The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-07-09
CONGRESSIONAL.
sPEEon or MA. UpHAm.

una y, ioOU.
The Senate having under consideration the bill for the
admission of California State into the Union 10 es
absh territorial governmental for Utah and New Mexi-
and making proposals 10 Texas for the establishment
Mr. UPHAM said Mr. President, s i s my p,spose in
the humble part am about 10 take in the discussion Of
the various questions growing out OF this measure, to ad
W without sny attempt " Or % display
Rhetorical hourshes and high sounding defamation in
my poor judgment o say noting Of their bad taste in this
chamber) have tendency TO alay the prevailing ex-
cement or to que the fury OF the storm that is beating SO
pitessly upon shall therefore express my views
with great fankness and planness but at the time
in language. hope, not unbecoming the position
cupy, Or the importance OF the subject under consider
alton. 5y nv
Mr. President, if anything could awaken in my mind
fearful appehensons Tor the stability OF the government
and the psrpsuily OF Tree institutions il would be The
oftrepeated declaration, floor and elsewhere, that
the laws Of Congress touching the question Of slavery in
our newly acquired Mexican IerrllOres and in the Dis
ct o Columbia, ii agreeable the oil southern
politicians, will be resisted at all hazards and TO the last
extremity. But, sf am not very easily alarmed, and
sir, none whatever The foundation upon which rests
laid broad and deep by the patriots of the revolution
and cemented with their blood and the first open attempt
undermine will meet with most severe rebuke not
only from the constituted authorities OF the country but
from twenty millions OF people. most ~ whom regard
the Union as the ark OF their political safety. and slsd
ready, need be, 10 peril their lives in ils defence The
cry OF dsunon has out from the halls OF Congress
but, sir, have not greatly mistaken the signs OF the
times meets with favorable response from the peo-
pie in any section Of the country no, Sir, not in
the slave States. The people Of the South with few
ceptOns, cling 70 the Union with as much devotion and
affection aSthe people Of the North Their fathers and
fathers stood shoulder 10 shoulder many battle
field, in hours OF peril and Of glory TO open the way for
its estabsnment and il is most sacred duty, their
descendants 70 uphold and At every hazard
Mr. President the people OF this great country enjoy
much security too much happiness and too much pros.
perty in the Union to desire TO 90 out OF tito better
their condition. They are contented where they are
and fhovh yrlnv IN mn nj thaU
seek and obtain redress much better in the Union than
ot Of it. The disastrous consequences that must follow
the breaking up Of the deep foundation Of the govern,
ment. and the consequent rupture Of the ties that bind
these States together in family, the people fully under
stand They know that disunion is nothing more nor
less than civil war the armlng Of one section q the
know TOO that The frat drop OF blood shed in conflict Of
arms between the North and the South would be the
Who MI. President that is not laboring under some
strange haucination, believe for single moment,
that accession would furnish remedy for any Of the
Be forfeiture o ali their interest in the Territories, and
surrender OF all claim upon the free States for the
ioraton Of their fugitive slaves In the Union the rights
of all can be secured and proeced out OF the Union all
would be doubt. uncertainty. and insecurity. But the
Union, il Is said. is in danger, and that the immediate
cause s the almost universal discomfort which peryades
all the States composing the southern section OF the
federacy What sir has caused this widespread dis
contenti One Of the causes we told by southern
senators, is the long continued agitation of the slave
sions which they have made on the rights OF the South
during the time Another cause, il is said, is to be found
in the fact that the equilibrium between the two sections
of the government, ii stood when the constitution
r1ed and the government put in motion, has been de-
sroyed by the operation OF time, but by the legsa
on of Congress- The legislation complained OF is, frst
and disbursements adopted BY the government third the
Missouri compromise; and, fourth, the exclusion OF
slavery from the Oregon Territory Now. MIR President,
propose, before urging my objections 10 the bill under
consideration 10 examine these causes OF discomfort and
these OF egsation for the purpose OF showing, FIRST
that the agitation OF the subject OF slavery with view
revolution, and continued up 1882 and that the aga-
ton in the North of which the South complains, was
occasoned by the aggessons OF power on the
rghn Of the North and, secondly that the legislation
complained Of with the exception OF the Oregon BILL can
not with truth be charged to the North.
And, frs as to the agitation OF the slave question
brief reference to the early history of the country will
show that strong opposition TO slavery manifested itself
in many OF the colonies before the Declaration OF lnde
pendence and that n section OF the country was the
opposition stronger and more determined than in the
South At various periods in i77a, before the first meet
ing OF the Continental Congress-, the people in many OF
ths counties in Virginia, in public meetings, assembled
consider OF the most effective method TO preserve the
rights and liberties Of America" took up the subject OF
slavery discussed it, deberaed upon it, and passed
lutions declaring i injurious to the colonies.
The proceedings oil these meetings may be found in the
1st vol OF the 4th series OF American Archives, pub
shed by order OF Congress shall not detain the SEN
ate BY reading them. will, however, beg permission 10
~
inhabitants Of the county OF Cupeper. assembled the
IN that county. on the 7th OF July, 1774
is in the words following:
Rsoiped That the importation Of slaves and convict
wants s ninrious this colony, II obstruct the popua
ton OF wsrb free and useful manufacturers and will
buy any such slave convict servant hereafter TO be
impaired
Free and useful manufacturers were regarded OF
importance in the colony and the importation OF slaves
obsuced the population OF il by that desirable class o
men, the good people OF the county resolved 10 give no
encouragement 10 slavery.
Resolutions OF a similar character passed in many
of The other counties In the Commonwealth and also at
State convention held at Williamsburg the ist OF Au
gust f774
Mr. Jefferson, a delegate TO the Williamsburg conven.
ton. being unable TO attend addressed letter to the body
In which he expressed his views in regard TO slavery in
the following language;
For the iriang reasons and sometimes lor
ceivable all his Majesty has rejected laws OF the
ssiutary tendency TnE ABOLITION DOMESTIC sLA-
vKay ~ TIVE eREATEsT COLONIES
where IL unhsppy intfodnced their tfant state.
But previous to the enfranchisenent OF the saves we
have IL 10 necessary exclude all further mportatons
from Africa. Yet repeated attempts effect this by
prohibitions. and by imposing dntics which might amount
10 prohibiton have been eT defeated by his Msiosy
negative Thus preferng the impediaie advantages oi
ica. states and TO the HUMAN NATURE DEEPLY
WOUNDED ny INFAMOUS PRACTICE
this, sir the language Of fsnaicism or OF patnotsmi
"1hs abolition Of domestic saptry M greatta ooied o.
desrS IN these colonies bsrs fcns unh0Ppy introduced
Il, h<y fnfnnf sofsv This southern sentiment when
uttered By Mr. Jefferson, and concurrfd ~ by all OF
nearly all the slave States Then FIVE or ak hundred
thousand slaves were considered great evil and no sac
rfce was too great get rid OF them: Now, three oT
four millions are regarded as great blessing and the
integrity OF the Union sihreatened i they are excluded
IRON the free territory OF the United States But 10 pass