Eastern times., 1850-11-28
VOL. V.

was prohibited by lar, but not excluded II
fact.
Slavery existed in the territories Of Illinois
and Indiana, in spite of the ordinance, under
the authority of the territorial law. Illinois
was slaveholding territory in defiance of the
act of congress, but became free slate by the
action of the people when they framed our state
constitution, preparatory to its admission into
the Union. Oregon prohibited slavery by the
action of the people under their provisional
government before congress established a terri
torial government. In short, wherever slavery
had been excluded and free institutions estab-
lshed prior to the Mexican law, it was done by
the voluntary action of the people interested,
and not by an act of congress. Whenever con-
gress attempted to interfere in opposition To
the wishes of the people of the territory, It's ac-
tons remained a dead letter on the statute book
and the people took such Legislative action as
comported with their wishes and supposed in
teresis Mr. Douglas then referred to the ter
ritories organized from Mexico, and called the
attention of the audience TO the fact that the
abolitionists and freesoilers all predicted that
slavery would certainly go into these terrific
ries unless congress interlered and prohibited il
bv law, and condemned him because he was
not opposed 10 such interference. The prob
lem is now solved who was right and who was
wrong in that controversy. Congress did not
adopt the Wilmot proviso-did not prohibit
slavery in those territories by law-and vet
slavery does not exist there. In California ii
was prohibited in the constitution by the peo-
pie. with which that state was admitted ioto
the Union. 1t is well known that the people
of New Mexico, when they formed a constitu-
ha yinT nf 81 aln
the Union. also prohibited slavery. These
facts show concusively that all the predictions
of the abolitonsts upon this subject have been
fasifed by history, and that my own have been
literally fulfilled. | refer TO these facts not in
the spirit of selfcongratulation, but TO show
that these men who have alarmed the friends
of freedom, and for time partially controlled
the popular sentiment, were themselves mista-
ken, and misled their followers, at the same
time that their doctrine was at war with the
whole spirit of our republican institutions
The bill for the adjustment of the Texas boun-
dary-to which | gave a cordial support
shall pass by without comments, for the reason
that | have heard no complaints against il since
my return home. The next in the series Of
measures was the bill for the abolition of the
slave trade in the District of Columbia. Tc
this | also gave my cordial support. | have
heard no complaints against it, and have listen
ed in vain for one word of approval from the
advocates of abolition and notification. While
the whole series Of the compromise measures
is denounced in course and unmeasured term,
by the northern nulllfers, not one word of con
graduation to the friends of freedom not one
word of approval of the act or of the conduct o
those who voted for 1t is allowed to escape theil
lips All the other measures of the scheme O
adjustment are attempted to be kept in the bach
ground and concealed from the public view, il
order that more prominence and importance
may be given to what they are pleased to cal
the . INFAMOUS FUGITIvE-SLAvE BILL
Before | proceed to the exposition of this
bill. | Will read the preamble and resolution.
passed by the common council of this city last
evening. MIR. Douglas then read the preamble
and resolutions, as follows;
Whereas the constitution of the IT, States
provides that the privilege of the writ of hate
as corpus shall no, be suspended, unless when
in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public
safety may require it, and whereas the late
act of congress, purporting TO be for the recov-
ery of fugitive slaves, virtually suspends the
habeas corpus, and aboishes the right of tria
v.
tive slaves, but white men ''owing service Il
another in another state, viz: the apprentice
The mechanic, the farmer, the laborer engaged
on contract or Otherwise, whose term of service
is une xpired-may be captured and carried OF
summarily, and without legal resource of am
kind; and whereas no law can be legally o
morally binding on us which violates the pro
visions of the constitution; and whereas abov
all, in the responsibilities of human life, an,
the practice and propagation Of christianity, tn
laws of God should be held paramount to al
human compacts and statutes, therefore,
Resoircd-That the senators and representa-
tives in congress from the free states who aid
ed the passage Of this infamous law, and thos
who basely sneaked away from their seats, am
thereby evaded the question, richly merit tn
reproach of all lovers of freedom, and are fl
| only 10 be ranked with the traitors Benedic
Arnold and Judas Iscariot, who BETRAYED hi
Lord and Master for thirty pieces of silver.
RcSolrcd-That the citizens, officers and pc
lice of the city be, and they are hereby reques
ted to abstain from all interference in the CAP
ture and delivering up of the fugitive from IN
righteous oppression, of whatever nation, nam
or color.
RcsoIred-That the fugitive-slave law latel
passed by congress, is a cruel and unjust law
and ought not to be respected by any intelliger
community, and that this council will not re
quire the city police 10 render any assistanc
for the arrest of fugitive slaves.
Aldermen Milikin, ,Llovd, Sherwood
Foss, Throop, Sherman, Richards, Brady an
Dodge.
NAYs-Ald. Page and Williams.
But for the passage of these resolution;
| (said Mr.. d. should not have addressed yo
this evening, nor, indeed, at any time, betor
my return TO the seat of government. | hav
no desire to conceal or Withhold my opinions
no wish TO avoid the responsibility of tu
and frank expression of them upon this and d
other subjects which were embraced in the az
ton of the last session of congress. My re;
sons for wishing to avoid public discussion ;
this time were tonnd in the state of my healtl
and the short period allowed me to RENAL
among you. Now for the resolutions. lmak
no criticism upon the language in which the
are expressed. That is a matter of taste :;
and IN everything of that kind | defer to III
superior refinement Of our city fathers. Bl
1t cannot be disguised that the polite epiihe
OF : traitors, Benedict Arnold, and Judas l.
carrot, who betrayed his Lord and Master ft
thirty pieces of silver,' will be understoo
abroad as having direct and personal applic;
ton TO my esteemed colleague, Gen. Shield
and myself, whatever may have been the ii
tentlon of those who voted for the resoll
uons. | will do the members of the cou
ell the justice to say that | do not, cann
believe that they intended to make such an a
pllcatlon. But their secret intentions are
little consequence, when they give their of
cial sanction to charge of iniamy, clothed
such langnage that every man who reads