The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-01-19
Remarks Of Mr.. sherman,

Congress 10 oppose the er!eHSion Of NiGre-
ry into ne,e Territory.
MIR. SHERMAN said he had not intended To
make any remarks upon the resolution he
lad offered, or upon the question which it
involved. Indeed, he had hoped the subec,
would not elicit any debate, but without dis
cussion would have met the prompt action
Of the House. The opposition, however,
which it had encountered, seemed TO render
silence on his part no longer practicable or
proper.
The gentleman from Coles Mt. Linder)
had Insisted that no Ca,S democrat should,
or could, consistently support the resolution
which he Mr.. s. had the honor to intro
duce. lie differed materially with the gen
tIeman from Coles, on that point. Demo
Gratis who supported Gen. CasS, were in
principle, heart and hand, with and for the
spirit Of that resolution, aud the principle
which it involved. They were al, honest
advocates Of free soI and opposed the ex.
tension Of slavery, differing only as To the
proper and more appropriate nteauS to be
used To effect that object. They could there.
fore, consistently, a. he had no doubt many
of them would, vote for the resolution. lie
profcs>ed to he 3 democrat himself He
should support the resolution, and hoped To-
see the democrats generally vote for it; nor
would he complain should il receive laid
aud comfort from the wings
The power of cnngttS>, under tie cCnsti.
tuition, to prohibit the extension uf slavery
into free territories, has been largely dr>-
canted upon by gentlemen onthc other side
aud by some OF them stoutly denied. He
(Mr. s. had no doubts upon that point; lie
was, and had been long since, fully satisfied
as to the power of congress IN this matter.
1t was power which had been exercised
from the earliest period Il our history to the
present time. TWAS power, IN his opin-
ion. incident to the right Of acquisition: if
NOT indeed a power specifically granted, in
the provision Of the constitutions, COuleIriI Q
upon congress the authority to make all
uccdFul rules and regulations lorthe g0v,riss
ment of tcTriiurer belonging 10 the United
States. twas useless, therefore, to attempt
To raise doubt upon this question ~ TO con.
>titulional power. lie was gratitvd that
the gentleman from White Mr.. HAYES had
modified his substitute this morning, IN this
respect. The power Of congress admitted,
them it became only matter OF policy.
What. sir. would have been the condition
of Illinois at this time, had she been a slave
state? What would NOW have been her
prospects and her hopes had She it>tered
within her limits the institution of slavery
Sir, we can answer by comparing her will
states that sulitr aud have long suffered from
the evil. Instead of a thriving, industrious
prosperous population, numbering half a
million OF souls, with cumulative cnergie,
and cheering prospects, she ightnow hav,
had not half that number, aud instead If TAX
ing proud position III other reSpectS--in tn,
encouragement Of industry, the arts aud sci
ences and education--tye in advance o
many, if not most Of her neghbor>, she nigh
now have been far behind the progressive
train, urged not onward by the spirit vhicI
has recently invaded and now pervadcs En-
rope. promising universal liberty to man
kind IN all quarters Of the globe. To thi
fact, first Of ALTO the fact that slavery doe
not exist in her borders-doeS She owe he
prosperity aud progress and her aeknowlrd
ged pre-eminence. He (Mr. S. made n
war upon the South-haa no denuuciaion
to pile up against the Shareholder and tn
slave states Of the Union. There were ZOO
men and true, patriots and christians there
But it cou.d not be sail-indeod it was pre-
: tended by uoue-that the arts and sciences
educ alton aud enlarged morality, houTi>hs
lUtft rs mere Anu u lItsf tllIe> are true
, sir, should we not, IN duty to ourselves, an
: in good faith to those who will come ate
US, should we not, sir, use all honorable ey
? ertions to prevent the extension Of an inst
tuition at whose heels follow such lamenta
/ bile evils into territories Of the Union tina
are now freeI l. it not necessary to th
! future welfare Of great national uatio
: numbering more than twenty millions
2 ireemen-,ccOnd to none other upon III
. globe, that congress, the legislative powC
, of the country, should iuterpoSe it, authorii
? To stay the march Of an Acknowledged ~
2 Of such immense magnitude Surely. thcr
Y should be, there can be, no difference Of opil
ION lin country like tins upon this question
He (Mr. ;. felt assured that gentlene
u would vote candidly and con>cien,iou>ly VI
2 on this subject. He hoped there would h
no eifolt to introduce party or party tie,
; the matter. II was question upon wlic
all parties could unite--it was one upo
e which all should unite. He hoped the re,
II olution would pass, unsncnmberrd by an
Of the propositions which had been ntroht
Ced as amendments.