The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-25

from the northsrn papers. By these combined Of.
forts q degree Of feeling and prejudice has been
gotten up against the South, which is most intense
in all the interior. W s-.t Ie sglre3
Twas surprised last winter to hear a northern
Senator say, that in the town in which he lived IL
would excite great astonishment If il were known
that northern lady would, atfhe time Of the meet
ing Of the two Houses. walk up 10 the Capitol with
q southern Senator; that they had been taught to
and rushsny ID ma manner thsi ciady @ would not trust
hersclf in such presence. This anccdote, sir.
does not present too strong picture Of the condi-
ton Of sentiment in portions OF the interior Of the
aoor arc 10 be iniusnced ia tssir action by such
state of opinion, leave them 20 decide.
The great principle upon which the northern
moyement rests, which i alrl4dy adopted by most
likely 70 s. driven by the orc q the popular cur
rent there, If the question ID unsettled till the next
Congressional election, i this: that the Govern.
ment Ofthe United States must do nothing 70 sane
the Territories; that Il ust abolish 4 in the Ds
trct Columbia, forts and srsenals, and wherever
It has jurisdiction. Some, too, carrying the prin
cple 70 its extent, insst ti1nt the coasting slave
.hsS sisds sSd thai that sstxss as Ssad s so bs
ated in public office Of the United States. such
custom houses, post Offices, and the like As these
things all obviously rest on the same general dog
ma, Il 10 clear that the yielting Of one or more
points would not check, but would merely acceler-
ate the general movement 10 he end of the series.
Before this end was reached, they would probably
append, corollnry, the principle that the Presi
dent should not appoint stakeholder 10 office. II
is, sir, my deliberate Judgment that. in the present
temper Of the public mind at he North, If the ter
ritorial question remains opent the next election,
few If any gentlemen will g& here from the free
States that not pledged tothe full extent of the
abolition platform. 1t is therefore, obviously the
interest of all of to settle this question at the
present session. IS lf3}i =
That the general principle above stated is at war
with the whole spirit Of the Constitution of the Uni
provisions, ] need not argue here. Taking, how
ever practical view of the matter in controversy,
look for moment at the territorial question, the
great issue in the struggle. will do northern gen
have argued themselves into the belief that they are
right in claiming the whole tho territory for free
soil. Let state, for moment, the converse, or
opposite of their proposition suppose it were TO be
claimed that no one should y allowed to go into
this public territory, unless he carried more
slaves with him. it might then be said just gen.
tlemen now tell that il would be perfectly fair,
because Il placed every man Who might be inclined
to go there on an equal footing, and might by means
of having thus homogeneous population advance
the general interest. Northern men would at once,
suppose, object to this arrangement. Then we
should say TO them If you do not like this restric-
tion let il be setted, then, that every citizen OF the
United States may go into the common territory
and carry slaves or not, just as he pleases. This
would seem to be perfectly equitable and fair ar
rangement. Northern men, however, object To this,
and say that they are not willing to live in terri
tory where others own slaves. Then of the
South say TO them, that We will consent TO di-
vide the territory, and limit our possession with
slaves to q part Of it, and allow them TO go at
will over the whole. Even TO this they object, and
insist that they will not allow US to occupy foot
Of the territory. Remember, sir, that tisvcry ter
ritory acquired by conquest, and that while the
South according 70 its population would have been
required TO furnish only one-thrd of the troops il
in point of fact did furnish two-thrds Of the men
that made the conquest. And the North, deficient
as II was comparatively in the struggle, now says
that its conscience, its cupidity, will not permit
US TO have the smallest portion Of that territory.
Why sir this is the most impudent proposition that
was ever maintained by any respectable body OF
men.
Sir, give the North full credit for its feelings in
favor of liberty. can well suppose that northern
gentlemen would resist, In the most emphatic man.
ner, the attempt to make any man who is now free
a slave; but regard them too intelligent TO be-
hcve that humanity, either 10 the slave the
ter, requires that they should be pent up within a
territory which, after time, will be insufficient
from want or from the collisions that would occur
between the races. Nor can ] suppose that they
think it would be injurious TO New Mexico and Cal
ifornia for our people 70 go and settle among them
and in the Senate, have described the population
Of those Territories and have represented Il be-
ing not only inferior to those Indian tribes that we
know most of, viz: the Chcrokces and Choctaws,
but as being far below the Flat Heads, Black Feet,
and Snake Indiana. cannot, therefore, suppose
that they really believe that those Territories would
be injured by having infused into them such state
Of society as produces such persons as George
Washington, John Marshall, and thousands OF
other great and virtuous men, living and dead.
Your opposition TO our right will be regarded as
resting on the lust for political power Of your poll
ticians, or on the rapacity of your people.
The idea that the conquered people should be
permitted to give law TO the conquerors, s pre-
postcrously absurd, thatI do not intend 10 argue
II. Doubtless these people would be willing. not
only to exclude slavcholders but all other Amcri-
cans, II, by a simple vote, they were allowed to do
30. may remark further, that but for the anti
slavery agitation, southern shareholders would
have carried their negroes into the mines of Cali
fornia In such numbers, that have no doubt but
that the majority there would have made IL slave
holding State. We have been deprived Of all
chance Of this by the northern movements, and by
the action Of this House, which has, by northern
votes, repeatedly, from time TO time, passed the
Wilmot proviso, In effect TO exclude our in
stitutions, without the actual passage Of law for
that purpose II IL q mere farce therefore, without
giving our people time 70 60 into the country, II
they desire TO do so, to allow the individuals there,
by vote, TO exclude whole class OF citizens.
This would imply that the territory belonged 10
the people there exclusively, and not TO all the peo
pie Of the United States.
Of slavery In the District Of Columbia Is Of little
relative moment. One effect, however, Of the anti
slavery agitation here u worthy OF passing notice.
Within the last two years, since the mstter has
become serious, II has scemed not improbable that
the seat Of Government might be removed from
the District. A this would be extremely prcjudi-
cal TO the interests OF the citizens here. many of
them have 30 far changed in their feelings 10 be
willing 70 allow slavery 10 be abolished, yielding 10
the force of the pressure from the North besides,
90 many Of their slaves from time 10 time taken
away by the Abolitioni-ts, ss 10 estsfy them that
such property here s almost worthless. great
impression was made them by the coming in
last year Of northern ship, and its carrying away
seventy slaves at once Seeing that there was mo
chance Of getting Congress 10 pass any adequate
law for their protection, most Of the States have
DONE they seem to be forced 10 assent TO some ex-
tent, TO the northern movement. Sir, IL is most
surprising that the people Of the southern States
should have borne, with little complaint, the loss
OF their slaves incurred by the action Of the free
states The Constitution OF the United States pro-
vidcd for the delivery Of all such fugitives. and
Congress passed an act 10 carry IL into effect but
recently most IL not all o the northern States, have
completely defeated their provisions, by forbidding
any one OF their citizens TO aid in the execution Of
the law, under the penalty OF fine and impriscn-
ment for as long term usually rs five years.
There s probably no one legal mind IN any one Of
the free States which can regard these laws