexico, as conceive, would be more ndefenslbe, as
there is nothing in the soil and climate whch renders the
labor OF the African race necessary nothing that makes
unsafe or oppressive for whites to be employed IN pro-
ducuve industry under any of its 1orms New Mexico
consists, for the most part of mountains with narrow
valleys between which require to be watered by artificial
means. There is no need of the African large
portion OF California is elevated and broken 1t yields
nothing to the production of which slave labor is
claimed to be indispensable Much OF the value of that
ory consists in the maritime valley which lies on the Pa
cc 1t is about five hundred miles long, and hundred
and fifty wde with an area OF some seyenyhve thousand
square miles. The breezes from the Pacific moderate the
temperature aud the mountains on the east rising TO the
height Of thousands of feet, collect and precpate the
moisture of the atmosphere and pour it down in fezlng
streams into the valley below 1t is said by Fremsht to
bear strong resemblance Italy in soil, climate, and
capacity for production 1t is. perhaps, the finest region
OF the same extent in the western hemisphere The vine
the olive, and the III, the infinite variety OF fruits and
grains which produced within the tropics, 10 be
found in California Nature has, in word, lavished
upon her choicest gifts In the recent discoveries OF
gold, there is much to be deploed Let hope that it
will soon become exhausted and that the steady pursuits
of agricultural commercial and mechanical industry, by
which alone nations are made prosperous may constitute
blacks in California; the white labor there
without difficulty. The productions are such to re-
qure the and intelligence Of the more nteeosua
would be perversion of the purposes OF nature,
in more senses than one, to carry slaves there
believe this will be the effect Of the amendment, of the
senator from Wisconsin, but not by virtue of any right
conferred by the constitution do not acknowledge the
existence OF any such right speak of practical effects
Slaves have been carried, and always will be carried
wherever uey are not pTOnUlteQ oNlo lhistud, Iul-
nos, and Missouri in the same range OF States The
orlieh parallel of latitude divides them all The infu
ences OF soil AMI climate are much the same IN each
From the three first slavery has been excluded by the
ordinance of 1857 The last has been overrun with
slavery for want of prohibition: The fate of Caor-
MIA in this respect will be settled by similar laws be-
lieve shall by this very measure lay the foundation OF
contest among the inhabitants OF California lar more
disastrous than their present Reorganization hold it
to be duty to settle this question ourselves, instead of
sending II out to the Pacific to distract our countrymen IN
laying the foundation OF new government
have but one more consideration to present in con-
nexion with this topic and submit whether this ought
Mexico commenced, were charged with the nten
ton OF acquiring territories with view to carry slaves
into it. The charge was denied. We repealed the impu-
taton doing injustice 10 our motives Yet IN the very
first attempt to establish government for that territory
the right is insisted upon-the purpose is confessed
Whether the Mexican government aware of this i'm
puation do not know; but, in the negotiation with Mr.
Trst, the Mexican commissioner wished us to sipuate
not to carry slavery into the territory which pro-
Mr. FOoTE Win the honorable senator from New
York allow me to PROFOUND question to hun That
question is this: Who from the South, either here
elsewhere has avowed any such purpose? Had southern
senators insisted upon anything but that Congress shall
not egslae the subject of slavery in the territories at
all Have asked Congress to legslate for the intro
ducton OF slavery avowed any purpose OF doing any
thing except to resist unconstitutional encroachMen!
Mr. DIX. was speaking OF an avowed purpose to
the senator from Mississippi not only asserting the
right, but supporting his argument by conendng that
portion of the country likely to become slave
holding region.
Mr. FOOTE. l said this, on that point: 1t is well
known that slavery is adapted to only small portion OF
this territory Believing this to be the case urged that
the moderation and forbearance of the South in order
establish territorial government aordng protection to
the people of these territories is srkngly exhibited in
her not urging her right in any shape or form, to Re
thozed specially by law 10 carry slaves there We ask
nothing hut to be let alone.
Mr.. DIX. consent to go into this discussion
now. said that whether the Mexican government was
nj mn Of n ia NOT
but that in the negotiation with Mr.. Trst the Mexican
commissioners wished us to sipuate that we should not
allow slavery to be established in any territory they
should cede TO u.s. will read brief extract from let
shall be Unidentified, Nc COLLECTION Of Laws and d.
crees, &c. vol. s, page 2Jl.
The extraordinary powers by virtue of which this decree
made do not appear - have been conferred Mr.
BER ,uppocs, for the purpose of repeng invasion