The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-08-24

he il pleased TO term iaconisls, or not
The PRESIDENT The senator used no such ex-
MI TURNKEY Yes sir; the senator did use such an
expression He spoke of known iaconsts in the NORTH
and South IN opposing system OF measures calculated
10 bring about peace aud harmony.
Mr. FOOTE. | assure the honorable senator, II he
will notice the report Of my remarks IN the morning, he
will find that spoke OF aggression ~ general manner
did not aude 10 any senator here al all IN felauoh 70
these measures spoke Of The general system OF meas
Mr. TURNKEY II is perfectly satisfactory The gen
tleman did not understand himself to have said so IL IS
entirely satisfactory much so as any ming eoun
desire; but sll wish 10 place myself is"' :" s'ao'
to il. 49,
able iron Maryland which proposed 70 exercise
a power on the part oil this government whicb, IN my
Judgment is not conferred upon Congress al an OH,
that proposition was, to my mind, monsrous; coaid
not entertain til could think OF voting Tor such
proposition Where do we hnd the power to authorize
Congress to make an appropriation oil money 10 pay ioI
runaway negroes To what clause will gentlemen refer
me for the purpose OF showing this powerf Certainly
not in that providing for fngiiiye slaves understand
that provision OF the constitution 10 mean nothing more
less than ths II is compact between Inc several
States OF this Union They the authors ana creators
OF this constitution portion OF them are slave ana
portion OF them free States. One porlon toleiates
The institution OF slavery. and the other denies ana "a
forming that bond OF union, understand these
States to have provided that il this species OF properly
shall escape from any State where slavery tolerated.
and within the limits OF State where 1t is prohb-
tied, shall not, consequence OF any law or regulation
therein, be made free discharged from service, put
shall be delivered up 10 the owner upon demand being
made according 10 the provision OF the constitution
Now, sir, ia xipg construction upon this article OF
the constitution, understand II TO mean that this IL
the part of the States, and not on the part OF
this al all II is covenant on the part OF the
States which this slave may flee that they shall deliver
him up is irue agree with gentlemen that there rs
no mode by WHICH you can enforce state 70 compli
suton have failed TO provide remedy against me State
il shall refuse 10 deliver up the fugitive. THERE'S
no remedy prescribed in the constitution Sir what was
vua ed nv the How do
the obligations read 1t is provided in this instrument
that every officer OF the State government and partcu-
arly the members OF the general assemblies OF the various
States of the Union. shall take solemn oath to support
the constitution OF the United States; and thus provision
OF the constitution requires that me fugitive IRON service
or labor shall be delivered up WE'LL take il thea, that
the OF the Legislatures OF the different
States being support the constitution bound
to make suitable and necessary regulations by law for ts
execution Now, sir if they disregard their oaths-if,
in obedience to another law which they hold IN higher
estimation than the constitution OF their country which
they are sworn to support they refuse 70 discharge TINS
obligation to make provision for the execution OF the pro-
visions OF the constitution but on the contrary provide
for the protection OF the fugitve-why, sir be said
that because no povls on is made IN the consitu-
ton whereby you can coerce them INTO compliance
with the sacred obligations they are sworn 10 fulfil.
this government shall assume the power OF paying Tor
these iugves out OF the national treasury No, sir;
cannot find any such provision or authority expressed or
implied, in the constitution TO authorize Congress to pass
any such provision. And while am willing and ready
10 give any vote for the most stringent and efectuai
within the scope OF the constitution to accom-
plsh the object intended 10 be effected by this bill must
be permitted to say that will give no vote yoatve OF
that instrument much less will justify violation Of
the constitution OF the United States merely because the
members of the legislatures of the various free States OF
the Union violate their duty That will afford preteXt
TO me TO violate my duty. cannot, therefore, assume
powers which do not belong 10 or 10 the Congress OF
the United States because OF the failure OF to dis
charge their duty TO the Unicn They may act aithlessly
as hold they have acted and as fear they will con-
tnue to act but il il be true, conended by the senator
from Mississippi, MI FoorE. that no other fugitive
hill un he nF nil ,anf
proposed by the senator from Maryland which was voted
down this morning by overwhelming majority can be
efieclual, Why think IS now clearly demonstrated
that bill upon this subject answering that object
be passed IT, the stale OF public feeling in the free
States be such that no law can be executed upon this
subject which will carry into effect the provisions OF the
constitution by delivering up fugitive slaves, then we
had well abandon the attempt altogether. No law
be made effective bill be passed, that will
swer the object, and afford remedy for the mischief
complained Of
Now sir, | voted against that BILL but voted reuc-
family remained silent, and listened 10 the arguments
both sid es attenlyely and content 10 give silent
vote; but in fact regretted that was forced TO differ
with portion OF the senators OF the South But il they
had been all the side in favor OF the Amendment
OF the senator from Maryland with the opinions enter
tain, could not have voted Tor H. And aside from the
constitutional powers where is the justice where is the
equity, Of saying that you will force from man his
property, his slave who runs away, and gets into
free State, and tax him TO pay onehalf OF the value that
is paid TO him II submits in principle scheme of eman
cpaon the effect Of which to cmancpate the slaves
and pay for them out OF The treasury Of the United States
and consequently make the STAKEHOLDER lose half OF
the value OF The property and then the balance of the
community for the other half can find such power
the constitution Tor any such purposeo accomplish auy
such object, II does Lot exist IN my judgment, and,
sequenily, did not vote Tor IL could now vote for IT,
Ii The feeling OF the North has got TO that pitch which
effective law be passed, by which the provisions
OF the constitution can be executed by which the slave
be delivered up his owner then the South have but
10 consider what course they 10 take not that they
will themselves violate the consiiution-vioaie their
oaihsn order TO obtain the compensation for this loss
Such proposition they cannot entertain for a moment
They must look at it in different point OF view They
that these States have proved fahless that they
have not performed their constitutional obligations 10
them They have been deceived They supposed that
when they framed this constitution AID made these pro-
visions 10 preserve their title 10 their slaves making il
the duyo those 10 whose States the slave may flee to
deliver him up-making u the duty of the members OF
the general assemblies oil the States 10 take solemn
oath to support that instrument and these provisions
among oihefs-they thought they had full and ample
guaranty for their rights They did not dream that the
time would when this sacred instrument and
the oahs oil those who 10 support II, would be
totally dlsregarded and set at naughl
Again, Mr. President, would hold il TO be unjust; and
To adopt the amendment OF the senator from Maryland
would IN my Judgment create two parties in the South
he senator from Mississippi regret the idea of
the DIVISION OF the southern senators here regret
am OF those who believe that If the South had pre-.
scented an unbroken phaanx here, they could have this
measure according 10 Their own wishes they could have
prescribed their own terms, and could have sustained
thelf entire honor interests and constitutional rights up
broken II was unfortunate, therefore, that they did
present an unbroken phalany, aud Roget that misfor
tune as much as any Bat am not prepared to adj
yocate system OF policy that will create parties in
the Souih-the save parry and the sdus parry