The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-21

Of thirty. six degrees thirty minutes Thus slavery was
ron Of country extending from thiriy-sx degrees thirty
minutes TO the forty ninth degree OF north latitude But
while this the express provision OF the statute. slave
country BY the laws ii nature. Of climate, and production
BEFORE as il snow BY act OF Congress- The Missouri
compromise. therefore, had no practical bearing upon the
Of aSe adnansa su,s s1 No. bs
no harm, the North no good except that it had the ell
feet to calm and allay unfortunate excitement which
was alternating the affections OF different portions OF the
Union
the North was 'the exclusion OF the South from the
whole Of the Oregon Territory L is difficult to com
what act OF this government he REFERS when he speaks
of the South having been excluded from the whole oil
the Oregon Territory, The law Of is4s, establishing
territorial government Tor the people OF Oregon, Is the
only act OF Congress in which slavery is named IL is
true that that act did contain clause prohibiting sa
very but it will hardly be said BY any familiar with
had the effect to exclude slavery from the Territory
That effect had been produced by law and in fact years
before BY the action Of the people themselves i will
took up their residence in Oregon during the contn-
uance of the treaty OF "jont occupaton" as II was
called in those days, which precuded the establish
States or Great Britain In the absence OF any other
government TO afford them protection, these people es-
iabshed one for themselves, which was known as
fundamental articles Of that government, slavery
forever prohibited in that Territory This prohibition ex
pressed the unanimous sentiment OF the people, and was
Oregon lived quietly and happily under this provisional
government for period OF about twelve years, my reco
lection right before Congress passed the ter
roral bill OF which the senator now complains. That
BILL far the question Of slavery was concerned did
nothing than to reenact and affirm the law which
the people themselves had previously adopted and rgo
mere dead letter. without the slightest effect upon the ad
mission or exclusion OF slavery; and in the language OF
the distinguished senator from Massachusetts in his
ale speech was ah ,hs nrobh
ton OF slavery had been stricken out and the bill OF iS4s
had been passed without any provision upon the subject
as the from South Carolina at that time proposed
and thinks ought to have been the case would not
the legal and practical effect have been precisely the
same The laws Of the provisional government would
and there IS no reason to suppose that people who had
voluntarily prohibited slavery by Unanimous vote, and
sustained the prohibition without for twelve
without any ostensibe reason How. then, can the ex-
clusion OF the South or OF slavery from Oregon De set
down the account Of northern aggressions and south
sIn grievances The North had no hand in IL nothing
of the people of Oregon themselves. Il was done in
obedience 10 that great democratic principle that It is
wiser and better to leave each community to determine
and regulate their local and domestic affairs in their
own way. II was done in the same way that slavery
has recently been prohibited in the State OF Cafor
niaby the free and united action OF the people inhabng
institutions upon the continent II will be recollected
that the time of the Declaration OF Independence every
of the original thirteen were slavehodng States and
at the period of the adoption OF the constitution OF the
United States there were twelve slayeholding and one
free State Since that time, by the operation OF this
great principle OF allowing each State and separate
these twelve slaveholding States have abolished sla
very and established freedom; while Vermont and
Maine, which were carved out OF those States, have
also become free States. And notwithstanding the
ordinance OF 1887, the Missouri compromise and
all the kindred measures under whatever name all the
States which have been admitted into the Union,
with clauses in their constitutions prohibiting slavery,
became free States by virtue Of their choice and not
in obedience to any congressional dctaion undertake
say that there is not OF those States that would
have tolerated the institution of slavery within IFS limits
even il had been peremporily required have done
by act OF Congress II is libel upon the character
OF those people say that the honest sentiments OF their
hearts smothered and their political action upon this
question constrained and directed by an Of Congress-
Will the senators from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wis
consn and Iowa, make any such degrading admission in
respect TO their constituencies will backen the
character Of my own State by such admission, and
know my colleague too well to harbor the thought that
he will allow ii to be said OF her with IMMUNITY.
The senator from South Carolina after going through
with the catalogue Of northern aggessons and southern
grievances, propounded the important interrogaory,
whether the Union could be saved and then gave the
answer, which will read
pany-for Of itself do nothing, protect
but by the stronger The North has only will IL
compsh it, TO do justice, by concedng TO the South an
equal right in the acquired territory and to do her duty by
causing the supnations relative TO fugitive slaves 70 be
faithfully fulfilled TO cease the agitation oil the slave ques
ton and provide for the insertion OF provision in the
constitution, by amendment which will restore to the
II substance The power she @ o. protecting
destroyed by the action of this There will be
difficulty In devng such provision-one that will pro-
ect the South and which al the same time will improve
and strengthen the government instead OF mparing and
weakening IT,"
The first condition is that the North is to "do JUSTICE
territory This phrase that the North should do justice
the South is repeated several times in the OF
the senator's speech. To do justice There is something
offensive in the very expresson-implyng that we are
not now and have not always been willing 10 do justice
to any portion of the Union, and to every State and nd
vidual in it, II II be the serious desire OF the South
preserve peace and harmony with they should AT least
use courteous and respectful language towards us
There is people on earth more scrupnlous in the OBJ
life than the northern States Of this Union We are pre-
pared to recognise all your rights, and to perform all Of
our duties under the constitution We may differ some
times TO extent oil those rights and duties and when
ever such differences OF opinion do arise, always
disposed 10 examine and discuss them in spirit OF fair
and Kindness and with other desire than
certain and do justice Now you require US to do JUS
quired territory. We do concede this to the fullest
extent. We claim nothing for ourselves one of the
geographical divisions OF the Union and entirely
willing 10 place you equality with in this respect
Our position that neither the North nor the South
such, have any rights there at ALL
But you say that we propose TO prohibit by law your
emigratng TO the Territories with your property We
propose NJ such thing. We recognise your right, in
common with our own, 10 emlgraie to the Territories
vii hold Il