Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-04-04
sinvery in the Territories.
speech OF Hon. w. A. Gormau,

on the Presidents Message transmitting the Consiitu-
ton Of California.
Mr.. GORMAN said:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: In proposing to offer my views to
the committee upon the subject under consideration, Il
necessarily touch very briefly upon the topics now
ssi,aing the public mind, and alluded to in the Presi-
DENTS before Therefore, without FUR
the in,roducon propose give the views of and
large majority Of the constituents have the honor to re-
present need not remark that almost State, IN
which African slavery Is tolerated institution has
declared by legislative resolves, by and through the
messages of their several Governors and BY expressions
of their feelings aud sentiments in primary meetings,
that the Congress Of the United States has consn-
onal power legisate upon The subject Of slavery in
the States Territories This fact is known,
through the medium of the press These States have,
ia the solemn manner declared their determination
never TO submit 10 further aggression upon what they
deem their constitutional rights This leads me To in-
qnre whether The institution of slavery exists in any of
the territory lately acquired by the treaty with Mexico.
We OF the Tree States have held aud now hold, that
African slavery involuntary ser,tude does not exist
there. In prouf Of this position, say, that when
Government acquires terrury, inhabited by people, that
oil laws, not strictly POLITICAL remain in full force, until
they altered by the sovereign. Here we admit
if country discovered by the people Of nation, IN
this instance the laws of the Government To which the
discoverer allegiance brought with them, and
are in force until they altered by some other iegu
mate power.
T settled principle and Of nations that th.
their relation to their former sovereign Dissolved rs
ton TO each other aud their rights Of property not taken nom them
"The ceon conquest territory affect the rights Of
p'openy"-paitel, D. g. eh. 10, sse; 900.
Peters u s. Rep 81; Michel The Unned States Peters u
s; ussss and nS ars. the time
Hn changed the scruegn
R III rs vs. M. f.ss es' s sSs
Is "sS o. Ss Of the % s %
~in.n ''o"4'''e' " ''''' '''""' :" '"''' "''' v
But the sovereignty of the American States in
the people, and promulgat through their representa-
flye i'm leuis
ments of the Government and before the laws that, by
the usage and custom, repealed altered by this
Government, they must be governed by the laws IN
force at the time Of the eesson. And preiends
that they have been altered. This principle well
illustrated in New York. n the case Of the Canal Ap
prasers The People, IL Wendell R., 5s4 56s. When
force, in 1864 the charter granted in TINT year the
Duke Of York, contained explicit declaration o the
Kings will that the laws of England should be the
tabhed laws of the province And this put end TO
the operation of the Roman. Dutch laws imported from
Holland. The illustrations above alluded to, Of the
sovereign power of the conqueror the laws Of the
conquered countries, appear the OF he northern
babarans who the south of Europe during the
fifth aud sixth centuries. They neither adopted their
laws entirely, retained those OF the conquered
countries 10 their full exeni-Sarignys History Of the
Roman La,o, col. I.
Tne conquest Of Gbruar Trinidad Ceyon the Cape
Hope Louisiana &C. all show that the old remain the
o.
CetermtneO
slavery been abolished by any Legitimate act of the Mex
lean RepubIici We of the West say it bas-firs, by
the decree Of 1899 second by the act Of the Mexican
Congress of 1887, TO which decree, distinguished Sen.
from Texas (Mr. Rus) has taken exception
being legitimate. This decree is as follows
aD, l5-Dsreo Of the Government in rirtae Of extraordinary pOps.
"solisn Of slavery ne Republic Slavery abolished 10 The
considered slaves When the circumstances of the treasury
hs dee9es M September 1922 CAV. liberty slaves
int pde
sh properly not ses% be SSd aay is
1897 law had been published the abolition Of slavery"
they promulgated while the Government in a
state Of revolution, and by dictator.
This might have force If it not for the act
sphere, passed in 1887 soeunIy affirming the decree of
1929 lf even this act OF the Mexican Congress had not
been fully legitimate all doubt be dsipaied when
the constitution OF io43 absolutely abolished slavery,
the following extract will prove:
ono territory of nation, and any introduced
shall be considered and shall be under the protection OF
Iaws"-Coast. ls43
The two presiding propositions being affirmed by
of free S,ates and denied by part of South, both
sections cam and ought settle this vexed question OF
slavery by the DID, me-honored doctrine Of the Demo
cratic Republican intervention; and should
Shareholder emgrae TO this territory, any part Of it,
we affirm that he will find, staring him in the face the
laws in force prohibiting slavery. Then have q
constitutional tribunal TO test the legal question: which
will necessarily then arise whether his negro is bond
man freeman Here, then, | present peareable,
constitutional remedy for both the North and the South,
without resoriing 10 dissolution prohibition Will
the South accept this non Intervention platform
Will the North accept this constitutional and peaceabe
platform? Will the South the Supreme Court ?
Will the North iru.t The Supreme Court IL they will,
this question be settled pence aud concord The
Ieea minds Of the South have been strongly impress
ed with belief that slavery did exist there under
by authority OF law therefore IT has been that this
species of property has been taken there, gene
raj thing, by the southern people.
NOW nronose IN inouire. whether would
10 take his slave there property IL citizen
of Georgia proposed emgrFe TO Louisanu the rst in
qury would naturally be- "Can hold my slaves proper
ty by the municipal laws Of that State y lie s answered,
yes But suppose there is also a law upon the statute
books OF Louisiana, which declares that all negroes
slave chidren-bon after the year 1852 should be free
l ask the honorable gentleman from Georgia MIR.
Toombs) f he could evade the force Of that law by de-
carng that the Constitution of the United States recog-
nized the institution existing in Georga-therefore,
he had vested right is slave, properfy-and being
the Of the mother, that he had right the off,
sprinS-and that municipal law could deprive him OF
liz presume, a lawyer, he would not hesitate TO
say that he submit himself and his property to the
laws OF Louisiana. ask him whether the municipal
law of territory has the binding force upon
the inhabitants as il has in State
Now, Mr. Chairman, propose to make brief reply
to many assaults which have lately been made upon the
Democratic party The honorable gentleman from
Georgia (Afr Toombs) has charged upon the Democratic
party North and Sorh tha BY their united efforts they
acquired Texas, the occupation Of Oregon, California,
aud New Mexico that for his part, he "has but one re-
cord-and that was, against the acquisition" To this
charge, L. in behalf Of the gallant Democratic district
which have the honor TO represent, plead guilty Ii
was the Democratic party who stretched out their arms
TO thsir Texan BRETHREN and bid them welcome back TO
their old mother Ii the Democratic party who
pshzed with her cause and mourned for the loss Of her
noble sons who laid down their lives in the cause OF lib
erty; and it the Wing party that opposed her
cause II was the Democratic party who was for the
war with Mexico brought by the shedding Of Ameri-
can blood upon American soil il was the Wing patty
that opposed it, with few noble exceptions Il the
Democratic party who declared that this war was begun
by the act of Mexico; il was tha Wing party who said,
that IL unnecessarily and unconstiiuonally begun
hx he In Demo