The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-02-16

The South insists upon great constitutional right. rest
| ing upon broad constitutional ground
The question before the committee before the
convention which framed the constitution. and dehnte
perpetuated was brought into the constitution. Mr.
Adams admitted that the savehodng States demanded and
obtained three provisions, conditions Of their assent to
the constitution First that three ths OF the slave popu
iaon should be estimated in fixing the basis Of represent
alton second, the right to import slaves for twenty
years and third the stipulation 10 restore fugliiyes from
labor Mr. II. instanced Mr. Hamilton's remark IN the
New York convention that but for the three fifth basis
OF representation. the southern States would not have
come into The Union" Mr. H. insisted that no right was
asserted by the convention the subject Of slavery
On the contrary. that right independent OF the consi.
tuon Provisions had been inserted in the constitution
to protect the enjoyment Of the right u these one Is
fugitive slaves The first likely to De
invoked, and the second is habuay disregarded though
adopted mem con The power 70 regulate commerce s &c
Qmports was given to Congress and lest should De
exerted to prevent the deportation of slaves, that power
was restricted for twenty years Mr. Sergeant. 81 PeRn
sylvania one Of the abest advocates Of the Missouri
restriction admitted that right to property in slaves to
be paramount to the constitutions that express power
is granted to limit slavery in the constitution OF State
| asking admissions and that the three-hfth rule was
adopted preserve the balance between the States likely
to continue slaveholdng and the northern States That
balance we must preserve
This controversy revived upon the Missouri ques
ton That immense acquisition obtained by the genius
and policy OF southern statesmen The North were vii
ling to give up the right to navigate the Mississippi for
other southern statesmen carried through the measure
and secured the territory, together with the mouth Of the
Mississippi Yet the North demanded exclusion Of the
South and actually stretched Il the line OF 80 deg
80 min, cutting of the South from any share in large
portion Of the territory since formed out OF it. lndepend
ent States casting their weight against us Now,
when threaten resistance, and division OF the gov
eminent is talked OF, the North says i will hold the
mouth Of The Mississippi Mr. earnestly trusted that the
Of h ~oSd would belong 10 The South
Texas came in. and the compromises OF 80 deg 80 min
was applied 10 that slaveholdng region. Now at the
extensive territory the North more mperous than ever
seeks to appropriate the whole OF il. Mr. h. surveyed
with pleasure the history Of southern States they had
every decline Of their commercial prosperity asking
appropriations for their benefit, and, with patriotism nm
chilled by time wrong, they have stood BY the coun-
Upon the Oregon question: they sustained our claim
against England, having immediate interest in that
remote region was fact not generally known, that
The original Mexican supply bill was prepared in an
tcipation Of contest with England over The Oregon
question. But this demand on The part Of the North
aow 10 settle the question was forever % hedge slavery
within is present lmts and has reused irrrpressbe
spirit The North i acting upon Clark sons advice. wno
not CONTEXT with destroying the British West Indies, nd.
vsed the ahotonsts Of The United States ITO separate
from all political connection with the slaveholdng States
and to make their laws break up the ascendency
which the southern have tor many years had over the
northern States" You demand now that the equ-
poise between the States shall be broken up and that
nenceforh the South shalt have no participation in
any fu acquisitions. The policy OF our diplomacy.
power-all to be for your benefit You demand
| his lsail Mr. H., either because you regard our
institutions as immoral or You seek 10 Obtain over q.
political advantage The Souh submit 10 neither
the nor the other. II. with the spirit OF the Phar-
see. you thank God that you are better than we are
Cunning your backs on region Cursed with slavery
and Surveying your better heri,age Il might be borne
with nposure But IL, overlooking The crime, wretch
einess an pauperism home, your i,nerant humanity
seeks 10 bring the saveholders Of the South under its
Il iaf Il uHus II.
We shall certainly not submit to II. We have borne
muchhonlles, newspape! articles and tide OF vulgar
abuse We submitted To the agitation OF the ques-
tion-a great wrong in tsef-but your present demand
10 appr pirate the entire territory acquired from Mexico
| has aroused spirit which cannot be subaued.
The whole South, from the Potomac TO the almost
tropical plains OF southern Texas united IN The puf-
pose resist the aggression II IL be the fixed policy oil
the North to exclude the South from the late and future
acquisitions, the southern States must decide grave
quesoneber to submit to gradual but certain change
their organic structure, to resist the threatened en-
Ills no imaginary wrong Of which they complain The
OF the present resistance may seem to you slight
one but slight have led TO the most de-oaiing
wars lew OF sacred soil, poughed up, plunged
the States Of Greece into saneuinary conflict An at
tempt to collec, shipmoney shook England TO lis cen
Ire, drove Hampton into the field, where he lost his le
in of the first battles fought for constitutional
liberty; and small tax upon tea was the proximate
OF the American revolution. II the North should
succeed in its demands decides great principle against
the Southa principle involving lis honor and It's ex-
istence. To-day the southern man walks forth with
conscious dignity, and takes his seat here an equal
among equals He never consent TO hold any other
relation TO the government II in This contest the South
should submit there examples be ore OF what her
condition would be- Ireland, luxurious, fertile. degraded
and starving, with IFS representation in Parliament ~
that empire ruins her In every baile which has been
fought by British OF late years Irish blood has been
freely spilled and Irish vaor has never failed 70 con-
tribute to win the day; II upheld the British
standard from the Pyrenees 10 the Alps agasns the
marshas OF France, and at Waterloo against Napoleon
himself But what has this avaled for Ireland When
her sons unable bear the spectacle of the wreched
OF their country speak out for her, they are torn
from her bosom, and u escaping the scafold, manaced
terioraon, should reach moral degradation equally
fatal Athens maintained s place among more power.
fu States by cuhvatng spirit which dehed invasion
and the scholar who visits her orgets her oraors her
letters and her literature he looks the tomb Of
rbemlstocles and throws glance upon spots consecra
ted by the battles OF freedom The South the feebler
section OF the conederacy, must preserve the same
| spirit
recognition Of the right OF the sIaveholdng States
share of the territory He did not fear the Wimot Pro-
vso there being authority in Congress TO adopt IL,
and no Do ger TO enforce it, But he grathed 10 see
the maniiness with which gentlemen the other day
voted II down.
Gentlemen claimed the right to govern Territories from
a grant of power found in article section 3of the
stiution "Congress shall have power to make all need
property OF the United Saes &C. But that very clause
is followed by restriction that power in these words,
viz Nothing In this constitution shall be construed
prejudice any claims OF the United States or OF any
particular State
Now il the grant he one OF political power Continued