The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-17
nolitical rights to Others under the same Govern

political rights, to others under the same Govern
ment.
/ The General Government of the United
4 States, in the exercise of some of those powers
granted and necessary TO il rs the agent OF the
States, has made several acquisitions OF territory,
large portions of which, under that same spirit
of mutual concession which brought the Gov
ernment into existence, has been organized into
States. and admitted into the Union. Those
north of the Ohio river and of the parallel of
80 have been admitted with n restriction
AGAINST slavery In this the South, although
she felt il violation of her constitutional rights,
acquiesced. In those south, the people have
/ been left free to determine for themselves whe-
Their slavery should or should not exist. The
substance of all this sir, was, that the Constitu-
ton was declared imperative on this subject
north of $3.50, but in full force south of it,
This cannot be considered properly in any other
light than a great concession BY the South to
the North.
The apology for it, according to the debates
of that day, WAS that of everything necessity. -
Massachusetts could not expect to have it all
her way--to suit her taste and feelings Vir-
ginia could not have it her way-to suit her
taste and feelings. Louisiana, although slave
holding Territory, was considered the common
property of the people Of the States, With
these conflicting views between the North and
the South, the question was compromised upon
division of it at &c. 80 north latitude. But not
to detain the committee on this topic, as cons-
derable as it is in the history Of our legislation
on the subject, the South generally acquiescing
in the disposition of the vexed question, her
statesmen have not been disposed to disturb it,
| and its principles have been observed by them
in coed faith for more than thirty years, and nn-
til the North encouraged by the success of the
prohibitive clause in their legislation then upon
nndisputed slave territory, or forgetting that it
was to them concession by the slaveholding
States, gave undoubted proof that she would no
longer be bound by it.
The first indication OF the indlsposition OF the
North to adhere to the principles of the Missouri
compromise was given in the vote on the pro-
position submitted by you, Mr.. Chairman, Mr..
| BURT was in the chair, in lS47, declaring the
reasons why slavery was excluded from the
Territory of Oregon--that it was north Of
| Sc 80 1t was at that time that we had proof
positive, that, unless some great change in public
sentiment should takepace, we could nolonger
expect that the North would feel bound to
abide by the principle of that compromise
although it had been faithfully observed by the
South to that time both by speeches and votes.
Mr. Clay himself, is said to have used this
language:
ABy the compromise which took place on the
passage of the act for the admission of Missouri
into the Union in the year 1920, it was agreed
and understood that the line of SO. 80 of north
latitude, should mark the boundary betueen The
free Males and Stare Mates TO be created IN The
territories of the United States ceded by the treaty
! Of Louisiana-those situated south Of Il being
Stare States and those north IF il free STATES"
| He further went on to say:
$ Florida is south of that line, and consegueJit-
~, according to the spirit and understanding
,chich prevailed at the period alluded to, should
be Stare State. 1t may bet that the compro-
mise does not in terms embrace Florida, and that
it is not absolutely binding and obligatory but
all candid and impartial men must agree that Il
ough. not 10 be disregarded without The most meigh-
ty considerations, and that nothing could be more
TO be deprecated than 10 open dnew the bleeding
,oounds rhich trere happily boond up and healeG
i By thai compromise"
1 Ii was also carried into effect at the time oil
the admission of Texas. In the year lS47,
say, we had the first positive declaration on tn,
part of the North that they would not abide
4 by that principle, on motion made by You, Mr.
4 Chairman, in the House of Representatives
- This, sir, was the condition of this question
when, by the trcaiy Of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Ca
Iiforuii, and New Mexico were acquircd-the
comm,a property of the States Of this Union
none having contributed more than the Southern
st ties either in blood or treasure for their
acquisiton-held i'm trust by the General Gov
ernment as their agent for the benefit of all the
States and for their use. Maine, in behalf of
her people, claims equal rights there with Loui-
siana and demands that her citizens shall GO to
that territory, taking with them their ships and
their lumber, and il is conceded to her. Massa-
, ehusetts demands that her citizens shall 90 to
that territory, taking with them their ships and
their manufactures, and the right is admitted to
n her. New York and Pennsylvania claim for
their citizens that they shall 90 taking with them
their merchandise OF every description aud
every species of their property and the right
is recognized, The other Northern States all
claim for their citizens respectively the right to
90 into that territory and take with them every
species Of their property, and it's not denied.
! No Southern Representative here has ques-
toned their right, or the duty of the Government
to protect them there, both in their persons and
their property Georgia and the other States
holding slaves as property, equal in rights with
the other States Of this Union, claim for their
citizens the right to emigrate into that Territory
with their property = property acknowledged
such in the Constitution, and which this Govern
ment is bound to protect else if fails in the most
essential objects of its creation and it is reserved
for them only to be denied. They are TO be
told that they are unworthy You tell them,
virtually that they not the equals Of the other
States Of this Union, and that their people are
inferior in political rights TO the citizens Of other
States. If this is the course Of policy which you
intend to pursue, tell it no longer that yours is
Government Of equality, or that one Of the
great objects Of its establishment is still re-
spected; but tell it rather that equality and jus
tice are disregarded, and that your boosted
Union, formed among other noble purposes to
establish justice" has been converted into an
engine of oppression and inequality. But sir, ]
must not, will not believe this foul injustice
will be done my people, until the decd is perpe-
! trated.
We are told, however, that Nature, in her
order of the soil and climate of This territory,
has efiectualy excluded slavery BY denying TO il
profitable employment This Is intended, we
suppose, TO alleviate the load Of your injustice
! Take the statement to be true, how useless were
: il then for You To insult us with your unmeanng
decress Of prohibition But whether the en-