Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-03-12
SPEECH OF MIR. WEBSTER,
W hl<> ,,,... !. rtrv-SLIHrS
ox THE SLAVERY QUESTION.
(coSCLppEp.)

na.Ga I'D New Mexico are Asatc i'll their i'rinai'n a
their scenery They are composed o, broken by deep
VALLEYS The sides of these mountains are There
tsJfen Their tops capped by pet.ili s,ution-
ay be in California now mace M Of valuable land; hut
is much less valuable when you get mo sM nv n,l,an
what the evidence upon thus snI, hsf ar stated hy
has collected by information sought by hi j al could
ohars1 have read all could read, ana ls;h' an ,h,
learn upon the subject What is there IN NE" & ;,h
eoeu ~ tbs @ some narrow strips of ,illabe land upon
the borders of the rivers but the MYERS Isl
before midsummer All that the native p1op s ,bsr ran
10 raise some little articles -some niue "isa' M, ,,cc,s
6,r their own use and all that BY irrigation n 20
,Gses hundred black cultvatins ,ooace' ." .,i,
ce ANYTHING on lands !" nnn NEW !, ,hrrefoe as fixed
facin.to use a current expression "i me ID! wa ~,
California and New Mexico are destined 10 DC ilte ~ M
,hev are settled al all-which believe eSpeea's h
aa.o New Mexico, will be very little Tor sFea' "ns ~
1Xe-free by the arrangement oil Things 4" '''
t<nbove a.: ,, MA, ,h,;
This country is Fixed for freedom persons a sha
ever live there by en- irepeaabc lava more
iaw than the law which appeals 10 The right OIL holding
,pder Local enactments And will further I'll t'al
resolution or law before us - l:oNde 'tti!
serial government for New MeAco w",'a N"', w. -
no prohibition whatever the u|r OF susn IT,,
woud be idle as il respects any effect upon the
take pains 10 reafilrn al "tanahce oi 49,
nor to the will OF God would PM 10 no Ni"
Proviso for the purpose OF taunt and
of superior votes superior power-o wound the price
even-whether Just and rational PRIDE or an irrational
de-towound the pride of the gentlemen and people OF The
Southern States have such OBJECT ana n" sueH pu
pose They would think il taunf and an indlgnty lhey
,voud think il to taking away roni them wha'
sbey regard as proper equality oil privilege Whether th
are e.nected &c realize any benefit from ornot they wond
feel that at least theoetic wrong-somethng der"gao
in some degree less their charactehad taken
place need infcs any such wound upon 'ie leengs
of ANYBODY unless in where something eSsen'is
important to the country and efficient to the
liberty and freedom is 10 be effected Therefore repeat SIT
and repeat il because wish 10 DC UNDERSTOOD ABOUT II
do NOT propose TO address often rpon this sub
nl. N
saw therefore that if the proposition were nov mere
for government for New Mexico and II was moved TO IN
sert provision the prohibition OF slavery would not
Now Mr. President, have established, SO far as pr"
pose 90 any observations 10 establish the proposition
with which set out-upon which mean 10 stand OK to
Sa that is the whole territory in tho States oil the T.
States or newly acquired Territories CT the ned states
ha. fixed and settled character now-hSed and settled by
law which cannot be repealed in the case OF Texas wnou
violation Of public faith and which cannot be repealed W
any human power in regard TO California ana New MeAeo
~ in the States or 10 the Territories has now received
Gxed and decided character Sir if we were now making
government for New McKee, and anypoay s1 o Pot
treated that proposition excluding slavery from oregon
Mr. Polk known TO be in opinion decidedly adverse 10
the Wilmot Provso bur he felt the necessity OF law Tor
government OF the Territory of Oregon Ah1 though
the Wilmot Proviso there he knew that wona be
perfectly nugaory Proviso and since it must be entirely
nugatory since il took away dcscribable, esnaoe,
VEGETABLE tangible right OF the South lie said he would
sign the bill for the sake OF enacting Law for he govern
thai connection entirely sensoless-Provso remain. For
myself will say-we hear OF .ha annexation OF Canadl
il there be any man, of the northern democracy any
the fIeeso party, who suppose necessary 10 inscra
Wimo Provso in the territorial government Of New Men
leo that man will of be OF opinion that i
.y to protect the everlasting of Canada from The
,ote slavery by the empowering wing OF an act
Of Congress. Now, sir wherever there Is practical good
10 be done wherever there inch OF land 10 be STAYED
back from becoming slave territory am ready 10 insert
the principle Of The exclusion Of slavery pledged 10
tina. from is27-pedged 10 again and aeain-and will
y wounds the feelings of Others that does disgrace
10 my understanding.
Mr. President the excited mes in which live, there
s found exist OF mutual ertpnaion and reciimna
between the South and the North There are lists o
grievances produced by each; and these really
suppose ALLEVIATE the minds of portion Of she country
from the other exasperaie the feelings subduc the
a,erna conneyon Of patriotic love- and mutual regard
shn hesow little attention upon these various rc,
produced by the side and the other. BEGIN with the
complaints vi the South will not an>u further han have
the general statement Of the honorable member from South
Carolina Mr. Calhoun that the North has grown upon the
South in consequence OF the manner o administering ths g"
yernmen collecting It's revenues &c They disputed u
pies which have inclination 10 enter int" hut viii safe
these complaints snd especially compliant u the Sori
which opinion JUST foundation; which is that there
found at the Nort among individuals and
she Legislatures Of the North Discrimination perform
fully their constitutional duties in regard the OF
bound service who have escaped into those States
In that respect it is my judgment that The sou right and
she North wrong. Every member of Northern Lee
esiature bound BY oa.h support the Constitution OF he
United States and this article Of The Constitution which
is binding in honor and in conscience az any other ar
tice and fufls his duty, under his oath in any
State Legislature, who himself work find
svasiSns escapes from this constitutional duty. have al
thought that the constitution addressed itself to the
legislatures Of the States 10 the States themselves
II says that fhosc persons escaping into other States
shalt be delivered up; and confess have always been OF
opinion that tina, injunction upon the Safes them
selves 1t is said tina; person escaping into another State
and becoming therefore within The jurisdiction of that State
shall be delivered up 1T that the plain import
Of the passage is that the State itself il ctedfnrc the
eh.It,,
ed np That judgments have always cncrt2ired II, 4
and entertain it But when the subject came, some
years before under the consideration OF the Supreme Court
of the United States the majority OF the judges held that
the power the ugvcs from service 10 be delivered
M was power be exercised under tic authority of this
government do not Know the whole that That may
no, have been fortunate decision do 10: say that II II
moi legal decision My habit is respect the results o
rdci, deliberations and the soemny Of judicial decisions
hui, as il stands the business OF seeing that these a
eyes delivered resides IN the power OF congress anc
rhe national ludicetue. My friend at the head Of the judi
ciary Committee has bill upon that subject now before the
Senate with amendments 10 it, which have been OIL
sered.
propose support tina; biH with ell proper authority
and provisions in il, 10 the fullest desire 10 call
xhe Northnen carried BY ianacal deas;o Their
constitutional obligations upon this que ston
pec, put all sober and sound the North.
question of rorasa question of conscience-what right
they have in their legislative capacities III tten 10 en-
eavor around this constitution and edbarTass tt
res exercise Of me rights secured BY the constitution !" al
persons whose slaves escape from them None at ali hone
Al Scithe. the o. conscenc. Inc
lace OF the constitution they justify that ia my OPINION
OF course II for their own considerations They
probably IN the turmoil OF thought without having stopped
10 consider OF it, fell seems 10 into current Of
thought which they imagined they found motive for Their
acton and they neglected TO investigate fully the real
non of the consider he constitutional obligation
which am sure if they Gid consider they would fulfil with
alacrity therefore repeat here ground OF complaint
against the North weounded which ought 10 be remcded
which the power of the Different departments
of this government 10 removewhlch calls Tor the enact
men, Of prope, law authorizing the ludcaureS OF Inc Sc
vea States Of this do all that is necessary
the ecapure OF fugitive slaves and the restoration OF them
10 those who CLAIM them Wherever go and wherever
speak upon the srbect speak here and desire TO speak "
rho people OF the whole NORTH say thar the South has
been injured in this respect u has right to complain
THE North has been TOO careless upon what think the
stution peremptorly and emPha,eay enons upon as
duty.
nate from the State Legislatures and sent here to
us not only upon the subject Of slavery IN this District bat
sometimes recommending Congress 10 consider the means Of
aboshing slavery in the States should DC very sorry 10
be called upon present resolution not rceahe oay
acknowledged power Congress and therefore should be
very unwilling receive from Massachusetts instructions
10 resolutions expressing opinion whatever pon
slavery as exists the p.esen moment IN the States Tor
IN he rSrp Il