Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-03-18
MR. WEBSTER'S SPEECH ON THE
SLAVERY QUESTION.
WASHINGTON, March 9TH. 1850

WASHINGTON, March 7th, 1850.
| Mr.. Webster rose and after expressing his OBJ
| legations to Mr. Walker and 10 Mr.. Seward, for
having yielded the floor TO him, proceeded to
address the Senate. He rose, he said, not as q
Southern man or Northern man. He spoke for
| the preservation Of the Union-with all anxious
heart for the restoration of that quiet and har-
mony so necessary to- the prosperity and happi-
ness of the country.
| He proceeded to consider the events which
had led TO the present difficulties, commencing
with relation of the war with Mexico-its
battles triumphs and results the principal ore
of which was the acquisition of vast territories.
He referred next to the failure of Congress 10
provide territorial government for the people
of this new territory, to the formation and pre-
sentation Of the California Constitution, and to
the clause in it prohibiting slavery. Territory
was acquired but the natural expectation that
it would be slave territory was disappointed by
the action OF the people Of the territory them
selves.
MIR. Webster then went into historical con-
sideration of the institution Of slavery from the
earliest ages TO the present time. The ancients
did not justify slavery upon the ground that the
more intelligent, and therefore the stronger,
were superior to the weaker The Roman phi.
losophers and ]urists defended the institution of
slavery upon the internal law-arguing rightly
that the conventional law of nations admitted
that the captves of war whose lives, according
to the notion of that day, We're at the mercy Of
the captors, might in return for their lives be
made slaves for life-the obligation also resting
upon their posterty. He also commended, by the
civil law, that there might be slavery:
FIRST, as the result of a voluntary act ofan in.
divilual who sells himself into slavery.
/ Second, as consequence of debt.
/ Third for crime.
Bringing the matter down to the Christian
l,o,1 liz dad Of Al. r.
a large portion OF the community, the conscien.
tious belief, that slavery is SIM and incompat.
ible with Christian sentiments Of broiherly kind.
ness
He expressed his own conviction that there
was an honest belief of this character. The
question in the early days of The Government
was not whether slavery was an evil. That was
admitted. The question was how the evil should
be dealt with. 1t was thought that its day would
be shortened by prohibiting the importation of
slaves, and a proposition was introduced TO pro
hibit such importatlons twenty years hence.
This time was objected to by Mr.. Madison, a.
mone other prominent Southern men, as being
too long. He feared as he said, that too much
of this evil might be introduced il SO much op-
portunity was allowed. 1t would be observed
that the word slavery" was not made Use of in
the neutrality-suspicious. in consequence of the
wish expressed by Mr. Madison, that he did no,
want to see the institution of slavery recognized
in the constitution.
Mr.. Webster thought that there were two his.
torcal truths which must be clear 10 all.
Frst-There was an expectation, formerly,
that upon the suppression of the importation Of
slaves, slavery would begin to run out
Second-That so far as there was any power
in Congress to prevent the spread Of slavery in
the United States, it would use it in the most alb.
solute and decided manner.
Slavery was not now regarded by the south as
it then was. There had been a continual and
growing opinion in the North against slavery,
and a growing opinion in the South in its favor.
The interests OF men-the change of opinion
in the South-had resulted in a great measure
from the growth and increase of cotton raising
in the South
Mr.. Webster replied 20 Mr. Calhoun. obiec.
ton, that the operations of the Government had
been against the South, and VAS calculated to
weaken her He contenied that the contrary
was the tact; so Tar as the legitimate effect Of
legislation was concerned. In support of this
proposition he recurred 10 the voting of the ad.
mission of Louisiana and Alabama, and COM
mented at great length upon the admission of
Texas
Returning to the question of the admission Of
Texas, he related his own position thereon, QUO
Ting from his speeches and acts, to show thai he
had always been opposed to it--because he
knew that whoever possessed Texas, it would
tend that institution. He had time and agaiu
expressed himself as being strongly opposed to
the introduction OF any new slave States, or tlls
acquisition OF slave territories. Upon that point
he knew no change in his sentiments at the
present time. [Sensation.l But Texas had been
admitted with all her territory, with the insti,u.
ton OF slavery, and an ifreparable law, by
which, if new States were erected out of any
portion of Eer territory, they shonld be slays
States; and he wished ii to be distinctly under
stood that he considered this Government sol.
| emnly bound by law to create new slave States
out OF Texas, when she shall contain the neces.
sary population. Slavery was excluded from
California and New Mexico by the law of ma.
ture, which had erected impossible barriers 10
its introduction there. This he considered as
fixed fact. Regarding this as a fixed fact, he
would say that he would not vote for the nser.
tion into any bill giving territorial governments
to the new territories, any provision prohibiting
slavery there-any re-enacment of the will of
God. He would put into it no Wilmot Proviso
nothing that was so useless and nueatory. He
meant to stand Or fail upon the proposition that
every foot OF the territory in this country has a
character fixed and irreparable, and which can.
not be changed in any way. ,
He alluded to the difficulty arising from tho
fafHre OF the North to give proper aid in the cap.
ture and delivery of fugitive slaves In this he
thought the North in the wrong ard the South
right.
The duty was imposed by the Constitution,
and it was not consistent with morality for
Northern men and Legislatures 10 attempt to e.
wade this provision. Congress ought 10 pass
some law removing the evil For one, he de.
signed supporting the bill (Mason's) now pend
ing in the Senate having tina, object in view.
Considering, in the mex: place. the agitation in
the North, complained OF by the South, he said
he had no doubt but that during the last twenty
years money enough had been subscribed in the
North for abolition presses societies and lee
turers, to purchase the freedom of every slave in
the land but, unfortunately, he believed tho
sympathes of these societies had never been ex.
tended in that direction
He elouuently cnnsdered tho c,,,as4;ax Of .lo