Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-01-11


That slavery is crime against humanity and sore
the body polite, that excused by the trainers Oh M e
eral constitution crime en'aica upon ,e N'u.
predecessors and tolerated solely thing ot sAo'"o'e
necessity. s,;
Resolved That the called compromises OF the cons-
tion restrained the federal government from interference
with slavery only i'm the States which then existed ana
from interference with the slave trad only for limited NM
which has long since expired; tina; the conferred
upon Congress BY the constitution 10 suppress Tue i
trade, regulate commerce between the STATES " sca.
the Territories and To admit new States low' ; m
with an express intention form more ecct uhinh -
abish Justice insure domestic tranquility provide -" '
rFcommon defence promote the general welfare a,
the blessings of liberty ourselves and our prosperity
may all rgh,fuly be used to prevent The o S
cry territory free aud 10 abolish slavery ana w
slave trade wherever either exists uidci 'e "
Resolved That and representatives, in Con
be requested oresisi by all ana every ~,
extension of slavery i'll any manner, whether 10y
BSaton 10 slay:holdng Texas of territory no" Tree
ythe admission The Union OF territory already aclut
which may be hereafter acquired without any rAP
Prohibition OF slavery, either in the constltu" oil ech ne"
State asking admission In the of Congress providing
for such admission.
Resolved further That our and representatives
in Congress be requested support every Just ana poe
for the exclusion OF slavery from the District o
Columbia; for the entire suppression OF the slave trade Oh
the high and wherever else Congress has Jurisdictions
and generally 10 relieve the federal government from an res
possibility for the existence maintenance, or tolerance o
slavery, the traffic in slaves.
Resolved, further, That senator's in Congress be III
strcted and our representatives, REQUESTED 10 use ,sr
ertions for the speedy organization OF territorial
for New Mexico and California, with provision forever
excluding involuntary servude except of crime thcreoi
Resolved That the Governor be requested Ia FURNISH copy
Of the foregoing resolutions each o our senators ana rep
esentaves Congress- and to the Governor OF each Stale
in the Union.
Approved November r. 1919.
These resolutions are insulting the South III the extreme
and with reckless disregard the moral force OF the Cons
tuition they flippuntly refer the 'socaed compromise oil
the Constitution The question being upon thir pruning
long and interesting discussion took place VII. 'c'
said would not by his give dignity 10 these procecc
ngs BY printing resolutions conchcd in language 80 "ro
briols and offensive To the South.
Mr. Butler would for printing the resolutions as IL
desired the Southern people understand that the Northern
States say that they unworthy oi an association IN th'
Confedcracy being tainted with crime and he wlS''
them to know particularly by whom these charges ar'
made He would not therefore, throw straw IN tile way
this of opinion. He would not fight this question
on imaeral and collateral issues Of this kind lie wished
the issue up fairly, and be presented II wa
thought proper in language of the character OF these reso
utions and for he would not avoid any form IN WHICH
itmay choose to present itself
MIR. Phelps of Vermont made many puri,anica profcs
.ons of his desire ADJUST the question: and against Al
n,ermeddng with the affairs Of the sister Stales-bu tool
occasion ly endorse the resolutions expressing ih
sentiments of the civilized world and of the in whic
we live In regard slavery he said "Wherc exists he
il be; but whereit exists not, do n'l let II 20"
His odious and mschievous views were further adroca
ted by Messrs Upham and Hale and rcbuked with groa
spirit and power by Messrs Mason, Borland and Bcrrcn
Mr. BorIand said with much force a. truth:
1t amounts this that the Legislature OF Vernon
claims that the Federal Government o this Union not onl,
has the aud III duty bound TO prohibit slavery II
the territories and abolish ii III the District OF Columbia
one of the new States That is the doctrine sir Mark wei
the expression The Federal Government Is restrained
from interference with slavery oy in The States in which
il then eristed When Clearly and positively, sir al III,
time Of the adoption of the constitution when there wof,
only thirteen States In the new States, tenin the Stale
formed the adoption of the constitution according I,
ndafilr as tltk H,,buy o4k 81 tic senator from
Vermont who only endorses the communication of is
Legislature that the people of several al those States
criminal and II evil upon hcbody polite, but gra
iuitousy and with seeming Dncion, adds that are
CRIMINAL that 'cries have become enormous,
rank in The nos ii good men, as place us beyond thu
pale of civilization
Senator Mason's views give AT length, a. follows
They truly reflect the sentiments of Virginia. who will
BY him in the noble and conservative attitude he has taken
Mr. MASON The path of the Southern States upon ,h
question is straight before II has been marked
out by the which have the honor represent in par
here and what she has declared has been responded h
fullest extent by all nearly all of the whole Southern PEG
Pile say, sir her path is marked out straight and direct
And should regret exceedingly that path should be oh
strnced in the slightest decree by collateral and unnc
cessary issues.
agree entirely with what fell from the honorable Senator
from South Carolina Sir BurtEs who sits before that
these resolutions should be printed And appchcnd will
all possible respect which entertain or colleague
the way, Mr. BERRiES yes, sir, call the Senator from
Georgia nv colleague this question, at least-ha The
objection which he has made somewhat OF special
pleading.
Sir the las, session. ,he resolution offered by the sena
tor from New York, who is now here longer, Mr. DIX
rejecting in terms even severe
A SENATOR tin his seat) Oh no
Mr. MASON. l am willing ~ hc corrected According
my recollection those resolutions equally severe
So and OF the character ordered 10 bc pu-
ted.
entertained the opinion them md declared il here that
il was due that State sovereign State o his non
that they should bc printed What is r usage OF the Sen
ate? II remember right il has been the usage during
nv years. that opinions might bc expressed in
outions presented here from the States and whatever oh
,econs there nigh, be them, when they Offered
and such believe Is the rule oi The Senate All connunl
cations made this body should be conchcd in respectful
terms But hold that here, where The States convened
the States Themselves 10 be the judges of their
duct and their language and that there should be an
entire exemption them from rules governing inter
with private persons Why sir i the State OF Yer
mont of NewIork other state, deems il respectful
10 itself language of this kind 10 body where the
States represented let them do LEI il down 10 his
tory and let history record it, 1t is not for us 10 correct il
in any form. WE may in individuals bur
not correct III states say lei them printed Ii il due
oursclvesit il due the Statcst whatever pre-
scented from them should be- printed and should 20
postery and history lie, them take the responsibility
ftheir acts.
understand that in the resolutions offered bv The senator
from Vermont an institution now existing IN large number
Of the States of This concderacy is denounced
crime Very we'll Ii the State of Vermont deems il
specul 10 herself That language with regard any
III
buke her for II. desire sir that they may b. printed.
desire that ii that great issue forced upon uSa issue
which all patriots and lovers OF the Union shold avodha
may BE- known history what led it, aaj under what
circumstances IL rendered. desire that IL may BE-
shown upon the records of the Senate that this institution
domestic, purely donesc.or which the States alone
responsible has been spoken Of by States crime
desire further with the from South Carolina Mr.
BrTLER that il shall among people and that when
that day comesf it should il may appear upon the
record that such vtupcativc language has been hcapcd upon
day after day, by fanatics only but; regret say y
roipnS fafpa mis- floor
did not design To have occupied the time Of The Senate
upon this occasion and regret that have been betrayed thus
far but the topic is exciting. The honorable on
Vermont has spoken of resolutions introduced here
State of Virginia lie is correct in regard to their chaac
ter. If recollec Alright they addressed the Sen
ate but their We Thought duty upon re-
ceivng them, their senator ih,neht il his, AMI think
rightly, 10 present them the Senate.
The Senator that in these resolutions there
threat OF dissolution of the Union disclam il. There
was no thrcat-nonc There n DETERMINED
RESOLVE by the State OF Virginia protect her honor and
her institutions against all aggression " any guarie
There threats whatever Virginia stands in
position that will not permit it, Threats to whom TO
those with whom she is associated in this non Why sir
threats made BY baggars in the streets Ii belongs
that class utter hreatsnot to independent States and