Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-06-08


did believe that Territorial Legislature possessed any power
whatever but such delegated by the Congress the
United States and the power which did possess simply
lated to the protection of and property and the punish
ment OF crime S, what do you require of them That
they shall no law that be submitted Congress
for its appreciation leaving them strictly the control of the
Congress OF the United States every that they may pass
And yet gentlemen get up this day and advocate the
floor of the Senate the monsrous doctrine that these Terrific
rial legislatures consisting OF handful OF men, should
make laws to affect every description Of property would
greatly prefer that my friend would leave out this provision
which by some Is considered unnecessary The section
appears effects every thing that ought be desired
and it leaves idea that any thing covered up in which
ought not to be there sn favor of establishing Terri
torai Governments without saying any thing the subec. Of
Slavery SO far as the introduction of il into the exclusion
Of It from the Territories is concerned. That is what
OF three months ago. and is what am in favor of still
Mr. DOUGLAS Istated that that has been adoctrne
mously entertained SO far have undersoodhat Terio
tora to be passed silent the subject of slavery and
that no provision was to be made upon the subject under
stand that that has been the unanimous doctrines that
now advocates that is what made argument in favor Of
did not propose say in the bill that the Territorial Legs
ue should have the power 70 egsate on the subject of
slavery, that Congress should have power to prohibit or
establish 1t in the Territories proposed strike that
prohibition Of the Territorial Legislature the subject and
that being done, would read that Territorial legislation
should extend to all ghu subjects of legislation within their
boundaries proposed to make it open question: that
the people themselves could do with it they pleased
Now sr let me compare notes with the Senator, and
who in favor Of the Wimot proviso and ee-so doctrine
on this point lie desires prohibition the part Of Con-
gress that the Territorial Legislatures shall egsate in
spec to slavery Why sir, the laws Of Mexico prohibited
slavery in those Territories when acquired them from that
country, and according the law of nations the laws of
Mexico still force. And what is it that the Senator
proposes Why, is continue those laws in force, and
prevent the people themselves from repeating them And
that the very doctrine Of the Senator from Wisconsin,
which he wants 10 continue and retain in the bill That
the II voted into the bill by the committee of
thirteen, the Senator from Vermont giving the castis
j in haran afInnn nj
slavery forever Sin wish to strike out because do not
wish to pePeuate any institution against the will OF the peo.
pie. wish to leave them free to regulate their own inu
tons in their way, without compelling them TO establish
institution there, the hand they do not wish,
preventing them, the other, from establishing
they do wish it. Sir, only made those remarks which
thought courteous. had made speech favor othe
doctrines have always held and did not expect to see the
Senator from Alabama show that iritabity of temper, and
to hear him epithes instead of attempting to reply to
argument which he knew to be frankly and canddy made
made uncourteous Senark. Now sir | admit that
would rather take the doctrine to De fouhd IN the bill
of the Senator from Kentucky than which would suiy
the whole Democratic party 1t is clear that the object
is to stuly the whole Democratic party of ls4s Is now
intended to rebuke the doctrine advocated a that time
The Senator from Mississippi said he oppod to it the
Senator from Alabama says he aganf that doctrine
then the doctrines of the Senator from Michigan to be
Abandoned doctrines rased and TIP supporters Of
the doctrines enunciated in ls4s to be fnoohed down
and required to for which is Intended to sul-
ty and disgrare the whole Democratic party That sir, is
the question which to meet and, ye must meet it,
let meet it openly and like The Senator from Ken
lucky manly enough that he opposed to this
he manly enough to rise aboe all political II
vares and to say that it wrong to put the question on
such basis. We stand where stpd in lsas, and
where have stood upon this question but sir when
required to etrace steps and nounce what we
have alleged to be our principles, that beSmes quite die
en question.
Mr. WEBSTER. Mr.. President do not think that
there is any thing in this question that uns far into the
Il int Or Of Darty
to be supposed by the honorable member from Ala
bama. hnk that the amendment moed this case by the
honorable member from Mississippi ( DAvis) is OF very
little moment and doubt whether will have any degree OF
influence upon the just construction Of be BILL Sir, if
derand the object of gentlemen who ave taken part IN this
discussion, be very easily attained by amendment form
Of amendment have the surface of this question
and suppose that thing belonging to tits on the suace
nothing but disposition prevent the Territorial Govern
nent from deciding upon question of the permanent estab-
hmen the permanent exclusion Of slavery IN the Terri
tory hereafter become State. have taken that TO be the
aim and object Of this provision which it proposed strike
of the BILL there any thing deeper in it than that
is apparent to Now, if that be the object can
be reached in very plain saw an amendment
the other day in the hands of the honorable member from
Indiana [Mr WHIrcoMB) which think is calculated to
accomplish that object. 1t is the that has been ndica-
ted by the honorable member from Alabama As the bill
reads provides that the Territorial Legislature shall
have authority pass any law respecting African slavery
The argument is that by possibility may become necessary
to pass laws respecting slavery, if slavery shall exist
there Now suppose that the amendment proper be in
oduced for the purpose which has been sgn6ed by the
temen who have Spoken would be to strike out those words
and say that the Territorial Legislature shall have no
authority pass any law for establishing excluding slavery
in the Territory appears to me that this is the upshot OF
the whole matter. That very pper because take that
meaning Of the whole is that this question shall be left
the people of the State decide after becomes sovereignty
by admission into the Union the same footing with the
original States may then be question for the people
themselves decide because take to be clear that it Is
municipal question: II question for the decision of the
people their State sovereignty and there may be pro-
prety there certainly is improperly, excluding the
exercise power in the Territorial Government for the
establishment exclusion Of slavery. must say, sir that
utility n the present My judgment that provision
Of this sort likely have any effect whatever upon the
actual state of things which will arise in New Mexico Still
the proposition apparent If the amendment be put IN the
shape which have indicated it will be unobjeconable.
Mr. DAVIS, of Mississippi. 1t in that shape now
Mr. WEBSTER II has been advanced that these people
while Territory have right to do any thing and every
thing that belongs the rights of cannot conceive
that they have understand something hope about the
rights OF man. they exist before government and without
and before there social and before there
is political But when speak Of the rights of per-
sons-he rights Of people who social stae who are
in political state, who under the dominion and power
Of govenment-when speak Of their rights suppose
we must their rights they exist social rights and
their political rights especially they exist in the state
of things existing at the time. shall not into the
penea of the subject, shall meet the argument
or attempt meet the argument of the honorable member
firm Michigsn addressed to some tine ago
We have always gone upon the ground that these Terrific
ral Governments state of puplage, under the pro-
patronage Of the General Government The Terri
haS hy