Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-06-07

humber, are competent to exclude slave property
but for the fact, that it has come to have a very
serious bearing upon the great issue now pending
in Congress. In the course of his speech he in
Dictated his purpose to oppose the amendment OF
Mr.. Davis, of Mississippi, and even the prohibition
contained in the Committees report, for the rea-
son that, according to his view, Congress has 10
power to abridge the inherent right of the Terri
toral governments to permit or prohibit Slavery
He said:
| l was opposed as the honorable Senator from Ken
lucky has declared he was to the insertion OF this pro-
hibitIon by the committee. consider it lnexpedlent
and unconstitutional have already stated my belief
that the rghtfu power of internal legislation in the Ter
ritores belongs to the people You have the right to
govern but to legislate for them-the doctrine for
which fathers commended, and which brought ABOUT
our separation from England
In another part of his Speech Gen. Cass spoke
as follows, on another subject
NV views on another point being misunderstood,
will briefly refer to them My doctrine was, and is,
that the people Of the Terto les have right to legis
late for themselves. was speaking formerly OF Terri
tories organized into political communities by the action
OF Congress, and the process by which deduced this
attribute of self government have just explained -
But sir where the United States refuse ect to in
stute governments for new acquisitions, hold it to be
themselves. do not intend to argue that point with
any man. He who does not feel and acknowledge that
clear right OF selpreservaton inherent in every COM
muny, when neglected by its sovereign, if it have one,
enertains views so different from mine the great
question OF human rights, that we have no common
ground which to argue. SO far agree fully with
the doctrine advanced by the President, in his message
that communities thus situated have the right to provide
for their government though dissent totally from
the recommendation to leave them in that condition.
Mr.. Webster took determined ground against
Gen. Casss position, with regard to the right of
Territorial governments. We have room for
only the following portion of the debate between
them
Now, sir, the distinguished Senator from Massachu-
sets will permit me to ask him why Territory should
not be allowed to egslate tor itself all Its con-
cerns}
| Mr.. WEBSTER. Because the law does not give them
| authority.
| Mr.. CAss My question s, why it should not be al
lowed the control over this subject as well as any
other!
Mr. WEBSTER l will tell the gentleman. Because
it established permanent Government. 1t has
much connexon, and is too much under the patron
age of this Government and especially the subject OF
slavery do no, wish to see the slavery question agi
taed the Territories while the Governor is appointed
by this Government, while the Judges all appointed
by this Government, while they have not an indepen-
dent character like the States of this Union That is
my answer.
Now, if the honorable gentleman will allow me
word, will tell him the whole issue, the whole differ
ence between him and myself. He read, i think
tract from the Nicholson letter. in which he said that
the Government was in duty bound to protect the Ter
ritores leaving to the people OF the Territories all that
their domestic interests. Ii the honorable
member will add, 80 far as they are permitted by the
constitution, prescribed tor them by Congress- he will
speak like lawyer, like an American statesman, and
according to the practice Of this Government from the
adoption OF the constitution.
| Mr.. Berrien gave the following conclusive re-
futation of Gen. Casss heresy:
| Mr.. BERRlEN. There is, las it occurs to me,
swer to the question of the Senator from Michigan,
which will Justify the provision contemplate ted to be in
! troduced INFO this BILL That inquiry understand to
be- why, ifa other domestic relations within the
scope oflegsatiye authority, that of the master and
| slave should not be? The answer which seems to me
10 be sufficient is this There is diversity of opin
ion diversity ofinerest between the different States
in this Union with regard to these other domestic
latons. The inhabitants OF Territory, about to be
| organized, in the condition OF the under con-
sderaion, composed of persons gradually
| sve, emgrating from different States OF the Union,
with views respecting this slave interest which dis
tnct and conflicting. To invest the first Territorial
Legisla ture which should assemble with power to con-
ro interest in relation to which there is such
fct in the different States of the Union, would be to
| permit handful OF men to decide upon conflicting
interests affecting the feelings and interests of thirty
States OF this Union.
This population is not full it is not permanent is
successI ely added to- and added by persons who have
different Interests from those who to be invested
cordng the proposition of the Senator from Mchi-
gam with the right to legislae upon this subject Now,
if the few persons who happen to be in Territory
where bill ofths shall be passed, shall have power
to forbid the introduction of slavery into the Territory
that small number fpersons enabled to decide upon
| the rights OF much greater number OF citizens OF the
United States than they constitute. The inhibition once
existing, no person can 60 into the Territory with in
teress conflicting with those Of the persons by whom
this inhibition has been imposed. think the Senator
from Michigan will admit that there is distinction be-
tween this question of domestic slavery and that of all
other relations of life. There community of inter-
est with regard to all other domestic relations existing
between the different States which does not exist and
cannot be affirmed with regard to the institution Of
! slavery