Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-03-12
spEErlI OF MR.. WEBSTER,
- -" or MASSACHUSETTS,,
80, SLAVERY QUESTION,
- rUE SLAVERY QUESTION,
ON

y,caa lnd me- bcr, il Senate of the United States-a
,y,d from It's proprety nor iost 10 Jnst sense
N no' ci,y or its high responsibilities body To
o IL o"" s.,,y Looks with contidence-wiSe, moderate,
whin NM with true feeling II Is not 10 DC denied that
rstac s t mis-; of strong asations and in the midst
We S ron. ie7abr dangers |" our , y. r M
q '' S ;,np>nei winds lei loose lhe East the
Hn - ,hn stormy South are all combined 10 make the
No' an oss lis pillows 10 the skies ana disclose s
"hf ,u,hs" do not affect 10 hold or 10 DC nj 10
a h,, IN this combat with the poitcai cieiients p'tl
bid 'nt ,' 1 -, ,,rforu and mean Ia perform il with
nave ,, without a sense Of surrounding dangers but
h; ;,h,t hope have part io ACT no. LOT my own ST.
~ .y Of safety am looking ont f"r no iiasrn. upon
e' e ~ l1, away from the wreck, II wreck Is tn ensne-
Wi" ,,,n al ,I. whole and the preservation OF the
ta ~ T Thr i thai which will keep me 10 my duty during
~. .,,urIc whether the suu ana me siHis si" "Ppe u"
's o,t appear for many days. an,
- my cause speak to-day from n solicltons ana
N -,c for the restoration io Inc country oi that qncl
a h,uony which make the blessings "t this Union
saa s o .ar IA us all "Belevc me Tor mine honor
% N, The topics tha, propose TO myself 10 discuss
IN" -. ~ III, motives and the sole motives that influence
' @ rwnnicae my opinions To the Senate and 10 the
M and can DO anyrhing, however little, for the
n;cn of these ends, shall have accomplished all that
Ss Wis psn, nay not be amiss 10 recu very briefly TO
,.,.,s equally sudden and extraordinary which, nave
- N. political condition ot this country to be what II
Us In Nav, 1916 the United States declared war
;s, Mexico Our armies then on the frontiers entered
yn,e c that Republic met and defeated a her troops
us P,d her mountain passes and occupied her capital.
fs1yl
H. ,ne forces of the United States took possession of
tr uots and on The Atlantic and the paclhc In
M an two years treaty was negotiated by which MeAl-
d Il, the United States vast extent of territory eN-
na m seven or eight hundred miles along the shores ol
m Pacific running back the mountains and across the
,,s ,i reached the frontier State oil Texas. II 50
onned that the distracted and feeble state OF the MeAi
a eynnent before the declaration OF war by the United
Ss against Mexico had become known in California, the
,, o, California under the direction OF American OFF,
r., n.rhaps-C Coonel Donphan in particular roverurned
rill pt
-, ,nhority aud run up independent flag. When the
RVS arrived San Francisco that war had been declared
n ,he United States against Mexico this Independent ag
.,s na, down and the and stripes oi this govern
nt hoisrtd in lis stead So sir before the
he powers The United States, military and naval had pos
session. OF Upper California and great rush Of emigrants
m various portions Of the world took place into California
IN lsi6 and lSi1
AMI now behold another wonder. In January lSiS, the
Nomcns i, is said, OF them, made discovery OF
an extraordinarily rich mine III goldor rather oi very
,a,l quantity gold hardly fitted to ho called mine be-
use las the suriaceat the lower part OF The
>oai or American branch of the Sacramento. They en
,a,Od 10 conceal their discovery, and did so for solt
Tine ear the time another dlscorcry-perlaps o
reaier nlportancewas made OF gold in higher part
il, American branch o the Sacramento and near 10 III,
td - called The fame OF those discoveries spread lal
l1j vide This excited and that spirit of emf
ra,on towards California which had already taken place
Persons crowded III hundreds and ocks towards the bay
San Francisco This, as have said took place in the win
Ter and sprin. OF isis The diggins" commencedi III III,
t gold has prosecuted with not heretofore
snosn in the history of the globe. We all know how IN
c,eulous the American public of the accounts which
reached of this discovery. But We all Know ina
,aey received and continued daily contrmatio
and down The present moment suppose that the assn
strong after the experience OF those severa
months that there mines vi gold apparently inexhaus
bic IN The regions near San Francisco In California s they
were al any period of the early transmission 10 us of os,
accounts.
Ii 50 happened that although in Of peace, il becan
very great sulec, legislative consideration and ess
ht decision provide proper territorial government i'
Cao!na. but differences nt opinion In The councils of t
syennen, prevented establishment of any such terri
1l government Tor California at the last session OF Con
aess Under this of things the inhabitants oi Sar
fanClscu and California, then amounting In great number
persons the OF is vear thought II their duty
establish local government. Under the proclamation
General Riley The peop, chose delegates 10 convention
and iha. Monterey, They framed con
sigIsn lot The state California. Ii adopted by III,
people o California IN their primary character DESTROYS "
.aDiatc conneXIoa with III, United States senators Wei,
appointed and representa- chosen, who have hitr
banging with them the authenticated constitution of In
State OF California, and they present themselves ask
ing III behalf OF that State, that II may be admitted into t
Union of the United States. This constitution con
tains express prohibition against slavery nvountar
ser,lude in the State OF California 1t is said and sup
rose truly that vi the members who composed the
lion, thirty natives and had been residents of IN
syehodng States and the residue, perhaps about twenty
were not such.
Mr HALE. VIII the honorable senator give way till
Ger is restored
VI CASS trust Mr. President, that The scene of The
other day wil not be renewed to-day The Sergeant-at
Arms should display energy and take TO preserve
order
The VICE PRESIDENT. The Sergeant-at- Arms will
close the doors, and permit be admitted.
Order being restored,
Mr. WEBSTER resumed 1t is this circumstance thai
has contributed 10 raseI do say that it has wholly
,tl,e-a dispute upon the proprety of the admission
California ln'o the Union under these circumstances
II IS not 10 be- denied, Mr. Presidentnobody thinks o
Gcitlngili whatever assigned the
encement o the Late with Mexico il was prosecuted
M The purpose OF the acquisition OF territory and under The
aleni that The cession Of territory the only form in
~asn proper compensation could be made the u States
" Mexico Tor various claims and demands which the people
o ms country had against her Al rate il will be found
i resident Polk, in message nj the commencement 1
s session III December, ISL avowcd that the was u
" uSscuted till some acquisition of territory obtained
And as he acquisition south of the line OF the United
stir> N warm climates and countries il naturally
IVe suppose, by the South that whatever acquisitions
~tfe mNe in that region would be added To the slave
holding tl u The Cni,ed States. Events have turned ont
was no; and that expectation has not been real
. and therefore, in degree, disappointment and sur
& aa'e beru excited In other words il is obvious that
w question which has long harasscd the country, and
sh iI's very seriously alarmed the minds of wise and
ti men has upon for fresh discussion quos
"a =" slavery in these United States
"" si, propose, perhaps AZ some little expense 10 the
attention OF the Senate to review historically this question
'efy which, partly in consequence OF its acts and
! IN consequence of the manner in which il has been
s'd in ana the other portions Of the country, has
h the source of much alienation aud unkind feeling in
s;e portions of the United States. We all know thai
ma'ey "a has existed in the world from time immemorin
@ Mas slavery in the earliest periods of the history
v'h'ii nations. There slavery among the Jews. The
teaie government o that people made no nJunctions
ashn'u. There slavery among the Greeks and Ia,
ingenious philosophy Of The Greeks found, sought 10 find
ahcation Of it exactly upon the grounds which have
" assumed for such justification in this country, that IS
na and original difference between the OF man
The inierioy of the coored black 10 the white
M eSs justified their of slavery upon that ground
r'csely They held the Africans and portions of the
siit Tribes be inferior the white race They did
were tue the intelligent and the stronger had there
Ie 'Ae Ti't 10 subugate the weaker. more manly phi
,'ph! ani jurisprudence of the Romans placed The lus-
oh ON tn'ltiy different grounds The Roman Jursts,
AN c 'ciy first dawn 10 the fall OF the empire admitted
a slavery was iansr the natural law, by which they main
ea Ii' all men, Of whatever CLINE, color Of capacity
m tiii' in; they justified slavery, first, upon The aulho
W 'e law oi nations, arguing, and arguing truly, tha
% it Gay In; conventional law Of nations admitted tha
@ wee al the absolute disposal of the capior-inghi, III
ana ir exemption from DEATH be made slaves Tor NE
~ .i'' ia sersude might descend 10 their posterty-
J"s's oi Rome also maintained TINT by civil law there
oe stsl'ic and slavery personal and hercditaTy FIRST
& e voluntary act Of the individual, who might sell HIM
o slavery; secondly, by his being received into STATE
,i'ndu hy his creditors satisfy the debts he had il
slavery iur crime -
, = TIE introduction oi Christianity into the WORLD the Ro-
f empire was full of slaves. suppose there is 10 be
, II" injunction against that relation between and
III III, teachings of the Gospel 10y Jesus Christ or by any
' lst'es The object Of the instructions delivered 10
AHi " the founder of Christianity was 10 touch The
NJ lafiy ,c soul and improve the lives of indyidualm