The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-11


awe have heard here from various quarters,
and from high quarters, and repeated on all
hands-repeated here again to-day by the honor
able Senator from Illinois, Mr.. Shields, that
there Is law Of nature which excludes the
Southern people from every portion Of the State
of California. know Of no such law of nature
none whatever but do know the contrary, that
If California had been organized with a Terrific
rial Government only, and for which, at the last
two sessions Of Congress, she has obtained the
entire Southern vote, the people of the Southern
States would have gone there freely, and have
taken their slaves there in great numbers They
would have done so because the value of the labor
of that GLASS would have been augmented to them
many hundred fold. Why in the debates which
took place ia the Convention in California which
formed the Constitution, calculation was gone
into with reference to the value of the labor of this
class Of people, showing that it would be increas-
ed to such an extent in the mines of California
that they could not be kept out. 1t was agreed
that the labor Of slave 10 any one of the States
from which they would be taken was not worth
more than one hundred or one hundred and fifty
dollars year, and that in California it would
he worth from four to six thousand dollars
Mr.. Chairman, II this is not q triumphant ref
utation Of the pre,enes that it is not necessary to
exclude slavery by positive enactment because
the laws of the climate or the laws Of the couu-
try exclude it, know not what proof would be
necessary and yet, sir, are asked to listen to
the syren song of non-intervention. Non-inter-
ventiof! Lwnot him who regards the dignity
Of free labor be ensnared by it, for 1t is the cry of
"peace peace when there is no peacen MIR
Chairman, il the supporters of the "Wilmot Pro-
viso," in the las, Congress, among whom l am
proud to be numbered needed any other vindica-
ton from the attacks which were made upon
them, except the approval of their own con-
sciences for 80 strenuously insisting upon II, II
is furnished in these extracts which have read
"U Caiiforn1 had been organized nth T1ri-
toral form OF Government only and for mhieh at The
ldatco sessions Of Congress she has obtained the
tire Southern rotS, the people Of the Southern
States mould hare gone there frsely and hdDs taken
their SLAVES there, IN gyed, numbers"
This Is the emphatic and authoritative Ian
guage Of the distinguished Senator from Virginia.
Sir, the men who made determined and effectua
resistance to the "Clayton compromise" the
"Walker compromise and all other compromi-
ses, by which 1t was intended to open great
slave market on the shores Of the Pacific, need no
higher encomium and the men who wish to place
barrier against its onward march through New
Mexico TO the southern extremity of North
America, need no higher incentive for opposition
to the sehsnH Of paci6eaton" the plan OF adjust
meain which has recently been 80 imposingly
ushered by the famous Committee of Thirteen
Mr. Chairman, I have hitherto spoken of the
change which has taken place Ia the South
In relation to slavery. have shown that while the
statesmen who have passed of the stage deplored
its existence, and contemplated its speedy extinc-
ton, the public men Of the present day regard II
as a proper relation between labor and capital
"a blessing to the master, and blessing to the
slave; y and have also shown that the diplomatic
and la~;slst;vs Dowers NJ this Government have
been welded for the purpose Of strengthening
and perpetuating Il. Ia addition TO all this, a
new element has been brought to it's aid This
question has been caught up by Southern politi-
clans, and held out a. bait to tempt the ambi-
ton Of Northern men, The great Democratic
party Of the country, the party which Processes
to be the advocate of the largest liberty, the
friend Of perfect equality the opponent Of all ex-
elusive and separate privileges-ths liberal par