Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-03-30

with black marks drawn around IT, with the view Of
ang popular odum upon and the party to which u Is my
pride and pleasure to belong And now sir the very measure
which drew all these anahemas and denunciations upon
devoted head Is by the Senator from South
Carolina Of deadly hostility TO Southern inter
calculated limit and diminish the area OF
slavery than any the Government during its whole
history Be this il may, think that Southern gentlemen
should not complain Of the after having givent their
united vote on several occasions
Mr.. BUTLER. Will the gentleman allow a single word
Will he do justice the Southern gentlemen by saying that
they voted for the Missouri peace ong alter
they had found the country brought into jeopardy by the VIII
mot poyiso They acquiesced in peaceoferng-as
compromise-and not as giving up their rights.
Mr.. DoUsLAs. | so understand il.
Mr.. BUTLER. One word concerning my colleague, (Mr
CALHouS) think the Senator from Illinois Mr. DousLAs)
right saying that my colleague voted for the amendment
the Oregon BILL but throughout the whole discussion think
he took occasion say that though he acquesced in it, he
did approve Of it.
Mr.. DoueLAs. take great pleasure in saying that be-
eve the Southern gentlemen did vote for the Missouri com
promise peace-oerng and compromise. II was offer
ed by me and received by them in that spirit But must be
permitted to say that it seems somewhat extraordinary that
that which they all voted for as compromise and peace
offering should be denounced act OF Northern ag
gresson Because rendered and received
oeng 1t should be called act OF aggression In
regard to the effects Of the Missouri compromise upon the
question of slavery have but few words to say DO not
think that did have any practical effect that question,
way the other Missouri admitted into the Union
with slavery This necessarily have been done whether
the compromise had been effected not, for there
rghnl mode of preventing it. The Louisiana treaty. un-
der which Missouri purchased from France stipulated
for the admission into the Union according 10 the consu
ton Of the United States The faith of the nation
pledged and must have been redeemed Their right come
into the Union State being conceded, very clear that
they possessed the right to form for themselves just such
constitution of they pleased, provided it did not conflict
with the constitution of the United States Arkansas
then slave Territory and seriously thought Of chang
ing its character in that respect except by of the peo
pie interested The substance Of the Missouri compomise
line, therefore, that west of Missouri and Arkansas
slavery should be prohibited north Of 800 3d. Thus slavery
prohibited by the positive of law in all that
region Of country extending from SO degrees 80 minutes
the forty ninth degree Of north latitude. But, while this
the express provision of the statute slavery ectuay
excluded from the whole of that country by the laws OF
ure of climate and production, before is by act of
Congress. The Missouri compromise, therefore, had no
practical bearing upon the question Of ayeyit neither
tailed extended inch. Like the ordinance of ST. it
did the South harm-the North no good-except that it
had the effect calm and alay unfortunate excitement
which alternating the affections Of different portions Of
the Union.
The next and last Of the series Of complaints against the
North the exclusion Of the Sou h from the whole Of
the Oregon Territory" 1t difficult to comprehend what
the Senator from South Carolina MEANS what of this
Government he refers, when he speaks of the South having
been excluded from the whole Of the Oregon Territory The
law of lS4S, establishing Territorial Government for the
people of Oregon, the only act Of Congress in which slave
is named is that that did contain clause pro-
hbpg slavery but it will hardly be said by any fami
with history OF that Territory Legislation, that
it had the effect exclude slavery from the Territory That
effect had been produced by law and in fact years before by
the action Of the people themselves. II will be recoeced that
thousand American citizens took up their residence in
Oregon during the continuance of the treaty of on occupa
on" as called in those days. which precuded the
adjustment of regular Government either by the United
States Great Britain In the absence Of any other Govern
ment to afford them protection these people established
for themselves which known the Territorial Govern
Of Oregon BY of the fundamental articles Of that
Government slavery forever prohibited in that Territory
This prohibition expressed the unanimous sentiment Of the
people, and adopted without dissenting voice. The
people of Oregon lived quietly and happily under this Prov
sional Government for period Of about twelve years. if my
recollection right before Congress passed the Ter
rtorial bill Of which the Senator complains. That BILL
far the question of slavery concerned did nothing
more than to rc-enact and affirm the law which the people
themselves had previously adopted and vigorously executed
for the period of twelve years. It mere dead letter.
without the slightest effect upon the admission exclusion Of
slavery and, in the language OF the distinguished Senator
from Massachusetts,, in his late Speech it entirely
useless, and, in that connexions entirely senseess thing
Suppose this prohibition of slavery had been stricken out and
the bill of 1913 had been passed without any provision
the subject, the Senator from South Carolina that time
proposed and thinks ought have been the case would
the legal and practical effect have been precisely the
The laws the provisional Government would have remain
in oce unless repealed by the people, and there
suppose that people who had voluntarily prohibited
slavery by unanimous vote, and sustained the prohibitions
without murmur for twelve years, would have changed
their policy suddenly, and without any ostensble
v
of slavery from Oregon be down the account Of
Northern aggressons and Southern grievances The North
had hand in it nothing to do with it. II the delbe
and exclusive act othe people Of Oregon themselves It
done in obedience that great democratic principle that
1t is wiser and better leave each community determine
and regulate their local and domestic affairs in their
way It done in the way that slavery has recently
been prohibited in the State Of Cafornia-by the free
and united action Of the people nhabng the country. This
principle of action first introduced free institutions upon the
continent II will I've recoected that at the time of the de-
caration of Independence every Of the original thirteen
were savehodng States and at the period of the adoption Of
the constitution OF the United States there twelve slave
holding and free State. Since that time by the opera
ton Of this great principle of allowing each State and separate
community decide this question for ITSELF Of these twelve
savehodng States have abolished slavery and established
freedom while Vermont aud Maine, which carved
Of those States have also become free States And noth-
standing the ordinance of 1887 the Missouri compromise and
all the kindred measures, under whatever name, all the
States which have been admitted into the Union with clauses
in their constitutions prohibiting slavery, became free States
by virtue Of their choice and not in obedience any
Congressional dicaon undertake say that there
of those States that would have tolerated the institution
of slavery within its limits il had been perempory
required to have done by act Of Congress II is libel
upon the character Of those people say that the honest
tments Of their hearts smohered and their political
ton upon this question constrained and directed by Of
Congress Will the Senators from Ohio Indiana Michigan
Wisconsin, and Iowa make any such degrading admission in
respect to their constituencies will blaken the cha
racter OF my State by such admission, and know
my colleague too well to harbor the thought that he will al
low it to be said Of her with impunity
The Senator from South Carolina after going through with
-