The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-29

or understand, when spoken. The convention,
that gave assent to the conditions OF admission
was not called by legal authority, but by the
Chairman of a Democratic State Committee Not
onethird of the people Of that State assented
to the terms of admission. had prepared myself
to discuss the whole question, but others, more
fortunate in gaining the floor, have brought out
the main facts do not propose to repeat them
have no disposition to turn over the old kaleido-
scope to get new reflection from the same bits of
broken glass | consider the objections as really
given mp The gentleman from Georgia, across
the way, Mr. Wellborn whose spirit we all adj
mired, and wish all might have initiated pro-
posed TO admit California with her present Con-
stitution, restricting her southern boundary TO
800 80 north latitude. Was there any more ir-
regularity in the want Of congressional action, or
in want of census, or 10 votes Of foreign popula-
tion south Of that line than there was north of
IL not, then that offer surrenders the whole ques-
iion, ON the ground of irregularity Almost every
Southern speaker has consented to give up his OBJ
jections, provided Territorial Governments are
given to Utah and New Mexico without the Provi-
so. What does that proved One oftwo .hings, most
certainly either that thFre is no real objection,
or else that it stands on such slippery morality
that it can be moved for fair price. Every
one can have his choice in the horns Of that
dilemma
But when you have given up oil controversy
about California, why link IL with others many of
them old and offensive, about which there is dis
pute2 Why bind the carcass to the living man
have right TO vote on California as a distinct
measure / have right to put myself and my
constituents on the record in her favor. No man
can justly deprive me of that right by compelling
me to vote against California because you have uni
ted il with other hostile measures in huokstering
compromise. Why are all the measures to be
settled from one sectionl We have measures at
the North in which we feel a strong interest We
wish change from tue ,frIn p5sfcysof 1876
The wool-growipg and manufacturing interests,
and the iron interest, are all staggering on the
verge Of ruin they are in state Of siege, looking,
as they have right to ook for the Government
TO come to the rescue. Many Of the manufactur-
ers of the North have struggled against adverse
fortune without dividend since the passage of
the tariff of is46. Intelligence has just reached
us that in one village thousand operatives are
thrown out Of employ in single day ; and that in
three months, probably more than ten thousand
must share the same fate in New England In
these circumstances we are tortured by this per-
petual delay. As Northern man, feel morti-
fed that five months of the session are now pas
sed. and the c. Committee on Manufactures have not
had their first meeting. We feel anxious that
something should be done by establishing an ag-
ricultural bureau to aid the farmers, who consti-
tute two-thirds of the people of this nation The
Government has worked long enough for the ben
eft of politicians and placemen it is time that
something was done for the people themselves.
We wish to see improvements in the rivers and
harbors in all parts of the land, a measure that
was thwarted by an Executive veto. Now, sup
pose we insist on inserting In a compromise all
these measures for commerce and agriculture and
manufactures, and declare the one shall not pass
without the rest California will appear with a
tail as long and ominous as the tail of comet,
portending war and pestilence to the land. Why
are sectional interests linked with herr Is it not
confession that they cannot be risked on their
own merits-that they cannot go alone, and
therefore they must come crouchng along under
the wing of California The splendid vessel,
rugged and manned on the -diatant shore, starts
on her voyage; she doubles the cape; at length
the signal announces that she has reached the
offng The masses Of people, reused and joyous
at the tidings, throng the beach 10 witness her
advent. The cry arises, why does she delay her
her coming The only answer thst can be given
is, that there Is bantering process going on in
the commercial divan. Esch one Hishes to prof
by her coming. She must tow in'his packet, OF
his sooty whaler, or junk, or fishing smack. Al
length it is gravely decided that she must put ou
to sea again, or come dragging on behind her al
the old, crazy, crippled water-logged craft on al
the cosat.
The second proposition of this bill is to erect
Governments for Utah and New Mexico. | oh.
ject to il, because it excludes the Ordinance OF
1877. Vermont was the first to exclude slavery
from her borders. She was the first to take the
position now held by the free States in regard to
slavery in the Territories. On November IL,
1919, she passed this resolution:
"IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, Nov. IL, 1919.
"The General Assembly Of the State of Yer
mont view with deep concern the attempt to in
troduce slavery into the territories Of the United
States and to legaize it in States to be admitted
into the Union. They regard II as measure
manfestly tending to increase and perpetuate
an evil of no ordinary magnitude and danger
of magnitude, as it deprives portion of mankind
of those privileges which republican principle
guarantees to all Of danger as It may, and that
possibly at no distant period, subject the master
to the vengeance Of the slave; and, as 1t will
retain the physical force Of the slaveholdng
States for self preservation, when it may be most
needed for national effort or defence. They re-
gard 1t as tending TO increase the number of
slaves as the extending their territories, and in
creasing their demand and value, will encourage
the violation Of all laws made TO prohibit their
importation; and as tending to perpetuae sla-
very, by adding the influence and power Of States
to be formed within our territories, which event
ually may constitute majority Of the Union.
"Tbey do not perceive that the plea Of necessity,
on which the existence Of slavery can alone be
palliated, will extend to the territories Of the
United States. They cannot doubt that the
powers of Congress are adequate TO the effective
prohibition Of the further introduction of sla-
very, that they have the supreme power Of legis-
lation over the territories for all purposes Of
tonsl concern, and that they are not bound to as.
sent to the admission Of any State into the Union,
unless upon such conditions as shall be consis-
tent with the general welfare.
"The General Assembly do therefore resolve,
that our Senators be instructed, and cur Repre-
sentatives In Congress be requested, to use their
influence to prohibit the introduction Of slavery
into the territories Of the United States, and To
prevent it's being legaliyed in any State here
after TO be admitted into the Union"
She pu. her reasons on the record, that slavery
~ wrong in itself--that II tends 10 weaken the
national strength--that II cannot be tolerated on
the plea Of necessity--snd that Congress has the
constitutional power 70 prohiph 10. These are
her sentiments now. The doctrine that contro-
verts them Is modern doctrine, affirming that
mel 20 to any territory Of the United States
carrying with them all that is held as property Ia
their several States. There Is a remarkable uni
formty Ia the utterance of that doctrine. Look
through the long debtes In both Houses Of Con-
gress, and you see 1t always in the same stereo-
typed form We should suppose that as mere
matter Of TASTE for the sake Of novelty, 1t would
sometimes be varied but 1t still holds the same
immutable formula The reason Ia plain--chan9e
the expression, and you kill the doctrine. Say
that you have right TO carry your local laws
into the territories, and you make an equivalent
expression that every lawyer will drop like hot
iron Il is not true as to any State North or South
There are fifty men In Vermont, who own bank,
with capital Of one hundred thousand dollars
They hold and manage their property by local
laws of the State They nov propose TO take
that bank and migra'e to California, where the
law prohibits banking or to territory where
- :. "a ia~vs an ,ha suhiect They propose