The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-15

palled when death itself strewed victims his path
,s noble ioItilade and energy have been Gas they ds
Though Of the sunny South, he possessed the ussfu
daring and chainess soul OF the North. Gwin, too
broke the tolls that bound him TO the corpse OF slavery
He, too, has been rewarded.
But sir. under whose auspices this State organ.
izedi southern President; southern Secretary OF
reiary Of the Navy; southern Attorney General here
and southern vice consul sent there was feared BY
the North TO settle this whole controversy in favor OF
the slave interest Ii has all been in southern hands
and yet gentlemen tell the South has been unfairly
treated; that snap Judgment has been taken on them
that they have been deprived Of their rights, and are
about to have the seal Of infeoy stamped upon them!
Away with such clamor! Mankind will never hear II
with patience or sympathy.
The South tell us that il California is admitted. they
They cannot mean This They have shown themselves
in the history OF their country to be men OF too much
sense. They have shown themselves to be proud OF
to be proud Of though they have something deplore
And sir they will compel the historian to record
the fact that because they could not ensaye the gov.
ernment OF land they overthrew and destroyed the
freedom of another and-lher own
Gentlemen have given their views upon the subject
Of allegiance Under the practice OF those views neither
this government any other confederacy can endure
What cir, are these views expressed by the senator
from South Carolina Mr.. BUTLER y They are that we
owe allegiance to this government! only through the
and secondly to this government presume that
almost every senator who expresses these views OF
allegiance has held public station in some one OF
official oath which he then took, Was il not frs
"to support the constitution OF the United States"
and then .ot this State~ The constitution itself de-
cares that it, together with all laws and treaties which
shall be made in pursuance OF it, shall be the su-
preme law OF the land, and that the judges in every
State shall be bound thereby, anything in the constitution
or laws OF any State to the contrary notwithstanding
They come here and swear TO support that constitution
which makes this government pre-eminent, above the
and laws Of any State and yet they say they
ha nf sha
ct TO violate the constitution OF the United States and
to stand by the State.
Mr.. BUTLER must ask the gentleman to allow
me to nterpose and make remark That expression
OF mine has been noticed see, in northern papers No
senator upon this floor has thought proper take
tice OF it until the present tme and wish to explain my
Mr. WALKER alluded to various other gentlemen
besides the senator himsesome Of them in the House
OF Representatives.
Mr. BUTLER Mr. President when took my oath
to support the constitution Of the United States hope
took it part of the laws of South Carolina; and
lar as South carolina has delegated 70 TINS government
laws which am much bound to obey as am the laws
Of South Carolina Il was stated in some Of the northern
State had broken and violated the very oath had
taken in this Senate chamber. Now, sir the power TO
make war, the power to make treaties, and all those
enumerated % powers mere delegated. under winch, AZ
regard having been part of the laws Of each and every
State in the Union Il is through my State that AN
Sae that n feel s myself undsp recognise
obey the laws OF the federal government II any
has the hardihood to dispute that proposition, think
that there would be very few upon this Moor
Furthermore, say, sir that allegiance is unit You
cannot have two masters. when they give conflicting de-
mands II derived through South Carolina my author
the United States part OF the bond of this Union
sened to under her hand and seal And should like to
know what gentleman upon this floor, conflict should
arise would say that his allegiance is first due 10 the acts
which gives him habual protection. have studied this
subject do not now wish TO run it down 10 its origin;
but will assure the gentleman when he comes to con-
slider it, that he will find il very difficult indeed to regard
allegiance OF a double character.
Mr. WALKER resumed. Mr.. President. suppose
conflict between the constitution OF the United States and
of the States to prevail Does not the const
tuition itself expressly Declare agreed to by the States
that IL is TO be the supreme law OF the land anything in
the constitutions laws OF the several States to the
trary notwithstanding Every Judge upon the bench Is
sworn TO support the constitution OF the United States as
the supreme law OF the land Suppose, sir that under
some natuation that might seize any State, o them
should pass law directing the Judge to violate the
sttution OF the United States would the Judge thereby
be absolved from his allegiance to the constitution Of the
United States No government in the nature OF oursa
confederated republccould stand upon such founda
tion. You may amend the constitution in any respect
which the senator from South Carolina Mr. CALHousl
may claim you may establish what kind o confedera-
ton you please bat unless there s allegiance the
general government, superior TO the allegiance TO the
States, II must assuredly fall.
wish now very briefly 10 consider the charge which
made against US OF aggression With regard TO the
restoration OF fugitive slaves, there may be OF com
paint But this subject to be provided for by law.
Gentlemen OF the SOUTH however, accompany this charge
against the North with the inquiry, in what has the
South made aggressions upon the North They may not
perhaps sci the value upon the rights oil the humble
and obscure, the people OF the North do. But IL they
will look at the transactions in OF their States, il
TO me, they will find that there has been
aggression, whether they will acknowledge il or not
Suppose that citizen Of Wisconsin or OF Massachu.
sets, colored though he may be, but being citizen,
entitled all the privileges and immunes OF citizenship
in the several States should visit the pursuit OF bis
business the shores OF South Carolina: what hospitality
awaits him there II is Imprisonment in the dungeon
Suppose the State from which he goes, not wishing to
'dssoiue the Unton" upon this account "or TO resist
to the last extremity, and at all hazards" send
another citzen--a white cizen-equaly entitled 10
all the immuntes of citizenship, 10 South Caroli-
ma, to inquire why they allow this infraction OF
the liberty OF the northern citizen what treatment
does he meet with Why, sir, il he is not imprisoned II
he is deprived Of his liberty, il s becadse he can
his life. This may not be deemed aggression upon
the North but aggessions upon the personal liberty oil
the humble and obscure considered aggres-
sons upon the natural rights OF mankind II was such
niactions OF personal rights that caused the bold bar
ons TO rush upon King John at Runnymede and extor
from him the magma otdrta. II such, with other
aggressons, that brought the head OF Charles the First 10
the block and drove James the Second from his throne
and country.
By way Of retaliaton not upon the individuals who
have injured them, but upon the States themselves for
the acts OF irresponsible such infractions OF the
constitution have been committed upon those who were
exercising the rights which the constitution of the United
States, the laws OF God, and the laws Of nature gave
them But do not wish these things 10 be treasured mn
hat uefrr II