The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-10-10

New Jersy admits the general principe ior wnich
contend that a slave escaping into free territory
In free INT ne SAYS that we should deny 10 the
escaped slave the benefit Of this common-law prin-
ciple-that we should, to use his own expression,
Override it. lie claims that we have the con-
stitutiona power TO do so in virtue OF the general
authority of Congress over the Territories lie
insists that we may If we choose establish slavery
in the Territories as fully IL is established in
anv State or to the limited extent Of providing
for the seizure and exraditicn as slaves fugitives
from service escaped into them
He asks how If | do not admit this doctrine,
can vote for the Proviso? will tell him. de-
nv the right of the General Government to es-
tabisb slavery but affirm its right and duty to
prohibit A legislature may, | apprehend, be
restrained from allowing the introduction within
its jurisdiction Of persons infected with the plague,
and yet have full power to prohibit IT,
The honorable Senator says also, That good
faith requires us TO continue and protect the
Shareholders right in his slave so far as 70 enable
him to follow him if he escapes into the Terrific
ries and bring him back | am not insensible,
trust, to such an appeal But when am asked
to assume an obligation not imposed by the Con-
stitution. and to sanction by my vote the reduc-
ton of any person to slavery, must be permitted
to doubt whether good faith requires any such
action from me- | am unwilling to make a sup
plement to the Constitution, for the sake Of erect
ing bulwark for slavery. | am unwilling to go
bevcnd the pqsVtUs requirements OF the Constltu-
ton for that OBJECT 30 not believe 4 TO be right
IL is NOT in ndgmeo' \ case for the exercise
, "a nXsereNlup.
The gentleman upon the other side OF the
chamber admits the general principles upon which
| stand, in respect TO slavery; but they deny the
business Of my conclusions, and insist that they
! ought not under the Constitution, to be applied
TO the Territories | have the misfortune to differ
! from them. think that principle, right in them
selves, ought to be applied wherever applicable.
MIR BALDWIN made some further remarks in
vindcation Of his positions.
! MIR YuLEE declared that he felt little interest
in the BILL believing that no law which could be pas
sed could have much effect He referred to the Con-
vention of fugitive slaves and their friends in ses
sion, at that moment, in the State of New York,
and read an extract from their address to the
slaves in the Southern States
| Mr.. DoDGE of Iowa replied to Mr.. YuLEE, and
read as an offset to the address to the slaves the
act to regulate blacks and mulattoes passed by
the Legislature of Iowa.
Mr.. CHASE then said
desire merely to recall the Senate to the real
question under consideration. The remarks and
extracts ofthe Senator from Florida Mr. YULEE
and the law of Iowa read by Mr. DODGE, are
equally wide from the simple. question which is
before us; which is whether we will strike from
this bill for the recapture of fugitive slaves the
provision for the seizure and surrender ofsuch per-
sons, when they shall have escaped into the Ter
ritories of the United States
The question being then taken upon Mr..
CHAsE's amendment, it was rejected as follows:
YEA-Mr Chase,
NAYS Messrs. Atchison, Badger, Baldwin,
Barnwell Bell, Berriep, Bradbury, Butler, Cass,
Clarke, Cooper, Davis Of Massachusetts, Davis
of Mississippi, Dawson, Dayton Dodge of Wis
consin, Dodge of iowa, Downs, Greene, Hamlin,
Houston, Hunter, Jones, King, Mangum, Mason,
Pearce Rusk, Sebastian, Shields, Smith, SoulG,
Spruance Sturgeon, Turney, Underwood, Wales,
Walker, Whitcomb, Winthrop and Yuee--4l.