Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-03-15

entirely nugatory, since it took away right no de
scribable no estimable, no weighables or tanslple
RIGHT of the South he said he would sign the bill fof
the sake of enacting law to form government IA
that Territory and let that entirely useless ana IN
that connection entirely senseless, proViso Ien''
For myself will say that we hear much OF the an
nexation of Canada and if there be any man. any
of the Northern Democracy or any one OF the Free
Soil party. who supposes it necessary to insert WI
mot proviso in a Territorial Government tor New
Mexico that man will of course be of opinion that
Il Is necessary to protect the everlasting of
Canada from the foot of slavery. by the same over
towering wing of an act of Congress. Sir wherever
there is particular good to be done-whereyer there
foot of land to be staid back from becoming slave
tarritory am ready to assert the principle OF the
exclusion of slavery. am pledged to it from the
wear 1887 have been pledged to it again and a
ooa;n and will perform those pledges but will
not do thing unnecessary, that wounds the feelings
of others, or that does disgrace to my own under
standing.
Mr. President, ia the excited times in which we
live there found to exist state OF elimination and
recrimination between the North and the South
There are lists of grievances produced by each and
those grievances real supposed ALLEVIATE the minds
of one portion of the country from the other
perate the feelings subdue the sense of fraternal
connection, and patriotic love, and mutual regard
shall bestow little attention, sir upon these var-
Gus grievances produced on the one side and on the
other | begin with the complaints of the South:
will not answer, farther than | have, the general
statements of the honorable Senator from South Car
DINA that the North has grown upon the South in
consequence of the manner OF administering this
Government in the collecting of its revenues, and
forth They are disputed topics, and / have no in
clination to enter into them But will state these
complaints, especially complaint of the South,
which has in my opinion just foundation and that
u.s. that there has been found at the North, among
;,1; fho Too Of tho North
Discrimination to perform fully their constitutional
duties in regard to the return of persons bound to
service, who have escaped into the free States. In
that respect, it is my judgment that the South is
every northern Legislature is bound by oath to sup
port the Constitution of the United States; and this
article of the Constitution which says to these States
they shall deliver up fugitives from service. is as
binding in honor and conscience any other article.
No man fulflls his duty in any Legislature who
sets himself to find excuses, evasons, escapes from
this constitutional duty. have always thought that
the Constitution addressed itself to the Legislatures
Of the States themselves to the States themselves
It says that those persons escaping to other States
shall be delivered up, and confess [ have always
been of the opinion, that it injunction upon
the States themselves. When it is said that per-
escaping into another State and becoming there
fore within the jurisdiction of that State, shall be
delivered up it seems to me the import Of the pas
sage is that the State ITSELF obedience to the Con-
stitution shall cause him to be delivered up That
is my Judgment. have always entertained it, and
l. entertain it But when the subject some
years ago, was before the Supreme Court Of the
United States the of the judges held that the
power to fugitves from service to be delivered
up was power to be exercised under the authority
of this Government. l do not know, the whole,
that it may not have been a fortunate decision
My habit is to respect the result OF judicial deber
atoms and the soemnity of judicial decisions But
as it stands the business of seeing that these
fugitves ar. delivered up resides in the power OF
Congress- and the national udcature, and my friend
at the head of the Judiciary Committee has bill on
the subject now before the Senate with some
amendments to it, which propose to support, with
all its provisions to the fullest extent. And desire
to call the attention of all minded men, of al
conscientious in the North, of all men who ART
not carried away by any fanatical idea, or by any
false idea whatever, to their constitutional obliga
tons. put it to all the sober and sound minds a
the North as question of morals and question Of
conscience What right have they in all their legis
lative capacity, any other, to endeavor to ge
round this Constitution, to embarrass the free exer
persons whose slaves escape from them? None al
all-none at ALL Neither in the forum of conscience
nor before the face of the Constitution they jus
titled, in my opinion. Of course it is matter fol
their consideration. They probably in the turmoi
of the times have not stopped to consider of this
they have followed what seems to be the current O
thought and of motives for the occasion, and they
neglect to investigate fully the real question and
consider their constitutional obligations, as l an
sure if they did consider, they would fulfill them
with alacrty Therefore, repeat, sir, that here il
ground of complaint against the North we'll found
ed, which ought to be removed-which it is now II
the power of the different departments of this Gov
eminent to remove--which calls for the enactment
of proper laws, authorizing the judicature OF this
Governments in the several States, to do all that il
necessary for the recapture OF fugitive slaves and to
the restoration of them to those who claim Them
Wherever 60, and whenever speak on the subJec
! and when speak here, | desire to speak to the
whole NORTH say that the South has been injured
in this respect and has right to complain and thu
North has been too careless of what think the Con
stituton peremptorily and emphatically enjoins up
on it duty.
| Complaint has been made against certain resolu
lions that emanate from Legislatures at the North
and are sent here to u.s. not only on the subject
slavery in this District, but sometimes recommend
ing Congress to consider the means of abolishins
slavery in the States. should be sorry to be called
upon to present any resolutions here which could
be referable to any committee any power in Con
gress and therefore, should be unwilling corrective
from the Legislature of Massachusetts, any nstruc
tions to present resolutions expressive of any opinion
whatever on the subject of slavery, for two
because do not consider that the Legislature
of Massachusetts, has anything to do with 1t; ant
next do not consider that |, her representativ
here have anything to do with it. Sir, it has be
come, in my opinion, quite too common; and if tn
Legislatures of the States do not like it, they have
! great deal more power to put it down, than | hav
to uphold it, 1t has become in my opinion, quit
too common practice for the State Legislatures t
present resolutions here all subjects, and to IN
struct us here on all subjects. There is no publ
man that requires instruction than do, or VIII
requires information more than | do desires
: more heartily; but do not like to have it i
quite too imperative shape l took notice, wit
pleasure, of some remarks upon this subject mad
the other day in the Senate Of Massachusetts,, by