The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-08-01
CITY OF WASHINGTON, THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST 1850

stands as have read these LOCAL territorial legislatures
will have power 10 act upon the subject OF slavery one
way or the other BY the provision which have read.
the territorial legislatures will have no power TO rfohib'
the admission or to authorize the introduction oil slavery
Under this state OF things the question must remain Just
where was placed by the laws Of Mexico PRIOR 10 an
nexdton ADdi there were no law IN Mexico applica'
Bile to the case. II must then feman-as would ne n
state OF naure-wthou law By retaining IN the b'li
the provision which have read i Will be perceived iha'
Their hands being tied, the question 49, whether there Is
any Mexican law which regulates the subject There
either u or is moi Mexican law II there bea Mexican
law and that law be enforced by the judicial tribunals,
the existence OF slavery IN the Ierro-
! res will depend upon H.
| II may, them be an important inquiry to ascertain what
the Mexican law Bnt shall not 20 into that inquiry
Gentlemen have made various arguments ON the ques-
ton both the side and The other II has been
commended on the one side that all executive and legisa
tive DEGREES on the subject of slavery violations OF
the constitution Of Mexico, aud that slavery has mol
been changed by hosc decrees but that the original inst-
tuition OF slavery yet untouched, and remains as II
originally stood, prior 10 the revolution by which Mexico
was1sparaed from the Spanish authority But II y un-
necessary inquire whether those DEGREES are valid or
invalid II is enough for to say that. il they are val
i'd then such thing slavery exists in California and
New Mexico; If invalid, then all that we gain by per
hitting this bill to stand it 49, is an opportunity, by IN
vestgatons before the courts to prove their lnvaly,
aud by such proceeding endeavor 10 secure the right 10
introduce slaves into the Territory. Il am no, willing,
sir to take any proposition which places the whole oi
this question upon the uncertainty oi an Issue OF that
sort. think that it is the duty OF the American Con-
gress 10 their power and decide the question: or
(Which far better 10 leave it to the people OF the Ter
rtories decide Tor themselves. BY taking thavcourse,
| you will get clear o all peplexing Investigations as TO
the validity of the decrees made by The executive or
Legislative departments of the government OF Mexico,
abolishing slavery. BY adopting that course you gel
clear OF the questions how FAR the edcts oi Mexican
Presidents may have violated the constitution OF Mexico
you get clear OF uncertainty and doubt and anu you you maxs
the subject 10 be disposed OF by hepeople oil the ler
tories themselves.
Mr. President, in the formation OF the constitution OF
the United States the people OF the various States OF the
old confederation acted upon the idea and belief that the
existence of slavery constituted nsuperabe obecoh 10
the indssou5e Of ali the States and the formation
of general government i'll which certain powers were to
be vested Tor national purposes. The constitution OF the
United States formed upon that basis Our ancestors
believed that slavery might continue to exist and mat all
the powers necessary be vested in the general govern
could be legtmatey exercised by the iunctonaries
created by the constitution, notwithstanding the exist
ence of slavery The idea is of modern origin that the
institution OF slavery is such blight that we. cannot
properly dscrecy, and correctly administer the govern
created for general and national purposes, we al
low the institution further existence Alter more than
sixty years OF unparalleled success, during which time
| the federal government has poured lnnumerabe bless
ngs upon the American people, notwithstanding the ex
Isence OF slavery, now see set OF men, both IN and
out the halls OF Congress- who. losing sight OF their al
legiance to the constitution seem determined 10 destroy
the institution OF slavery, should the consequence
be the destruction OF the government SIR, the conslta
ton was formed. as have said upon the basis that all
the powers granted for national purposes could be prop
ery and benehciay exercised without regard 70 he ex
isence OF slavery Consequently, you hnd that the con-
stution authority IN Congress to abolish sla
very ia the States, 10 do than exclude the I'M
poration OF slaves after the first OF January, lsOS
haeve power Congress over the subject OIL
slavery results from It's exclusive legislative authority IN
the Dstrict OF Columbia and in the Territories SO long
as Congress continues to be the local sovereign over me
Territories Of the United States admit the power there
in dispose OF the question OF slavery But no other
power given 10 the national government over the insl-
| tuition oil slavery
4 6aad hui tha ,ftu-
tion in the funconaes OF the national government may
be exercised well where slavery continues 10 exist as
where il does not what ask, ongnt TO De me DEDUCTION
iron that great iact reference 10 slavery IN lhe le-
torres IL should be iba You out 10 allow the people
oi the Territories TO decide the question Tor themselves
YOU ought not, members OF the great coniederaoy OF
Saes pefpiex yourselves with question OF THIS sort
II you viii leave the question 10 the people OF the Ter
ritories you place upon platform where everybody
can sland 1y 80 dong, you only allow Toe people OIL
the Territories the night TO mould and form Their
institutions wnch conceded To The people OF the Stales
And why will you moi do IL Shall II be SAID that The
lpeople OF New Mexico oil Utah shall not initiate the
institutions OF ksoiucky but shall give 10 the insiiiu'
tons OF Massachusetts preference over those oil ken
tncky II YOU force upon them the adoption OF the M
slulions OF Massachusetts, in preference to those oi
kentucky, TO that extent you pronounce your oecsoh
that the institutions Of Kentucky aa unworthy OF ln'-
taon and you deg ade those institutions BY ptecludng
he exercise OF discretion vol'tion m relation to
them and aI-o leny the sht of the people of The Ter
ritoIies 10 Judge for themselves Does mol ths course
srke down the very hrst principles OF sell government
Nou 10 TIE people of tne ieIftottts, w 'c'y
bill. 'You shall not exercise the prncplesoi seligov
eminent you shall not adopt those institutions wheh
may seem to YOU best" Can anything be more ant're
publican Bat suppose you allow the people o the
Territories 10 ther own dscreuon, 10 DO as
they please the subject suppose they should INTRO
duce the institution OF slavery, what elect would hat
have How, If they should take that course, would u
preven, the OF the proper functions OF the gene
raj government IN carrying out the great national par.
poses for which The general governmsnt was formed
| Not at all How would !, operate upon the domestic
relations of the Staesl II they introduce slavery, IT
could have but operation, and that would be TO with
draw portion o the slave population IRON the states
IN which that descr, pon o property might be aound-
ant and spread II allayer area. That would
be the only effect Would increase the number Of
slaves Not al all. Diffusion has no increase Were
States and Fertiore- II would not increase their nun
sers in respect 10 the future. unless such dltnson
by making Their conditon more comfortable ana happy,
sho hou,d then 10 multiply with greater rapidty Inc
rHpj increase OF slave population since lIso. a.
shown by every proves beyoed all controversy
that they are generally treated with humanity by their
owners There are, doubt, cases OF cruelty; and so
there are cases OF nhumaoty TO apprentices TO wives.
and to children These however. are only exceptions to
the general rule do admit that the spreading OF our
slave population the States and Territories would
produce faster Increase Bu, " such should be the
effect il could only result from better treatment and
greater comfort viii the northern phnanthrop,st be
pleased to explain how his system OF conhning
the slaves to Their present limits. to helds cursed and
made sterile told. BY the impoverish'ng nature
OF slave labor. and compelling them to wear ont mis-
erabe half srved existence upon exhausted lands can
4 be made to harmonic with his professions OF benevo.
ence for the whose welfare gives him such deep
concern Does he know that when shott crops
duce suffering. for of Bread that prva'on will fall