Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-04-11
Speech Of Daniel Webster.
Delivered in the U. s. Senate Thursday, March IN
TCoNcLUDED.1

will now again ask my friend from
Rhode Island to read another extract from
a speech OF mine, made at Wing Con-
vention in Springfield, Massachusetts,, in
the month Of September, lS47.
Mr. GREENE here read the following
extract:
1--WE hear much just now Of panacea
for the dangers and evils of slavery and
slave annexation, which they call the
tWilmot prov'so.' That certainly is AUST
sentiment, but it is not sentiment 10
found any new party upon. 1t is not a
sentimen, on which Massachusetts Wings
differ. There is not = man in this hall
who holds to it more firmly than do, nor
Dne who adheres 10 it more than another.
Il feel some little interest in this mat
ter, sif. Did not commit my self in 1897
TO the whole doctrine, faily, entirely p
And must be permitted to say that can
not quite consent that more recent dis
coverers should claim the merit and take
out a patent.
81 deny the priority Of their invention.
Allow me to say, sir, it is not their thun-
der"
ave are to use the first and last and
every occasion which offers 10 oppose the
extension Of slave power.
''But I speak Of i, here, as in Congress.
as political question, question for
statesmen to act upon. We must so re-
gard it. certainly do not mean to say
that it is less important in moral point OF
view, that it is not more important in many
other points Of view but, as legislator,
or in any official capacity, must look at
it, consider it, and decide it as matter Of
political action"
NJ WEBSTER. On other occasions, in
debates here, l have expressed my de-
termination 10 vote for no acquisition, or
cession, or annexation, North or South,
East or West. My opinion has been, that
we have territory enough, and that we
should follow the Spartan maxim, ''im-
prove, adorn what yon have, seek no fur
ther." think that it was in some OBJ
servation> that made here on the three
inent. In short, sir, the sentiment has
been avowed quite as often, in as many
places, and before as many assemblies, as
any humble sentiments of mine ought to
be avowed.
But now, that, under certain conditions,
Texas is in, with all her territories, as a
slave State, with solemn pledge, also,
that if she shall be divided into many
States, those States may come in as SLAVE
States south of $50 80, how are we to
deal with this subject? l know no way
| Of honest legislation, when the proper
time comes Tor the enactment, but 10 car
| ~ iatn effect al ihat-n l,a,e stipulated
10 do. do not entirely agree with my
honorable friend from Tennessee, Mr.
BELL. that. as soon as the time comes
when she is entitled 10 another repfesen-
tative, we should create a new State
The rule in regard to it take to be this
that, when we have created new States
out Of Territories, we have generally gone
upon the idea that when there is popnla-
tion enough to form State, sixty thou
sand or some such thing, we would create
State but it is quite different thing
when State is divided, and two or more
States made out of it. 1t does not follow,
in such case, that the same rule o; ap-
poriionment should be applied. That,
however, is a matter for the consideration
| of Congress, when the proper time ar
riyes. NAV not then be here. may
have no vote to give on the occasion, but
wish it to be distinctly understood, to-
day, that, according 10 my view OF the
matter, this Government is solemnly
pledged, by law and contract, 10 create
new States out Of Texas, with her consent,
when her population shall justify such a
! proceeding, and so far as such States are
formed out Of Texan territory lying south
| Of 36o so, 10 let them come in as slave
States. That is the meaning of the reso-
luton which our friends, the Northern
Democracy, have left us to fulfil; and ],
for one, mean to fulfil il, because ! will
not violate the faith Of the Government. =
What mean TO say is, that the time for
the admission oil new States formed out of
Texas, the number Of such States, their
boundaries, and the requisite amounts of
population, and other things connected
with the admission, are in the free discre-
tion Of Congress, except this, TO wit. that
when new States, formed out Of Texas,
are 10 be admitted, they have right, by
legal stipulation and contract, to come in
as slave States.
Now, as to California and New Mexico,
| hold slavery I" be excluded from those
Territories by a law, even superior to that
which admits and sanctions it in Texas.
| mean the law of nature, Of physical
geography, the law Of the formation ofthe
earth. That law settles forever, with
strength beyond all terms ofhuman enact
ment, that slavery connot exist IN Cali!or-
mia or New Mexico. Understand me,
sir; mean slavery as we regard il;
slaves in gross. OF the colored race, trans
feraLle by sale and delivery. like other
property. shall not discuss the point,
ju, leave j, to the learned gentlemen who
have undertaken TO discuss it; but | sup
pose there is no slave OF that description
in California now. l understand that
peonisn,, a sort OF penal servitude, exists
there, or rather sort Of voluntary sale OF
man and his oifspring for debt, as it is
arranged and exists in some parts Of Cali
fornia and Mexico. Bat what mean to
say is, that African slavery, as we see it
among us, is as utterly impossible TO find
itself, or 10 be found in Mexico. as any
r,bar ~ tn,,l ;uorosSihijiiy California