The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-08-31

pie act OF admission into the Union on an equal
footing with the original states in all respects
whatsoever. Now, put the question to the SEN
ator from Louisiana: Did that act forfeit the title
of the United States to the lands within the state
/ Of TENNESSEE If So that gallant state was new
I er wise enough TO know her rights and claim the
lards. No lawyer was ever astute enough TO
comprehend the point by which he could defeat
his adversary, in an action of ejectment where the
plaintiff must rely upon the strength of his own
title the courts have been so blind that they en-
trely overlooked it, and for nearly sixty years all
the departments OF her government have gone
ON sanctioning and recognizing those titles eXecu
ted by the government of the United States, as
being conclusive to the lands within the state of
| Tennessee"
He then (Mr. Douglas) goes through the adms-
slons OF rev states, aud sums up the result as
/ follows -
81 lave now reviewed in detail all the acts for
the admission Of new states containing publick
lands within their limits, during that period when
the United State sold their lands upon credit
We have seen that in every case, except Tennes
see there has been a stipulation assented to by
the states asking admission, that the land sold by
congress should not be taxed for five years after
the day of the sale, in order to prevent any one
from acquiring tax titles to the lands before the
I United States should receive the purchase mon
ey. We have also seen that, with the exception
Of Louisiana and Mississippi, no state has been
required to enter into compact, as a condition to
its admission into he U,iol that it would not in
terfere with the primary disposal of the soil, or
tax the property of the United States; and that
these two exceptions were under peculiar circum-
stances, and for reasons not connected with the
public lands, which have been fully explained" "
But we need not follow Alr. Doug las through
I, H. | =. Al.
base an argument on the decree of a Spanish king
ON the assumed fact that thi, decree is irreyoca-
10. Such was one Of the arguments of Senator
Soulc, But the main Of all this truth about Cali
: iornia is thus temperately, but none the less
strongly, stated by Mr.. Douglas in the conclusion
OF hls speech. 1t Is truth simply and eloquently
expressed.
In conclusion, sir, I will only say, that regret
to see such extraordinary eiIerts made to raise up
objections III the way of the admission of Cali
tonla into the union, and am unable To compre
hend why it is that you are disposed to deal Will
so much more rigor in the case of California than
you have shown TO any other state applying foi
!, admission. Why it that she should be so harsh
ly dealt by! Has she no claims upon your synf
patlies and your justcei Is not your faith and
your honor pledged to California TO give her gov
j ernment and projections How, sr, have YOU re
' utNHtu tilt lIcuSc ilbW nave YOU 1ulIlntl
your treaty stipulatonsf The only law you hnye
i extended 10 her the taxing power; the only ad
& ninistrators Of justice YOU have sent her are tax
t gatherers. You leave her citizens without pro
lection as to life as to property to person; you
! refuse to furnish her money to bear her expenses
you refuse to give her that protection which al
other people in the United States have received
at your hands, at the same time that YOU extract
hundreds of thousands of dollars from her through
your customhouses; and when she, after waiting
+ patiently for territorial government, has lost al
/ hope of that, and has been driven to form a gov
ernment of her own you apply rule to her will
technical objections and enforce them with n rig
7 or sever known or attempted to be eXerted a
: gainst any other state asking admission INTO thi
c union.
/ Sir, if the people of California have no claim
II upon your sympathes you must recollect tia
c they have a right to demand Justice at you
d hands. What objection bas been urged to tn
1t admission of California that did not exist in SOM
., one or more of the states which have alread,
e been admitted into the uniont know Of none
: have listened attentvely to the whole debate
D, have noted the objections one by one, as the,
II have been advanced, and have heard 40 obieC
ton which might not have been urged with equa
II force but was not considered insuperable, in re
r ference to other states You must therefore de
c part from established usage, abandon the precC
% dents, and ovcrtum the authorities before YOU ca
d exclude California from the Union What ha
E. she done to justify this trcatmenti Sir | fca
l. the world will come to the conclusion that her 81
her only crime-was that she chose, in tn
l. plentitude of her wisdom and power, TO exclud
d the institution of slavery from her borders.
h a Senator That is it.
II Mr.. Douglass. The world will be likely l.
q, ia. ii