Richmond palladium., 1850-05-08

bind the discretion Of a subsequent Con-
cress in respect 10 the admission of other
States-and while he would maintain the
constitution ally plighted faith OF the Gov
ernment he insists that the stipulation
should be shown to be warranted by the
CONSTITUTIONS He further claims that the
annexation resolutions make the adnils-
sion Of States TO be created Out OF Texas.
dependent upon the assent of Congress
when the application SHALL be made. Nr.
Webster either failed TO express himself
clearly upon this point. or was misunder-
stood by Mr. Chase. AS we find there is
E a very general apprehension with ref
erence to his opinion upon the subject Of
admitting new States created out OF Tex
an territory. we shall tomorrow show
what he intended TO say. and we suppose
did say, in his speech. upon that point
The propositions Of Mr.. Clay. that sla
very in the District Of Columbia should
not be abolished except with the consent
Of Maryland and the District, and that
Congress has no power TO prohibit the
slave trade among the States. are com
batted with much force OF argument: as
also the resolution proposing more effect
ual provision for the reclamation OF iuSi-
tive slaves: bu; i; is not easy to abr:dge
these portions of the speech.
Mr.. Chase argues ,ha, the clause in the
Constitution in relation To fugitive slaves.
is clause Of compact-lha, the power
and duty of legisIaii n on that subject.
are with the States and no, with Congress
that the obligation and exten: OF the
compact are matters that address them
selves exclusively to the good faith and
~ tl,.a
the General Government has no power to
enforce the performance of the stipulation
by the States-,ha, the decision Of the
Supreme Court in the Prlgs case does
not change the Constitution. and II Con-
gress had 10 power to legislate on the sub
ject before the decision, it has none now.
But admitting the power 10 legis!a,e.
he denies the expedicncy OF exercising ii
in the manner proposed, by passing bill
which authorizes and requires the ap-
pointment Of two hundred and s:xty-one
commissioners. and an indefinite number
Of other officers. 10 catch runaway slaves
in the State Of Ohio; which Furnishes hu-
mauity as crime; which authorizes se.z,
urc without process, trial without ury.
and consignment TO slavery beyond the
limits of the State wiihou: opportunity o!
After examining the question Of apply
ing the proviso to the Territorial govern
ments, and Mr.. Wcbster's declaration
that he would not 'take pains to reaiirm
an ordinance of nature, or 10 re enact the
will of God''-Nr. Chase shows the use
Of threats of dsunion, and here we quote
without abrdsement:-
but. we are told that if Congress pro-
hibit slavery in the territories. or abolish
slavery and the slave trade in the District
or taiiio provide the adequate securities
. for the return of runaway slaves. the
South will dissolve the Union! This cry.
Mr.. President. neither astonishes nor
alarms me. have never thought nor do
now think that any man should be de-
r TERED by it from an honest. fearless dis
charge of his duty here. 1t is an old cry.
not without profit to those who have used
it. 1t was first heard in the Congress Of
l774. The student Of history who ex-
amines the non importation and non-ex-
portation agreement of that Congress will
be struck bv a singular exception in the
, non-exportation article. ave alre adv
had occasion to remark that the agree
ment itself was designed TO secure re-
. dress of American grievances from the
Government Of Great Britain bv sus-
pension Of CONNIE rcial intercourse. The
non exportation article bound the colo
, MES and the people not to export any
American commodity to Great Britain,
{ Ireland. or the We est Indies. with this re-
: markable qualification, "cxcept rice to
Europe How came this exception
there! Why. sir. the staple of South Car
olina was rice. and the delegates of South
Carolina in that frs, Congress. when the
. struggle with Great Britain was impen-
, ding and union was all important TO its
, successful issue, threatened 10 withdraw
. from the Congress and break up the As
; socation unless South Carolina could be
permitted TO export rice and indigo. This
proceeding occasoned a suspension OF
the business Of the Congress for two or
three days. Finally. i, was determined
10 complete the Association without con-
I cedins the South Carolina demand. and
J ,hereupon her delegates. except one. with
drew They were invited TO return. an d
a compromise was proposed. TO allow the
expectation Of rice but not of indigo |
/, have consulted Pitkins' statistics and [
find that the expectation OF rice in 1870
was about one hundred and sixty thou
Sand barrels valued at fifteen hundred
and thirty thousand dollars. find no
mention of indigo. OF course the com
promise was agreed TO. and the words
Except rice TO Europe" added to the
non-exporta,on article. Ii was model
for all future compromises. South Caro-
: lima got what was substantive and sur
. rendered what was unimportant. This
was the first utterance OF the dis-union
crv and this was its frs; result.
} The journals of the old Congress in
form US that in 1888 a resolution was
, adopted establishing the seat of Govern
: ment al the Falls of the Delaware. Much
dissatisfaction was manifested bv the
. South. Some persons. II seems. becam