The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-08

are the fruits Of successful war. We have borne
our full share OF Its burdens-we demand an equal
participation in its benefits The rights of the South
are consecrated by the blood of her children. The
sword is the title by which the nation acquired the
country. The thought is suggestive; wise men will
ponder upon it-brave men will act upon it. fore
saw the dangers OF this question; | warned the
country Of these dangers. From the day that the
first gun fired upon the Rio Grande, until the
act was consummated by all the Departments OF
this Government, resisted all acquisitions OF terri
tory. My honorable colleague before Inc Mr..
STEPHEssl and myself, standing upon the ground
taken by the republican party in 1916 against jays
treaty, voted against appropriatng the money To
| carry out the treaty OF Guadalupe Hidaigo We
had no support from the South and but half dozen
| votes from the North. ! saw no good prospect of
adjusting fairly the question which the acquisition
| would present therefore resisted policy which
threatened the ruin Of the South or the subversion
of the Government And to-day, men of the North,
| these are the alternatives you present We de-
| mand equal participation in the whole country
acquired, division of II between the North and
the South. For very obvious reasons founded upon
natural causes, we are less solicitous about the
tent of the privilege than the recognition of the
prAciple The first would most probably be a boon
without benefit; the last is the vital spark Of our
whole political system, whose extinguishment is
death The North now disavows the principle ofdivi-
sion. After getting more than two thirds OF Lou
isiana, portion OF Texas and all of Oregon under
the Missouri compromise line of division, she
repudiates it. j am content. Let Us stand on
North remember, that when she repudiates the
compromise line, she is entitled to take nothiog by
the legislative precedents based upon that COM
promise. With this reservation she is not only
without precedent, as have already shown, for
our exclusion from any part of the common terri
tories OF the Union, but such act would be
against all well defined precedens from the begin
| ming OF the Government to this day. have pre-,
| sented you the case OF the South strongly as |
am able TO do il, as fully the time your rules
allow me will permit II is fortified by principle,
by authority, and by the immutable principles Of
eternal justice II is not only supported by the
principles OF our own Government, but by the fun
damental principles of every good government
All just government is derived from the consent of
the governed, and all power exercised without that
consent is usurpation The universal limitation
| upon all delegated power, whether express
| implied, is, that it shall be rightfully and Justly
used for the common benefit Of those who delegate
! it, No honest, intelligent man can believe, with
the Constitution and its history before him. that the
slaveholdng States intended to confer upon Con-
| gress the power to legislate against their slave
| property in the Territories, or any where else
The day that you do it, you plant the seeds of dis
solution in your political system Then the House
will be divided against ITSELF and it must fall. The
] folly OF some, the timidity of others. and per-
chance, the treachery Of others in the South, may
roll back for season the that shall over
whelm and destroy it,; but it will be the refiux of
the advancing not the recedng tide; it shall gather
strength from every breaker, and will finally ac-
complish its mission. The first act Of Legislative
hostility to slavery is the proper point for southern
resistance Those in advance may fall--it is the
common history OF revoutions-but the cause will
not fall with them; no human power can avert the
result it will triumph. Though hostile interfer-
is the point of resistance, interference ia
not the measure of our rights We are entitled
TO non-lnterierencc from alien and foreign gov
ernments. England owes that much; France
owes US that much; Russia non inter
vention. You owe US more. You owe pro-
lection. Withhold it, and you make aliens
4 in anr hoat "a
then, becomes a necessity necessity justified
| by our honor our interests, and our common
safety These are stronger than all human gov
eminent. Your hostility is aggravated by the
causes which you allege in its defence We had
our institutions when you sought our alliance. We
were content with them then, and we are content
with them now. We have not sought to thrust
them upon you, nor TO interfere with yours. II you
believe what you say, that yours much the
best to promote the happiness and good govern
ment of society, why do you fear our equal COM
! petition with you in the TerritoriesS We only ask
that our common government shall protect US
both equally, until the Territories shall be ready
be admitted, as States, into the Union, then TO
leave their citizens free 10 adopt any domestic
policy in reference to this subject which, in their
| judgment, may beat promote their interest and
their happiness. The demand is Just. Grant it,,
and you place your prosperity and ours upon a
solid foundation; you perpetuate the Union, 80
necessary TO your prosperity; you solve the true
problem Of Republican Government; you vindi-
u
tect political rights against the will of maiorities
can see no reasonable prospect you viii grant it.
The fact cannot longer be concealed, the declara-
ton OF members here proves it, the action Of this
| House Is daily demonstrating il, that are in
the midst OF legislative revolution, the object Of
4 which is TO trample under foot the Constitution
and the laws, and to make the will of the majority
the supreme law Of the land. In this emergency
our duty is clear il is TO stand by the Constitution
and laws, 20 observe in good faith all of It's require
ments, until the wrong is contaminated, until the
act Of exclusion is put upon the statute book; il
will then be demonstrated that the Constitution Is
powerless for protection; it will then be not
! only the right but the duty Of the savehoding
States to resume the powers which they have con-
ferred upon this Government, and 70 seek new
safeguards for their future security IL will then
become right TO prevent the application Of the
resources of the Republic TO the maintenance Of the
wrongful act.
The gentleman from Massac husetts (Mr MAss)
says the volcano Is raging beneath our feet, that
thunders are rolling heads, and that thick
clouds are surrounding II it be true, let the
aggressor tremble. We who are contending for a
principle essential TO interest, our safety and
our political equality in this Union can suffer no
| greater calamity than its loss This is an appeal
/ from the argument 10 fears. ! answer that ap.
| peal in the patriotic language of distinguished
Georgian, who yet lives to arouse the hearts Of his
countrymen 10 resistance 10 wrong When the ar
! gument 10 exhausted we will stand by our arms
| ---------
! TIIIDTV I,InCn nnxrrnnCe.