Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-05-10
ARRIVAL OF THE ALABAMA

r cents per pound; lard 33
great hurricane had occurred the Sandwich Islands
on the ith OF March, which destroyed mani coffee pana-
| tions.
The United States ship Humboldt has been lost
cALIFoRNIA-THE SLAVE QUESTION.
SPEECH OF MR. J. s MILLsoN, OF VIRGINIA,
Is THE House OF REPRESENTATIVES,
February 2la and 26A, 1850,
In Committee of the Whole the the Union on
the resolutions 10 refer the Presidents Message to the ap
propria,e Standing Committees.
u Mr. MlLl.SON said: cndeayorcd Mr.. Chairman 10
get he oor Immediately upon the close OF the remarks sub
mtted by one Of the Representatives from Pennsylvania
Mr. Stevens wished 10 give instant expression to the
irritation occasoncd by the gross and offensive illusions
the State from which come That irritation however was
out onenary and has since subsidized into quit feeling
loathing and indignatona feeling fitting the accusa-
ton and the In speaking of the slave population
Of my State and OF the Employment of her citizens, that
member had the boness 10 declare that Virginia
50 degraded thatbut will not, cannot repeat the
gross language uttered by him. could not do so without
violating the decorum this body-whout outraino those
poprcties which should all times be respected and
seved-withou shocking the decacy of that portion OF our
auditors who attend deliberations in the confidence that
they will hear nothing offend their modesy or wound
their sensibity. Sir, | do not defond yirgi-
MIA against such charges-such mputations these
she would dsdan TO answer them IL would, indeed be
kind OF degradation She by the humblcst OF
representatives 10 acknowledge such vndication could
be necessary The member from Pennsylvania has pow
er, ani hardly have the expectation do her injury
Does he talk OF degradation? Does he call degraded the ma
tive land of Henry, OF Wythe, OF Pendeton Mason Mar
shall Jefferson the Lees, the {andops and OF that greater
than all whose wisdom and whose vaor secured the
member from Pennsy the very privilege he has abused
u addressing the representatives Of and happy peope
Look there ponting to ulI-ength portrait cf Washing
ton Let that majestic figure him into confusion and
shame leave him 10 the condemnation Of that consiitu
ency whose opinions and feelings am he has msrcp
resented. leave him the reproaches of his colleagues
whose of dccency and Justice know he has ourrned
and, what will be far greater punishment than ALL leave
hin 10 the bightng applause OF his sympaises and ube
tors
Sir, desire notice very briefly some of the re-
marks which fell from the gentleman from Ohio Mr.. CAMP
BELL That gentleman with what object do not know
vas PLEASED t9 nsl5afb n !ha andRg Rgs sg , iIs ms an ] ." -.
nmh;c meetings held in Virginia, before the Reyon,ion =.
"ttiHi adopted agans. npoitaiom
If slaves-that is TO say, resolutions against the Ar
can slave trade. These resolutions read BY the gen
icnan with al of triumph, and he spoke Of them if
supposed that the sentiments OF the present people of V
snia upon this subject sadly different from those
tcrancd by their ancestors. Did he design to make the n
preston that the African slave trade would be favored orap
proved by the people of Virginia, AT this meor far
tie knows has heard by single person among them!
If he did tell him he spoke without warrants and tell him
further that has displayed more zeal and enthusiasm
in his efforts suppress this traffic still, carried on hy North
men, than distinguished citizen OF Virginia, Mr. Wise
while representing the United States minister the Court
of Brazil
The gentleman ,oo spoke with great compacency of the
supcSo enlightenment OF the free States of the North and
West and took make especial ausion very
pmcnary terms 10 Virginia and North Carolina Would the
gentleman be willing To look the public councils Of the
country for the of this relative ntcgcnce The gem
tIeman from Massachusetts Mr. MaSS may perhaps be
cxcnsablc in nduging he has dune such reflections
these II correctly informed his habits he has
been 50 actively employed in up stores of knowledge
Tor himself that he has had little leisure for observing the
acquisitions o others do know that this is
applicable 10 the gentleman from Ohio.
Il But pass other matters. have felt much surprise,
Mr. Chairman, that the reception of the President >
message relating California the friends Admins
traon this floor have perceived existing necessi
for defence Of the and opinions of the Exec
urve The honorable gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr..
Winthrop who has ist taken his seat has done little
than merely audc them. Can be, that they suppose
aJ apology 10 BE- necessary they restrained BY prG
: dnal considerations, from attempting vndcaon not
Gcy to be successful II might not be easy 70 justify the
Pccsions msrecal of the clause in the Constitution
which relates 10 the power Of Congress o dispose of and
make all ncodu rules and regulations respecting the terri
tory other property belonging the United States
Yes the territory or other property belonging To the United
States Ii it was accidental was, In the present state oi
country very unucky accident, that southern Pres
icn should have declared in State paper, that Congress
has power make all necdul rules and regulations
pecnr the Territories of the United Sltes-that this
humble word territory descriptive only OF land real
tate should be changed Ierritories-honored with the
imperial plural and dignificd with capital inalha this
dependent territory cassed with the other property beoag
g o the United States should be converted Terrific
es the United States if the constitution had refer
ence TO those political communities which have since beer
known by the designation OF Territories.
1t still more unfortunate that the President should
encourage opinion of the power of Congress TO prohb
slavery in Calorna-an opinion which would be plausible
if his own language really that of the Constitution
by saying that under the Constitution Congress has
: power make all needfu rules and regulations respecting
the Territories of the United States every acquisition
Territory has led discussions the question: whether h'
system involuntary servnde which prevails in many
the States should or should not be prohibited in that Ter
rory"as if he supposed that these discussions were nj
natural and proper and relating subjects within the e9
innate control of Congress- 'as it has power 10 make al
nccdul rules and regulations respecting the territories
:, the United States.'
II Here the hour being lae Mr.. MILLsoS gave way 10
. motion that the committee rise On Tuesday, the Ioth o.
February he resumed and concluded his speech as follows:
Y - ,rroJo
ton that the committee rise was proceeding to comnen
upon the Presidents mlsrecia of that clause of the Const
tuition which relates to the power of Congress to make a
needu rules and regulations respecting the territory o
other property belonging TO the United States and upor
his substitution of other language which seemed to imply
his belief that Congress possess the TO egisla
for the prohibition of slavery in the Territories.
But sir il was the unkndest cut OF ALL that the prcsl
dent should have given the weight OF his ohca station n
doctrine that is utterly destructive of the hopes, and sub
vesive of the rights of the Southhc doctrine that Hert
ta,es still gorern The Inhabitants Of California; His Ian
guagc Is, that hc people of this Territory s ENJOY IN
benefit and protection of their municipal laws, originally
derived from Mexico" He does not show in what an i'm
portani sense this statement what an unm
portant sense it is trne-but vague broad unqualified Ian
used from which the inference s that in the opin
ion OF the President the institution of slavery forbidden BY
the Mexican laws cannot without change Of those laws
I. be iegalized in California.
d. But sir all these expressions of and miscev
Gus opinion and doctrine dwindle into utter nsgnicance
compared with the startling ACTS which the Presden
has encouraged abetted and participated in short tim
ago, he transmitted this House writing. which he
pleased Il ne of The cl California
lie informed it had been received from General Riley bu
he did tell US whether it was the composition of Gen
d Riley by whom it written composed did h
tell why and for what PURPOSE il had been drawn
for what object communicated to this House Si
where is this Stale of California! In what hemisphere doe
lit lie! Is il foreign State in amity with the u Staos, or
part of 'the territory other property belonging TO n
L. Statcs Are the inhabitants OF this State of Caioni
OF the composition of this writing and do they con
in the views and sentiments expressed it they do
should like be informed when and in what manner hl
concurrence of opinion expressed | shonld like
d about the drawing up Of this very credasle specimen
composon-for It is really so-whether they under IN
is control of any laws and from what source they derive
Ihcm whether they left solely the guidance Una
code which is famary called the iat1 Of nature II thei
in this condition. there s certainly the more blame
those whose duty may have been 10 provide Them othe
but dllcult