Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-03-21

for il.
Now, Mr.. President, | have established,
so far as proposed to go into any line of
observation 10 establish, the proposition with
which set out. and upon which propose
TO stand or fall aud that is, that the whole
territory OF the states in the United States, or
IN the newly acquired territory Of the United
States, has a fixed and settled character, now
fixed and settled by law, which cannot he
repealed in the case Of Texas without vio-
laiion of public faith, and cannot be repealed
by any human power in regard 10 California
or New Mexico that under one or other Of
these laws, every foot of territory in The
states or iii the territories has now received
n fixed and decided character.
Sir, If we were how making government
for New Mexico, and any body should pro-
pose Wilmo, proviso, should treat II eX-
acIly rs Mr.. Polk treated that provision for
excluding slavery from Oregon. MIR. Polk
VAS known to be in opinion decidedly averse
to the Wilmot proviso but he felt the neces-
sity of establishing a government for the ter
rItory of Oregon, and, though the provlso
was there, lie knew il would be entirely nu-
gatoty; and, since II must be entirely nuga-
tory, since it took away no Ii2ht, no desert
bable, no estlmabe, no VEGETABLE or langi-
BILE right OF the Soulh, he SAID he would sign
the bill for the sake of enacIng a law 10
form government in that territory, and let
that entirely useless, and, IN that connexion,
entirely senseless, ptoviso remain. For my
sell, will say thai we hear much of the an
nexalion of Canada; and if there be any
man, any of the Northern Democracy, or
any one of the Free Soil party, who sup
poses il necessary 10 insert Wilmot pro-
viso in territorial government for New
Mexico, that man will OF course he Of opin-
ion that it il necessary to protect the ever
lasting SHOWS of Canada from the foot oil
slavery by the same overpowernS wing OF
an act of Congress. Sir, wherever there is
particular good TO be done; wherever there
is foot of land to be staid back from be-
coming slave territory, | am ready 10 as
sert the principle Of the exclusion Of slavery.
Among the alleged grievances of the South,
Mr. Webster thinks there is one entitled to
consideration, viz the dissemination of the
North to aid in the apprehension and return OF
fugitive slaves;
In that respect, it is my Judgment tina,
the South is right, and the North is wrong.
Every member of every Northern Legsla-
ture is bound like every other officer in the
country, by oath, to support the Constiu-
lion, which says 10 these States they shall
deliver up fugitives from service, is MS bind
ing in honor and conscience as any other
article. No man fulfls his duty in any Leg
islaiure who sets himself TO find excuses
evasions, escapes from this constitutional OBJ
legation. | have always thought that the
Constitution addressed itself 10 the Legis-
latures of the States themselves, or 10 the
States themselves. Ii says that those per
sons escaping TO other States shall he de-
livered up, and confess have always been
of the opinion that IT was an injunction upon
the States themselves. When II is said that
a person escaping into another State, and
becoming therefore within the jurisdiction OF
that State shall be delivered up, ii seems TO
me the import of the passage is, that The
Stale itself, in obedience TO I e C0nsltu-
ton, shall cause him to he delivered up
That is my judgment. | have always en-
tertained that opinion, and entertain It now.
But when the subject, some years ago, was
before the Supreme Court OF the United
States Ike majority Of the judges held that
the power TO cause fugilives from service to
be delivered up was power TO be exercised
under the authority Of this Government.
do not know. on the whole. thai it may rot
have been fortunate decision. My habit
is TO respect the result ofJudirial deliberations
and the solemaity otjudicial decisions. Bnt
as it now sta eds, the business of seeing thai
these fugitves are delivered up resides in
the power of Congress and the nal ional ju-
dicature. and my friend at the head of the
judiciary Committee has a bill OH the subject
now before the Senate, with some amend
ments 10 ii. which | propose to support,
~ IN fr,lf
And | desire TO call the attention of all So
ber-minded men, of all Conscientious men,
in the North, of all men who are not car
ried away 10y any ianatical idea or by any
false idea whaiever, 10 their Constitutional
obligations. | put it TO all the sober and
sound minds at the North as Il question Of
morals aud question Of conscience, What
right have they, in their Legislative capacity,
or any other, to endeavoI 10 get round this
Constitution, 10 embarrass the free exercise
Of the rights secured by the Con>,i'u,l on to
the persons whose slaves escape from them:
None at all none al oil. Neither in The
forum of conscience, nor before the face Of
the Constitution, are they justified, in my
opinion. OF course il is n mailer for their
consideration. They probably, in the tur-
mol of the times, have not stopped to con-
slider of this they have followed what seem
TO be the current of thought and of motives,
as the occasion arose, and neglected 10 in
vestigate fully the real question, and TO con-
slider their Constitutional obligations; as
am sure, if they did consider, they would
fulfil them with alacrity.
Therefore, | repeat sir, that here is
ground of complaint against the North well
founded. which ought TO he removed, which
it is now in the power of the different depart
ments OF this Government 10 remove which
calls for The enactment of proper laws au-
thorizing the judicature of this government,
in the several States, to do all that is neces-
sary for the recaprure of fugitive slaves, and
for the restoration Of them 10 those who
claim them. Wherever go. and whenever
speak on this sublect-and when speak
here desire to speak TO the whole NORTH
say thai the South has been injured in this
respect, and has right to complain; and
the North has been too careless of what
think the Constitution peremptorily and em-
phaIca!ly enJoins upon II as duty.
Mr.. Webster appears to have very clear, but
not very exalted opinions of abolition societies
does not think them useful; believes they
have produced nothing good or valuable, but
have created much mischief between the North
and South, and retarded abolition in the slave
states. There are many honest and good peo-
pie among them. but misled by strange en-
thusiasm. They want to do something but
have zeal not according to knowledge. There
has in his opinion. been as much money col
lected, within the last twenty years, and paid
to abolition societies, abolition presses and alb
clifton lectures, as would purchase the free
dom of every slave man, woman and child. in