The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-07-12

mt how this bill remedy such wrongs or harmonic,
ard reconcile the opinions revealed in these complaints
The non saveholdng States iyrannze the slave
holding The latter feel insecure, and the exact thing de
sired to counterac and restrain abuse they call it. il
power-more power, influence in this Senate II il
not question OF territory except as territory gives
States, and States add political power. Whatey We
Dther complexion these questions may put on this is The
great matter which lies at the bottom This is the dis
which demands remedy il this which keeps
the country in confusion and peril and what is the
edy for il What will stop its repetitions repeat. sir
lhai consists IN maintaining the principle that territory
already dedicated TO freedom should be turned into
slave territory, and that this southern frontier of Mexico
should be settled by free population. That the gen-
edy SIR which Will cure the disease and i isa grea
mistake TO suppose that maintaining this doctrine
infct any wrong or injustice upon the Shareholders We
only carry out q sound principle.
have already ntimated that the catalogue of wrongs
Embodied in the address Of the Nashville Convention,
and given to the public to Justify the sectional movement
which has been made, and other anticipated
hereafter is, like most such papers, adapted to the pur
pose IN view; but let put IFS allegations to the
test OF historical truth and how they tally with it.
Let us remember the charge that the slaveholdng
States are combned IN Congress into despoilsm subst
tung their will Tor the constitution Can this statement
be maintained 1t implies clearly il il said
that the -savehoding States act in and rule
with high hand the affairs OF this government II this
be II IS matter of record and the truth oil may be
lrumphany sustained What is there in our political
history which authorizes such charges How far are
they justified in putting forth declarations such have
read from that address? Sir have said that the cotton
power great that it is al all times mixed with great
Influences in the affairs of this government; and now
say that by its own strength and Its intellect aided
by the combinations which it has been able times
and upon most emergencies to fom ii has only taken
the lead in public policy, but has substantially, by legis
laiion or vetoes ruled this country through the larger
portion of its history.
In the first place. sir, has had nearly through the
whole PERIOD officer in the chair OF the executive de
|parmeht Of the government, who harmonized with it in
opinion, and sympahized with in all its affairs Be-
sides having had possession OF the executive del armen
o the government they have always had at least within
my recollection, possession Of the court below, by
Jorlty OF members from that section And il is to be
borne IN mind all the time that this interest constitutes
but minority OF the people, little more than one-third
the free population OF the country will venture to say
that whoever will search the records OF this government
wall find that very large portion OF the high places OF honor
and emoument very large portion OF the places which
are desirable IN TINS have allen to the lot OF
gentlemen from that section of the country recolec very
well that II was shrewdly remarked by gentleman
the other side, that they deserved them they would
not get them That am not disposed TO question at this
time, though may imply deficiency of merit elsewhere
But am disposed to oppose these facts against this caa-
ogue OF wrongs which II said has been inflicted by
the non slavehoidng States SO much them for the do
ngs OF this nexorabe majority Of the sIaveholding
States governing and ruling the southern country And
might ask, when and where has this reckless majority
which has substituted its will for the constitution,
lated that instrument When and where is there any
ooi that any party from the free States has ever been
able any time, ii willing, TO substitute its will Tor the
provisions o the constitution and thus practically abol-
ish the constitution tself II there is such an IN our
history il can be pointed out; but know of none
canno, stop dwell on these matters. But it is per-
fectly obvious that OF these allegations pure tic
ton There foundation in the history OF the gov
ernment 10 sustain or 10 support them. We naturally
ask how is, and why IT is that this cotton interest
able to do much, being minority! How IS 1t that J.;
sways the affairs of great country can show very
easily and in close connexion with what is pertinent to
this bill, how that happens When speak OF this great
|party, know there many in the South who have
not CO. operated with j, in all things hut others have
and enough found in the country accomplish the OBJ
ec Br! to proceed We added Louisiana 10 this confede
racy The great interest took possession of it
and appropriated all that valuable to ills
We heard nothing then of division of The acquisition
between slavery and freedom And on that territory the
cotton interest has now three States that have their
tors on this floor. When the second of those States
came in controversy sprung up The free States seem
TO have walked out oil kind OF dreamy sleep One Stale
with two senators this floor 10 control the affairs OF
this government, had been admitted slave State out
OF this territory The non-savehodlng States had real
lzed nothing, and now second savehodlng State Mis-
sonr, offered tor admission, and offered under cir
cnmslances which rOdered II apparent that third would
follow They began 10 ask why all this territory, by far
the larger part Of which wild unsettled region al
the time OF the cesson, should be devoted TO slavery.
The controversy then arose which resulted in establish
ing The line OF SO deg. 80 min.
Three slavehoding States, Louisiana, Arkansas and
Missouri have been admitted from this region oil LOUIS.
iana which was purchased by the United States. When
Missouri Ia be offered for admission what the
ground then assumed by the South lie, see how a.
great territory acquired by purchase, and paid for OF
The treasure, was to be disposed OIL This south
interest then went IN for the whole, and they shook
this government to lis very foundation, the senator
from Kentucky informs on that vefy question. They
shook lDls government io rs oundaon on he question
whether they should should not have the whole OF
this territory, and appropriate It to the uses OF slavery
That matter finally settled. Alter sharp contest,
The line oil 80 deg 80 established And out OF
that part OF the territory which assigned TO freedom,
there has been added 10 this Union but Sa,e and
that The youngest in it, We have this floor but two
senators from the territory acquired by the North from
the Missouri Compromise line, That's all from that or
any other acquired territory. Thus ended this matter
Then came Florida We hough, Florida. But as sla-
very existed among the population. though this. TOO. was
wild and almost uninhabted country, yet this IN
teres, quietly allowed TO appropriate IT, II was al
claimed and alrtaken because isw slaves were found
there when the United States took possession The princl
pie then assumed was that where slavery was, there
mad night TO continue. And now, when come 10 turn
the upon YOU and say that where freedom is there
t has right TO be. and slavery shall be excluded, the
converse OF the proposition is opposed and is found o
be rule thai works but one way, and IN favor OF but
one interest goes to aid the exien~on OF slavery and
|dspaces freedom to accomplish IT, But SIR pass over
this as have neither inclination to dwell upon
IT, beyond remarkRl that we added IN this way another
Tor fourth slave State out Of purchased territory
Then was sprung upon US The matter OF Tesas-an en-
pre- IN iise vast country Where, them all their
motions of equity and equality about division OF the
territory which prevail Where, then, was The
North Sleeping on her rights. let the compact OF
Texas speak ior Itself There hesitation ap-
propciang all Texas and appropnaling by The resolu
ton OF annexation TO the southern country The democ
racy did this.
The line ol 80 deg. 80 min was to he sure, put into
those resolutions, but merely matter of form vi
been explained in this DISCUSSION, al the close OF the de
bate; and on that question gentlemen voted without any
reference to geographical Considerations There was,
we informed, no deiberauon upon that question nor