Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-04-05
SPEECH OF MIR. HUNTER,
81 "'' OF VIRGINIA,
- rur TERRlTOKIAI. oUESTIO

81
those "h" conceive be the great issue now pending
whole @ M Nh and South shall speak my mind fully and
h, in snch hope, as can give no jei tause
insE o"' and wound mans sense OF seii-respect
q. offence 10 nv" M r,,, object il Justice. believe the time
Mr pu's" w, shond look difficulties IN the lace,
a r should ascertain not only the NATURE eu' 'ie m
"hH "h of the evil and apply the remedy! II y " r, p - ~
sNtH H. = a., sbond come 10 the conclusion at io ic-
ID - ha ,npied then nothing iclt ~ us uu' -,
ms ourselves 10 submit 10 the destiny wle, mus; ae
pePJye together sir cannot unless soii''S M . ,hih
". ,h.. differences and compose tis sle. WI, r
10 sttc ,;ng 'e daily in intensity and bitterness me
| which bind this Union together VII! e' asu"ud one -
' free of agitation, unless something ea Ue u''' W
cG.t H. . n.,, ,f which the South complains
i"e :, IN, f,ct that party in tho North by no means
a,,,,,i,ls in pout OF numbers, IN s'eh'nS W " -, @
nr nj through lis direct ieSisiaou i'ito an s, s,,s,'
eo'tihn ,7,n ,, institution ol slavery in the States:
ien ~ he fear that majority o those in the lree States
a' 80 hc,ttsr 10 control and manage this So'ci'''
!, m, rs positive egiSaton al least us ihoi" i''
VIII VIZ - .h, nnrpose Government is designed 10 pro-
HU.nS and nronery but with what feelings VIII IL DC
raSa ii instead of performing those functions, si''u
me either directly indirectly the source ol as
-, M, ,ny u,,on twelve or fifteen hundred ihii"ns "
sauts in ,lr south hut upon the very safety OF those
rboe peace depends upon preserving the existing M p
,s,ween master and slave III those STATES SOME ~
i,,,t NAV regard these apprehensons as "iid anu
- seems fno monsros state of facts 10 suppose; put
bos,s will examine past history IN relation ~ 'e @
matter will be surprised TO find no" nuch 'hefe Is " J"s'!
in1yiewing this history, shall pass over me carry anu
, days of the republic when the recoilecuonS u co
mon su;ierings and common struggle Me,e ~ ., m
~. If ,nen when ai felt the necessity oi union ana com
syos for future security and t:aternal spirit ant
I n IN, peopr of all the States know that the nortt
% ,srn ordinance was then adopted but the irm oi the
y.,s then suwu did not mature until long alter
rwnTfe really commenced has been said before, at
NV NV ,m If The agitation of the Missouri question: con-
I into which The North entered TO prevent he noai'ioh W
Wv Wv I,,e States and which ended in dcpriyine the
Sh n thc right settle and coionizc the larger portion
hs territory acquired by the Louisiana cesSion 1t was
,ix. ,hn rftnp
lien mat dr. Rufus Ming declared mat me question: was
oi no,ca power and that kind ot interest ought to
onc The people OF the North TO part with any portion
=; h, mower; that the constitution OF the United States
M mai recognise slavery but iorbore to Interfere win III
.nd that all laws and compacts imposing such condition.
anna slavery any human being were absolutely Noid
aus contrary 10 the law OF nature which was the law o
God and aboye all human control MS s.t was .'ie acc
,,aliyn o that upon slavery which, with some inter
s;on has been wased since by the North against
I South There have been periods OF truce, know, but
r ALI. n,a,c on the contrary ind II still raging around
" ,n5 With increased bitterness and fury The sentiments
% uttered and the feelings inspired by the contest remain
a IN The minds OF men, and began not very long after 10
irson themselves Associations were formed tor the
atotion OF slavery presses were established, tracts
were Disseminated and system oi agitation was
commenced whose object was 10 make the lnstltu
ion odious unproftable, and even dangerous, ana
,r Lad Ia is destruction To alarm tine stakeholder fo
hi, prrty was Of the purposes oil their agitation; h
ley looked beyond this they sought not only 10 convert e
halls Of national legislation into The arena Tor anll-SlNey
s,at,on tut also commit! the Government VI he ned
Ses through series of the proposition that
there can property in In this purpose they have
mol ony been pcseSeriaS bur ccnSsent II Is 10 hs ena
I'M, all their efforts through federal legislation have been d
rec,r rhev go up what has been denominaed "a run OIL
petitions upon every subject upon which the passions or
trees oi Northern members could be p!aushiy invoked
"a induce them commit themselves and the govern
nn 10 ,, Proposition Ii there was rivet III all the
amor ol .h SMALLEST breach in The constitutional deences
Of s!ayey treacheous shalt was sure TO tnd H. Ihey
p,one Congress withdraw The protection OF law from
saycry wherever given By lhe national government
And ahy 3,cuse slavery ITSELF in their opinion, was un-
lawful ana man had light 10 mold another property
Thev lanei Congress 10 abolish slavery In tue orS fse
n,. and lk wards of Tie United States, in the slave
Safes Ih,i object eyhibtto the master and TO the
slave IN those the example and influence ol e Gene
I government operating their very midst and IN OPPOSE
Ton 10 slyery They had probably other things in yiew
which better calculated Tor u-e IN thls war upon
slavery These places Were thus 10 be tied "a the arenas
ir anti-slcly ation those States, and Ia be opened
a. sor uf free negro Aisaa where lac might hold his per
Erua salurnala OF license and crim Thus the forts de-
signed for military proecop Were 10 De converted INTO
.ooliion sronghodS in the slave States themselves.
But there was also unother purpose for which they IN
,osed the action of this government in such manner as To
Commit the principle which was The foundation OF ihelr
own action They asked il 10 abolish slavery IN the Distinct
Of Columbia and made proposition compensate their
owners The Constitution provides that private property
shall be taken for pnblc uses without compensation
Bu they did acknowledge the existence OF this species
OF property according their principles they sought the
Iteration persons unawfuy held in bondage To have
acknowledged the night Of property IN these slaves would
have int, rpo constitutional difficulties OF the most serious
character which t!cy doubtless saw and appreciated III
property .xsted in these slaves compensation was TO be
ad according the Constitution oi the federal trea-
ury-ou o The money Of tho peop!econtributed
By Shareholders We'll others and this was To be eNpcnd
ID for The purpose only Of aboshing slavery here, bul
aecn The institution IN the States. That this asi was
The real al such measurcthat II was the conse
glence w.ch more Than any orher would mark and give
character . doubt, when they look 10 the proba-
Die effects Of such example upon the surrounding slave
States h the convenience oi the asylum which would
a the ltee negro perhaps Ia hp refugee, and certainly
10 le n..slyey aalior ii would seem 10 be unconsti
llcna appropriate the money o the Union TO the ab"l-
Ion o slavery cseywerci ii would certainly be 81 10 apply
l. either directly indirectly, to such purposes IN the
States Bat the aG'ofs OF these petitions had such dt
hies het denied the right OF property itself in slaves
ac they pushed their object without regard TO the effects OF
eh agitation here upon The feelings the interests, and
sae'y % tie surrounding States Of Virginia and Maryland
But they peioned for still more dangerous measures
eY assed Congress pass law prohibiting the slave trade
between The Sates and thus they aimed what would have
been The deadly blow short OF actual abolition the
Mstuoa vi slavery which could possibly be given. What
@ process {" pennng up as it has been called the slaves
IA the States where they held would lead what
@series what uin and of human happiness ii would
ocasi"n have not the patience 10 contemplate or the ina
taat'ssslr 10 depict II has been said that IN this they
departed from their pncplethcir "onc idea" believe
s have called tha in demanding this exercise o the
power ;orcae commerce, they admit the existence OF this
opr-tg Is its subject. BY They invoke this
scSe .: tie commercial power, because, in their opinion
Slaves persons and property and therefore they
' ae subjects ot commerce. and ali trade III them is
4~iuI Had they admitted the property, many OF them at
with their notions of constitutional propliey Tor
Ne be few persons who do feel the force Of tie
tSs4ion laid down by the senator from Kentucky, Mr.
'ny arguing the Of Graves Slaughter He said
whs almost every must acknowledge TO be true that
e power to regulate not power TO destroy No. sir
ms too the abolonsts consistent TO their leading
Ppos So fas the action Of this is
ell mean their desire commit il denial of the right
" property in slaves
hut may be said that these persons whose efforts
aaagerous 10 peace and property, constitute but
% Proportion of the people of the free States. But Mr.
esaenl when lock the effects they have had upon
W legislation Of the free States, and even here we cannot
suppose that they arc contemplate in point OF numbers
~ @ a'sSd in regard ability The senator from Mas
e'nSe'ts has said that the money already expended by
upon an,i-slavery agitation, in what would call
a upon slave States would probably have purchased and
noefaed every slave in Maryland. But, sir can Congress
W at It's skirts clear in relation 10 this war upon the
and peace Of nearly half the States in this union
ese petitions began TO pour in upon the House OF
sehlaNcs, the Southern members saw fhe eects
his agitation must have upon their best Interests anc
WV ,oo That the terms in which these petitions We're often
I and the debates which grew OH, of them were cal
ea TO disturb the harmony OF members and obstrnct
P business They therefore felt that they had right 10
@ e common government not TO lend the weight oil lts
,h 'a influence To agitation dangerous by receiving
petitions They asked that the House would express It's
hpt"baton Of these assaults upon them in the most en-
HAMMER Gy refusing TO receive these petitions In
words they invoked the moral influence Of this govern
ioI the protection of their property and peace, and
oesed against its use cover dangerous assaults upon
o1i For awhile this was done; but the House of Rep