The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-03-22
SPEECH OF MIR. WEBSTER,
OF MASSACHUSETTS,
On tn Territorial @ II estfOn.
IcoNTINUED.l

In SENATE, MARCH T. 1850.
Now. as 10 California aud New Mexico, |
hold slavery to be excluded from those Terri I
tories By law even superior to that which /
admits and sanctions it in Texas. | mean the |
law of nature-of physical geograp hy-the law
of the formation of the earth. That law set
ties forever, with strength beyond all terms
OF human enactment. that slavery cannot ex-
ist in California or New Mexico. Understand
me, sir; mean slavery as we regard it; slaves
in the gross, of the colored race, transferable
BY sale and delivery like other property.
shall not discuss that point. leave ii TO the
learned gentlemen who have undertaken to
discuss it; but | suppose thele is no slave of
that description in California now. under
stand that pcOnisrn. sort of penal servitude,
exists there, or I'd her sort of voluntary sale
of man and his offspring for debt as it is ar
ranged and exists in some parts of California
and New Mexico. But what mean to say is,
that African slavery, as we ii among us, is
as utterly impossible to find itself, or to be
found in Mexico, as any other natural lmpos-
sibiIty.
California and New Mexico are Asiatic in
Il cir formation and scenery. They are COM
posed ofvast ridges of mountains of enor-
nous height, with sometimes broken ridges
of deel valleys. The sides Of these noun
taius are barren, entirely barren. their tops
capped by perennial snow. There may be
in California. now made free by IFS consttu
ton. and no doubt there are some tracts OF
valuable land But lis no: SD in New Mex
leo. Pray. what is the evidence which any
gentleman has obtained on this subject from
information sought by himself or communca-
, ted bv others? have inquired and read all
could in order 10 Obtain informa lion on this
subject. What is there in New Mexico that
coull by anv possibility induce any body to
90 there with slaves There are some mar
row strips OF tillabe land on the borders of
the rivers; hut the rivers themselves Dry up
before midsummer is gone. All that the
people can do is 10 raise some little articles.
some little corn for their tortIllas and all that
by irrigation. md who expects to see Il
hundred bla tx men cultvating tobacco. corn
cotton. rice, or any thing else. on lands in New
Mexico made fertile only by irrigation? |
look upon il. therefore. rs fixed fact, 10 use
an exp ession current to the day. that both
California and New Mexico are destined to be
free. so far as they are settled at ALL which
believe, pecially in regard TO New Mexico,
will be W ry Ii tie for great length Of time
Tree by The arrangement of things by The
Power above us. have therefore 10 say in
this RESI- ect also that this country is fixed for
freedom. TO as many persons as shall ever
live there. by us irrepeaIahle and more IRE
pealable Il law than the law that attaches to
, the right of holding slaves in Texas; and
will say further, that if q resolution or ID law
were now before us 10 provide Terrtorial
Government for New Mexico I would not
, vote TO put any prohibition into it whatever
The use Of such prohibition would be idle
as it respects any effect it would have upon
the Territory and would not take pains to
: i'reiorm an ordinance Of Nature.sno to re-en-
act he will of God. And wosld put I'm no
Wilmot provIso for the purpose of taunt OF
t a reproach. would put into it no evidence
Of the votes of superior power to wound the
PRIDE even whether Just pride, rational
pride. or an irrational pride. 10 wound the
} pride Of the gentlemen who people the South
: ern States. have no such object such
purpose. They would think it Il tau t. an
intlignity they would think it to be an act
taking away from them what ttey regard a
proper equality of privilege; and whether
they expect to realizr any benefit from it or
not, they would think it a theoretic wrong
, that something more or less derOgalory &c
their character and their rights had taken
place. propose to infict no such wound up
on any body. unless something essenti lily
2 important to the country, and efficient to the
. preservation oflberty and freedom is to be
effected. Therefore, repeat, sir, and | re-
peat it because | wish it to be understood
that do not propose TO address the Senate
often on this subject. desire to pour all my
heart in as plain manner as possible; and
: say. again that if a proposition were now
' here for Government for New Mexico, and
5 it was moved to insert provision for a pro-
hibiion Of slavery, | would not vote for
t it.
e Now Mr.. President, have established, so
/ far as proposed to go into any line OfCbser-
n vationto establish, the proposition with which
Il | set out and upon which propose to stand
. or fall and that is, that the whole territory
5 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 be repealed
in the case of Texas without violation oil
i public faith, and cannot be repealed by any
human power in regard to California or New
Mexico; that, under one or other of these
e laws every foot of territory in the States or
f in the Territories has now received IA fixed
{ and decided character
= Sir. if we are now making Government
Y for New Mexico and any body should pro-
! pose Wilmot proviso, | should treati ex-
r actly as Mr. Polk treated that provision for
0 excluding slavery from Oregon. Mr.. Polk
Y was known to be in opinion decidedly averst
: to the Wilmot prOviso but he felt the neces
sity of establishing Il Government inr ,he Ter.
: ritory of Oregon, and. though the proviso was
l. there. he knew it would be entirely nugatory
IT and since it must be entirely nugatory. since
:. it took away no right no describabIe. no esti
Is mabIe no vegetable or tangible right of the
South he said he would sIgI. the bill for tht
sake of enartng ii law to form Government
y IN that Territory. and let that entirely useless
n and in that counexton entirely senSelrss. pro
vlso remain. For myself will say nat we