The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-30


Aprii 4, 1850.
Mr. GREEN addressed The House as foows
MIR. CHAIRMAN: have sought this opportunity to al
dress the committees with no disposition 10 increase tne
fuel 10 the flames that already threaten 10 cnveop us ~
one general coDaagration: Peace is my desire Har.
mony among the States, with snct justice TO all my DeS
efforts shall be directed 10 atlain But SIR we need mol
disguise the truth. We should not deceive ourselves
II idle 10 sing songs Of peaee while fearful dangers
hang thick around us We must see the danger i anu
rightly apprehend H. IA order 10 provide against tne d,i
Guilty. and ward oil the threatened calamity no dt al Or
imaginary alarm should ever excite us; but when We
must know our Union Is IN pen and the dearest rsus
OF ireemen menaced with destruction, II 10 our solemn
duty TO come TO the rescue and exert every iacul'y o.
body and 0f mind 70 preserve our government ana na
tain the cherished principles q our institutions oucn
the condition OF affairs at the present time MY oolec
therefore, TO contribute to the restoration of harnony
and assist in the settlement Of all the agang questo
which unfortunately array one section o the Union against
another and leopard the longer continuance oi our
political relations.
Heretofore have abs,aned from saying anything in
this hall the subject OF slavery Abstract discuss'on
without reference TO practical legislation seemed 10 me 10
promise no good but now, when grave and important
propositions pending, upon which must soon yoie
il becomes duty to present 10 my constituents me consu
erations that govern my Official action II IS my purpose
to discharge that duty on the present OCCASION 5
What then, is the question before us! How shall
be met aud selllsd and what means shall be resorted
TO- in order aay the great excitement and ieeling
which have been gotten up, and have spread over
our and The real question the existence OF domes-
tic slavery; and It's relation 70 the government of the
Union should be examined with honesty and candor,
principles OF enlightened human reason. II is useless to
waste time by referring to the which have brought
into existence the present state OF affairs They are we'll
understood by the country. As practical men we must
meet The difficulty, and adjust il within the scope of
our power TO produce the greatest good 10 all per-
haps justly speaking, the least evil 10 thecountfy
All are oil the fact that when the present fede
raj government was formed slavery existed ii the States
and each into The Union with full knowledge oi
the recognition and guaranty Of slavery BY the government
sufficient OF itself estop every from interfering WITH
and preudicing slavery through the action o the part
serhip federal government Honor and good faith Tor.
bid it, Slavery enters into the elements upon which this
Union based II is found in the legislative branch n
the executive branch, and in the power OF taxation,
which may be regarded the vivifyng AMI life giving
faculty OF all governments
Surely government ought not and cannot rghtiully
any power destroy OF the elements OF its
existence; and that consideration should stay the hand OF
all friends oil the country from attempting iolnJure the
institution OF slavery. But notw outstanding these facts
which cannot be doubted the North aege that SLAYER,
is evil that should not be permitted to spread
the Territories acquired from Mexco and that Congress
should prevent by such legislation may be necessary
to effect that purpose To accomplish this end, different
proposed One is to pass the Wilmot Pfoviso
prohibiting slavery in all the Territories; the other is TO
evade the odous sga OF the Povso By arthce and pro-
duce the result by bringing California into the Union
and leave the other Territories to follow her example, and
prohibit slavery also, the only of insurng their
admission States Both OF these plans designed by
the Proyisosts TO accomplish The same endhai OF ex-
cludng the South from all participation in the enjoyment
OF the territory
been forever prohibited under the strongest possible pen
ales All increase OF slavery is therefore, perpetualy
cut off, and the only question Wih those Uho haze the
rgh 70 interfere e.a a. Is one e internal regulation
recognised BY the constitutions and the point is raised
whether shall be confined to limited space, the de-
stgcllon Of The people. or whether II shall be permitted
TO dse itself wide surface, and thereby mitigate
IFS evils and disseminate its advantages the total of
slavery being the same in each case, without increase
dlminution. Now, since new territory has been ac.
qued, why should any efforts be made TO crcumscrDe
the limits OF constitutional institution, and prohibit il in
the territory which has been obtained by that govern
men whose elementary principles are based upon slavery
Such Efforts look to me suicidal and revolutionary.
They have the appearance OF insult TO the south
ern States OF the Union.
The South do not ask for increase Of slavery. nor
do they ask Congress establish il by law anywhere
All they insist upon is, that the territory belongs the
whole Union, and not exclusively TO the North and that
therefore, they should not be excluded from il by law,
but leave the subject to the control of natural causes
der the guarantees OF the constitution Of the United States
The restriction could not possibly result in any good
10 the slave, so far from bsnefng his condition, il
would won prove serious and material injury. Cramped
tors and even the necessaes OF life must and will d
mlnsh IN the certain ratio oil natural increase, until
misery and starvation terminate suffering existence,
or lmpel TO some horrd deed OF blood aud carnage SIM
liar ELECTS from the cause. have been produced in
olner countries, and every principle OF humanity well
as Wise Legislation require us 10 AVOID so fatal caami
W. 10 the white population, the restriction Is fraught
with still more appalling conseqnenceseithe 10 aban-
don entirely that country to the blacks. exterminae
them or ia victims to their starving and excited fury
ihese consequences may be remote, but they are
nevertheless, equally certain
Jefferson took the view OF the subject OF restrict.
ing the area OF slavery, and said 8#
am certain that, the passage OF slaves from one
State 70 another would not make slave of angle buoan
being who would be 70 without IL 80 their diffusion
pier" &c. -
And Mr.. Madison, in letter t., President Monroe,
said
have certainly felt all the influence that could Justly
~" nonl couyiSon that an uncontrolled dispersion
he saves now within the Uoited States not only best
io inc nation, but most favorable Tor slaves also
These distinguished statesmen with that forecast and
paousm Tor which they stood pre- eminent declar-
60 at he uncontrolled dispersion OF the slaves now in
e Oned STATES for no more be imported) was best
moi only for the slaves, but for the whites also Wby
uel e me ask, should these lessons OF wisdom be dis
regarded Why should policy be adopted which must
result in injury to both The northern agitalors
pretend 70 admit they have constitutional power 10
hDeraie The slaves Now, il this interference. by re
cng the OF slavery, is called does not have
oe elect to bera,e slaves then nothing is accomplished
70 Essen slavery but IL the effect should be 10 induce
compel ,he master to emancipate, then end would
pspouucedb Indirect which il is conceded could
% nos pe consuulionaly done by direct means That
WG.'o Consequently, be legally and morally wrong, and
snouu not follow, sequence to restriction, the
.u y slavery would not be in The least diminished so
a 20 eilner event, such interference is wholly upus-
anaoe, ana ought TO be condemned by all honorable
men, and by all llaw-abidng citizens
DaH Is sometimes said that, although Il will do no
aoou % he Unon and although IL may njurously affect
e od slave States. yet il will save the territory from
laoor and thereby prove blessing to the inhabi-