The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-29


With the senator's usual nanness and candor, he avowed
that unless he had been convinced that the Mexican
laws prevailed In the Territories, and that, by Write
thereof, slavery had no existence protection here he
could meyer have brought himself to cast vote in favor
Of the territorial bill il stands He went furher and
ask the deliberate attention OF southern senators to the
prophetic warnings he put forh he not only announced
his owa CONJUNCTION that these laws remained IN force
there, but, while fatterng ourselves that quite
different conviction might be wrought in due season IN
certain quarter he ventured the imposing announce
ment that vast majority, not only OF The people, but OF
the ssriss OF these States, with him in opinion
upon that question Well sir, il that be the case-if i
is gravely announced by one whose own opinions al
ways carry with them so much weight and WELD 80
much influence, that vast majority OF the ursts OF the
country are already with him upon this important con-
eutional and legal issuehow can the honorable sena-
tor ask us OF the South 10 vote with him. and IN the way
OF compromise too based upon the acknowledged exist
ence Of ohbtory laws against the institution Of slavery
which absolutely odious to and which the l0h Sec
on OF this bill not only recognises, but renders repeaa
BILE ask every souherner who listens 10 me, how ne can
vote for this bill without virtually conceing poDsr 10
rtories and upon all Territories, whenever chooses to
do So And indeed this section gives to Congress
absolute ueto upon all laws which may eanate from the
territorial Legislature, while il does not impose any
saints whatever upon ITSELF what assurance is given,
what security have we that even we yield UP our %.
jec,ons to the unexampled sacrifices which this bill
exacts OF under the prompngs OF love OF union and
desire oil peace, and consent to It's passage repeat
what lty have we, what obstacle would be inter
posed against the introduction on s nsrt day. and the
final passage OF bill imposing the Wam0 Pr0Uiso upon
these Territories! Nevertheless, told that this
bill is to be the pdnacea for all the disturbing evils that
annoy u.s. and 10 the very section we are debating puts
and leaves everything in doubt, everything in danger,
everything-yes, verify, everyhing-n darkness Only
behold Here is the eminent chairman OF the committee
procaimDg IRON his place in the Senate that these Mex
lean laws now in force IN the Territories and yet
here is the honorable senator from Mississippi, / Mr..
FooTE whose motion this committee raised, and
clarng from his place that these laws have been super
seeded by the constitution OF the United States and that
slavery cannot be inhibited from going there Yet,
while these opposite and clashhg interpretations
given to the same features OF the same section Of the
bill, by its friends, urged alike by both
senator's to give our support and without reference at
own champions Under whose banner shall we cru.
SADIE Under which construction shall we wage the
wari Is it for southern rights or southern wrongsi
Great, Is my respect for the profound learning
and my admiration for the genius OF The honorable
tor from Kentucky, cannot with him in his
clusons upon this point and shall range myself rath-
Georgia. Mr. BERREN, whose adverse positions il they
have ever been met, have never, my Judgment been
answered These positions have derived additional force
from that clause in the Mexican constitution OF ls43
which first brought TO the notice of the Senate by the
honorable senator from Missouri, Mr.. BENToS,] and
which conclusiyey establishes that African slavery in
abolition OF slavery in Mexico attempted 10 be estab
shed by the decree of the Dictator Guerero but that he
had failed in the accomplishment OF what he had aimed at
through want OF binding force in that decree, seems OBJ
vous enough from the act OF 1887 OF the Mexican Con-
gress adopting Guereros language, but repudatng his
authority. That law itself failed of execution through
the failure OF the government TO fulfil the terms OF man
omission il had imposed upon ITSELF well as from
the want OF authority to enact III and the provision IN
the constitution OF s43 may be safely referred TO, with
respect both the law and the fact OF that failure and
IN proof that in Mexican appreciation. nothing short OF
The sovereign power OF the people competent to the
abolition oil OF the institution OF slavery
and refer TO the fact that may be borne IN mind, that
whether slavery or the slave trade had to be abolished
hs better and controlling opinion was ,s ina, Inc power 70
thorty, and through the means OF convention OF the
people
tons, so far Judge from the elements we may
find in the constitutional history OF the country, were
considered by Mexico as belonging to that class Of gem
hs ss senator was e ~
public political legislation That they thought 80 is
obvious from The facts connected with the two de-
this il Is insisted that the Mexican poi,sa law survived
the oi the country and now remains paramount
and supreme in the ceded territory 10 the eIciion our
osoa In other words-or such the absurdityhat the
Mexican constitution follows its citizens in for
egn country and dwes with them and shields and pro-
tects them so long they remain; while the Ameri-
constitution, Impotent to protect them IN Their orn
eofry ~ neither protects them nor dwes with them there's
for whenever and wherever II in conflict with the
Mexican constitution, even upon territory which the
blood and OF this country has made irrevocaby
ours must withdraw from the presence, and submit to
the supremacy OF foreign supreme iaU regulating and
controlling the rights OF Amnican cfizens upon A1ertcan
soul know OF process by which senators reach
TO these strange conclusions, without assuming the still
stranger hypothesis than the clause the Mexican cons
tuition Of iss3, aboshiog and prohibiting slavery, was
adopted into by force OF the treaty OF cesson, peh
s1us nothing about u and hence that the constitution OF
the United States has been practically and quietly amend
ed without the assent knowledge OF OF the States
whose interests to be so radically improved or i'm
paired by the change
have listened atteniively all that has been said
this subject throughout this protracted debate in support
OF this political paradox few considerations which
had supposed were natural and obvious that they
would have occurred 10 any and have proved quite
decisive o such issue, TO have escaped Its adj
vocates altogether and beg TO bring them to the notice
OF honorable senators.
When our conquering armies entered Mexico at vari
Gus points, nobody doubts imagine but that the con
stuiion OF the United Statee and their atr too far
they were applicable TO American citizens inter 80,
accompanied and abode with them during their soourn
there. Now. what became of the Mexican laws and
constitution during the invasion, while the American
armies took and held possession The law OF nations
would pthily respond with the sges silent iwter
which atess the presence Of the conqueror and abide
manty and characteristic forbearance OF American in.
vaders left them in the free enjoyment OF those cul and
religious rights and privileges which the treaty OF
afterwards formally, but Just 10 s exienf and
MORE guaranteed and assured to them and things
mained during the hostile occupation As to all public
or the higher sovereign authority Of her constitution, they
were OF course and OF necessity superseded while that
occupation lasted When, on the return Of peace, the
American army retired, then, and simultaneously with
il the Mexican laws and constitution resumed their po-
ifica functions, and Just they before the inva-
sion, all such parts OF Mexico were not embraced
in the treaty OF cesson. That s clear But what were
NJ