Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-06-18

al M.snS.S apGECH.


% r columns 10 tho ALE speech delivered by our
80 the Hon James II. Mason on May -'i upon ''
ro,ise scheme. trust that you viii soon uo'. ~
-. H. ue meantime, propose briefly 10 review SOM VI
Ali, facts and arguments aud viii take Inc s'', ~
nor,nnity 10 notice ew other points which seem 10 W. '
po Ih' or,roniseQ think Mr. Fooc says il mast !;
IIJ Enlistment and u rose, by any other name. WOMB
as this Adjustment theais con'aneu III i ~
distinct bills The first relates to Ina ornn rsrards
iycry up Of fugitive slaves; and the third prooi'' ''
~, 4, in slaves in the District OF Columbia.
r,nce to the last of these bills, it il evident III '''e
ic that any charge in thu present laws must pc
ss.ion 10 Northern feeling, rather fanaclsi 'oes
w., lac trade in the District niure any poron Oh .';s
s,h1 Does il offend our moral feelings there whl'c -
al carried on here in Virginia! On the contrary
y ,har this bin is wholly for the North; nay II Is pam
riaht winch asked 10 give up Suppose our n,r
- or, T., prohibit the slave trade, (as II - casu IL oa
c"aur ul-,. and in Richmond, would we not iael II al
inoIerabe ouags upon or rights Ia not the Fsh 10 81,
sa,e !of debt misconduct, or any othef reason az
] Incident ii the right To hold him, just as Tue Fie
- ll \ mart o any other property! and IL So no" - ~,
AHA n H.. made. except through the intervention OF iis
h. lr,j,, 10 wc MI know that the prices OF shy
nr@,efty would he materially reduced i The lese h,
h. sale were diminished! and il snch are the rlsh'
I of Shareholders here what makes them iiiicfe
" az ri.,sir9 Mr. Soulc ustl; remarks upon the ihlI"
-, No., ,,,.f;ap uf this bill. IIc puts
"a ta in adjoining county OF Maryland OF sl''',
re. ,o,- the District or at home, beyond NJ Icar
,r,srf Ills entire property IS in slaves re nncH's
resolve - part with them in order to meet nj: CO.
!, cr ,jcle they might pay all; at home prices, not my
cent, IL the dollar He brings them here Tor the hon9raos
o. - ,av M I'll: but this bill converts Tie purpose mo
i,a -,s and iorieiis his slaves 10 his own rum sha
l,, ri rs creditors Is that Just 10 either-or 10 'o poo
.i.,rier or 10 the State Of Maryland, or the slave
I'm, .inte.! Is that discriminating against Save
,,y WIKI vengeance! Congress could not iorbld MS
nrn any other property here 10 pay his debts and where
ics the constitution con!er power on congress u e11s
mon enc species OF property more than upon another
S,r discrimination >aps the foundation OF all eua'f IN
the ri. oi property, a wcll rs III It's PT0iecof ana I"
If al equality in the rights Of the States and opens
t.,ali Inrn n igflDn
shareholders aiytrtcrc and treryrhere"
II must be observed that the bill in prohibiting the owner
from carr Ing hi, slaves 10 tbs District 10 be Sold Il not
conteu; remand them, and either no he owner iot ue
r.en; nnce require security that he VIII not repeat
il in future but openly detcs ali he feelings, interests and
oicv al tine South by eaan, Yli, them Mr. 5oule well
remarks tal til step will be 10 eurncpae those VINO
are brought The District for any purposes then To !ofoa
their removal and finally, emlacipate those already there.
For if the South submits now, and thus acknowledges i
mower why should the North fear her resistance hereafter
In regard 10 this BILL Nj. Mason confines himself 10 read
nc III, resolution OF General Assembly, passed last
Winter nstrucug our Senators to vote against any c'-
sure i'm ann manner interfering with the rights of the slave
holder. in tn district and NJ justly adds that one 0 those
.,s il the III slaves lie also quotes The resolutions
nf January il which still unrovoked rcscindcd,
which ,olcnn declare that "wc regard law by the Con
orcss q, the ntcd States abnlishng slavery The stars
ir9e "a liz district Of toinba direct attack upon the
institutions OF the Southern States To be resisted at every
In one word the present Iaws slavery in the District
arc agreeable the rights and pcg of the Seuth The oil
!
and : the ,nt nI wedge for abolition.
Nor can ,e regard the bill for the rccapinc of tugi-
tive ayes A. equivalent For if We comedies clear right
bv the former f SO must expect compensation from tc
North IN the shape ot surrender III an equally clear right
su his bin only proposes IL fulfil what all the wsxs men
Of h,rn sections .rn is plain constitutional Obligation.
The b does prciGnds DO what the Constitution
ndi.puiaby nldrIs II simply attaches remedy 10 an srfSt-
iag ACKNOWLEDGED southern right; the former aboshes an
existing Southern night b. doubtful stretch of constitu-
lona authority Bat the bill for the rccapture of fugitive
slave. hc borne in mind, originated with lie Judi
ciay Committee III which s. Eur is Chairman Il. the
last session oil Congress. 1t again introduced early
TIL, Ninur. with amendments. by Mr. Mason, for
which ie iholiiuniss pouring their walls ~ wrath
upon lis head. It ri THE bill amended Uy Mr. Ma
m that Mr Webster sail his I.ioGa SPEECH March
nh! my Mend Al the he II the judiciary COMMITTEE has
till the subject now bslotc the Senate with snne
a,,ntm,ns 10 IT, which pfopose 10 support TM an is
trorsoi H. c fullest tIieni The tliics
These sron. remarks OF ir Webster and Indications oi
similar opinion from various Northern quarters, allTHd the
party and they adrniily cncayorcd 10 avail them
-elyc. known trial hy lury der1 the
South II with this view that they insisted that Re
capture bill should be passed wh!ch did not Ia the
fugitive slave trial by Jury IN the State where !e was cap
urr. VIZ haH@cr in other Southern Senators, showed
con,sNel thlt such prov lsl0n would be denial ol all
istr, tho Southern that it world add Insult
injury ai tina: its aslrv Jniy cgua,d hy hvpo-
.ri~y Il h,cainc plain that this point Mr. Webster
and his friends would have severe battle Ia fight Al home
but that 'tey could sustain themselves II the South won!
back hcn ~ her irnutss. Now in this al things,
what does the adjustment Committee d! but report in
The SECOND ri her hills amendment 10 VIZ. Mas"ns bill
bill which Mr.. Webster had already asson.d rciur-
in. security u tie master that h. VIII give his slave al
br uly his State IL j. true thar there is vastly i'm
ranl difference in giving trial by uy here in the slave
holding country aud there in free State where the svln
prhi,s vi III, people against HE law. But the principle
i ncycr cas- surrendered; arc asked IL abandon the
dear ni-putabs ground Of the Constitution and To
upon know not Whit, ira rift Of adjustment: For the
whole gst Of The matter in these few words vi Mr. Mason
BY the Constitution lie fugitive slave IS 10 be delivered
ny claim the party and II is IN dsro3atoa IF this
rieM 'odetjcer him up only on condition.
Ih,b Ia
away n plain right that ENJOY: this bill or the deli
very nm of fugitive slaves upon condition o giving them
l by AIRY unconstitutional condition 10 he
execution of imperative and ndispuaoc mandate Of The
Constitution in favor. What is the consequence! Mr.
eser himself about be deserted by the South
whom he offered defend, and, ubeying the great aw c
self preservation he retreats from, his former bold position
and ev days since, jane 3D. introduced bill respecting
iii, e runaway slaves. which qrcs that ihey shah have ii
hey demand il a TRIAL by Jury he State ehcre cr,ured
Bni whatever be the merits or d-inerits OF tho amend
mcnrs ol Mr.. Clays committee 10 The fugitive slave biz, II
stands apart the o their scheme For, suppose
the bll now nnder debate, III regard TO the territories -
pas:cd what security have that this fugitive slave bill
will also pass Had been designed any part OF the
he Souhhad il ben considered as il
should have been essential portion OF The adjustment o!
all our pending controversies, il would have been joined
- the territorial bill That the whole scheme. what
-.ed the South we'll what given 10 the
North. o. !t share common fate. l'ut the committee
thought o,hcrw-e and the territorial bill must therefore,
stand is mers 20 a discussion Of which llr. Ma
sons speech is chiefly devoted.
III the contest lei understand distinctly what the tori.
torial question is. Mexico ccdsd Ia rather than
$4,000 square miles oi territory West nl the Rio Grand-
The Ha-,h contends lst shall carry slave pro-
-riv his conquest that the Mexican consr
lion abolished slavery there, and that constitution has
Superseded tho Mexican in this respect but that, wne
Their not make the ccriain Congress shall
prohibit cuiIriin, with property, 10 this
litoy. On tho other hand claim that entitled 70
the ht and facilities for there enjoying property
which would have possessed ii we not III the lrion
and had made The conquest aone that did not renqish
any these rights in rafyns the Constitution III the
United STATES and that is the duty O agent
the Federal Government to do all the enjoy
iren III those rights which bu, Tor the Union might
hay. done ourselves have where the lights ui
the South th. SUBJECT iorcibY concisey stated
than III Mr.. Mason's speech
M the reht Of the people III all the States 10 90 into
any territory the property oi all the States ant
ake with them any MI o their property and 10 reside
there and ENJOY IT, under ihc of the laws and con-
siiturion OF thr United States.
'lf This he true and appreend there to ques
ton it, then follows that ii tcc be any hndancc 10 this
rh existing the territory whether has itS origin in the
laws customs oi such territory before il became the pro
erty of the United States whether has Seen created
since ~ unauthorized Of the first occupants al such
territory il is the dy al the United States ~ Ia inter
pose remove such hndrnncc.
This is n.hI, clear and uncquvocal, and
that refuse terms 81 compromise unless wc refuse
y modification abatement OF il thus strictly defined
S'lch - right under the Constitution. and while