The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1850-06-21

Legislature should have power tenether to ad. /
mitn nor exclude slavery. That was our purpose, |
that was our sole purpose; and /! tie amendment
does not accomplish that purpose would it not
be more consistent with the spirit q that unity
with that desire settling these questions, which
| hope animates the Senator from Louisiana, TO
have moved an amendment for the purpose of
accomplishing the prohibition by theLegisatures
the territories from admitting or excluding sla
vefy, than to talk in the formidable way he has
done, as if my resolutions were lurking under
that clause, and as if that clause meant to as
sert some new and dangerous principle.
Then the honorable gentleman objects to the
clause nterdcting the slave trade IN the district.
He objects TO that en- two accouns. In the first
place, the report of the committee does not affirm
that there is no constitutional power in Con-
gress to pass laws upon the subject Of slavery
in this district. And what is thestate of opinion
in the country and in the Senate upon this sub.
iect? A large portion of the Senate believe that
Congress possesses power to abolish slavery in
the District; another large portbn believes that
it has no such power; and how Dies the honora-
bic Senator expect TO arrive at a compromise in
which one of these opinions shall be made to
triumph over the other? How does he Expect
Senators who think tina: the power exists tc pro-
hibit slavery in the District are to plunge their
hands into the nmost recesses Of their sous and
drag out the conviction that is planted there?
If he wants compromise he must take 1t with
! out asking surrender of opinion on one side or
the other. 1t he does not want compromise
8 if he wants the conflicts of the country b con-
tinue. and these distractions increased or Iggra.
vated--then let linn insist that one class 6f Sen
ators shall surrender the opinions which 1t holds
tothe other class. Thought the committee were,
upon that subject, as amcable as couldbe' This
clause neither afirms nor denies The power to
! abolish slavery in the District of Columbia. 1t
says il ought MOTTO be done, and tn man who
thinks it ought to be done upon Constitutional
grounds should be satisfied. The man who
thinks the constitution auth0rses but that it
ought not % be done, from considerations of ex-
! pediency and Of kindness, and of fraernalregard
for the different sections o. the Unio ought also
/, to be satisfied Thus, by neither $firmlng nor
, disaffirmng the power, but by asserting that the
power ought not to be exercised lsay that the
spirit Of compromise prevailing o. both sides
:, ought TO be perfectly satisfactory Does the
:. honorable Senator expect that my harmed friend
: : whom see before me, who has nodoubt about
: the power. will give up that opinion and renounce
his deliberate, well formed opinions which he has
j, entertained for wears? Does the Senate make
: any such demand? Will the Senabr from Lou
: isiana demand it?--Why, sir they demand thai
9 there shall be no cGmpromise--no settlement o.
] the questions which agitate the country?
But the honorable Senator has nisconceivet
the report The bill which has ben reported
= is mere repetition Of the law of Maryland. AM
:, in relation to which, by the by, will show how
: wrong it is TO PREJUDICE. An honorable frient
! of mine in my eye, has suggested tnat the objec
:. can be accomplished in mode by which, shoult
: like to know from the Sonator hUm Louisiana
= whether it can be accomplished or not.--Tht
e introduction of slaves into theDistrict either fo
Y Y sale or placed in depot for subsequent transpor
- taton arises out of the laws pissed by Congress
y itself, permitting it to be dore. In the yea
1902, or one or two years afterwards, | believe
= friend SAID to me, "Mr. Clal, you can accom-
6 plish the object at which youam by simply re
= pealing those laws and Ieae the Stale Law
y where Congress found it, whee by law it allow
= ed the Introduction of slaveY here" hav
y not examined that law, but hye no doubt from
- the genteman's familiarity with the laws of Ma
= ryland and OF the District If Columbia, tha
y what he stated was perfectly correct Now,
ask, if instead of the provisionwhich is proposed
y by which we merely use the hnguage ofthe lav
y of MARYLAND at the time tbs District was Sc
= apart by that State--the precse language forbid
% ding the introduction of slaSes for sale and de
= Glazing that their iDtroductn contrary to lal
- should forfeit the rights ofthemastert to his slave
- and that the slave shorld become free--f nstea
3 of that law the bill offeredby the committe
ao were proposed to be AMENDED so as to merel
y repeal the act of Congress, relation to slave
- introduction into the Distrit and transporte
- thence to New Orleaus--he kinks that wron
y committed against the institution Of the South
= " one which would be alarming to the rights {
:, - the people of the South? Sr, where there is
- disposition to look at things with an impartia
- candid eye-disposition to cok at all the intel
p ests Of all the parts Of !he country and to all th
y preiudices, we will be more likely TO Arrive q
=. a satisfactory, harmonious result. But TO attac
:" - ourselves to single postionand to seek 10 brln
p everything to the standard of our own pect
: liar opinions is not calculated to produce such
=. result. Again say that the Senator is nGsti
:. = ken in supposing that resident of the Distti'
~ can 90 out oil the District and buy slave an
IA bring him IN.
~ But the honorable Senaor proceeds in b
objections TO this comprombe--no part of whic
unfortunately, seems to receive sanction, or
afford him any solaf or saSfaction-to say th
it has been contended by me that the laws
Mexico abolished slavery; that slavery did n
a exist there, and is not likely to be introduced
as point cf fact Well, sir, cannot help entertai
as ing these opinions. caanot disbelieve it wi
a be what believe But the honorable Senat
he has taken up the greaterpart ofthe time in whiC
ss- he so ably and eoquentiy addressed US to pro-
be that that opinion of mine is incorrect. He HI
he gone into historical account of the abolitic
,as Of slavery in Mexico-gone behind the seen
wn and given an account of the Instructions WI
ted regard to the clause prohibiting the introductic
ee, of slavay into MeSico--gone into the Sena
,rn and traced out what has been done in this bct
OF to prove that by movement by the Senator fro
nst Connecticut, (Mr. Baldwin, there was an il
tn piled purpose on the part of Congress to reco
ith Mise and allow slavery there. Nov, sir, cam
ent the honorable Senator be satisfied with his ov
tn opinion? He thinks that slavery is not abolis
the ed there. know that he is amuch more emine
le) iurist than ever aspired to be. Why is be n
md satisfied with bis own opinion? Will he not
'ou low, in spirit of generosity, contrary opini
i've to be entertained by any one9
ro- But his objection to this measure he tells us
the that this is called settlement Of all the qut
be tionsof difficulty, while in one of the first secto
net of this side difficult question is left unsett
ing which ought to be settled. Will the honoral
ing Senator tell us how it can be settled? Will