North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-06-04

Gentieen on these subjects have something to say.
Texas as you know, esablls her Independence of
Mexico BY her revolution and the battle of San Jacin-
to, which made her sovereign power. / have al I
ready stated to you what have anticipated from the
movement-that she would ask to come into the I'm
ion as slave State. We admitted her in 1916, and
we admitted her as slave State. We admitted her
in 1S45, and we admitted her with her own bounda-
ries. Remember that. She claimed by conquest all
that territory hch was commonly called New Mex
leo, east of the Rio Grande. She claimed also by
these limits what her constitution had declared and
estab ished the proper limits OF Texas Tins was
her claim and when she was admitted into the Uni
ted Staes the United States did not define her terri
tory. They admitted her as she was. w took her
as she defined her own limits and with the power of
making three additional slave States. say 9 we,"
but did not always remember that NOW, In this
stale of things, let US go back to 1871. Wnat was
the state of things in 1850! There was Texas claim
ing all that, or great part of that which the United
States had acquired from Mexico New Mexico.
She stated that belonged TO her by conquest and by
her admission into the United States, and she was
ready to enforce her claims by the force OF arms.
Recollect that is not all. must be Ignorant of
the history of tho country who does not know that at
the commencement of 1850 there was great agta-
ton throughout the whole South Who does not
know that six of the largest States of the
South had already taken measures for separation
were preparing for dsunion in way! They
concurred with Texas, for Texas prepared or pre-
pairing to enforce her rights by force of arms. Troops
were enlisted and do you not remember, gentlemen,
that this state of things how many thousand per-
in the South disafeced towards the Union,
DESTROYS for breaking it up, were ready to
join Texas-to join her ranks and see what they could
make in to establish the rights of Texas to
New Mexico! The public mind was disturbed
There thousands and thousands ready to join
Texas. Now, all the extreme South at this time
was disaffected towards the Union. These very men
in condition to fall into any course of things
which should be violent and destructive. .
Well, then, gentlemen, what was to be done again,
as far as Texas was concerned ALLOW me to say,
gentlemen, there are two of foresight. There
is military foresight, which sees what will be the
result of due appeal to arms and there is also a
sateSmanlke foresight which looks not at the result
of battles and carnage, but through the results of
ltical disturbances, the violence of faction carried
into military operations, and the horrors attendant on
civil war. | never had doubt, gentlemen, that if
the administration of General Taylor had gone to
war; and had sent troops into New Mexico, he would
nave whipped them in week. The power on one
side was far superior all the power the other
But what then What if Texan troops, assisted by
thousands of volunteers from the disaected States,
had gone to New Mexico, and had been defeated and
turned back: would that have settled the boundary
question Now, gentlemen, wish had ten thou
sand voices. [ wish l could draw around the
whole people of the United States and l wish
could make them all hear what l now declare in my
own conscience, before the Power who sits on high,
and who will Judge you and me hereafter, my SOL
emn belief, that if this Texas controversy had not
been settled by Congress in the manner called the
adjustment measures, civil would have ensued
bood-American blood-would have been shed ; and
who can tell what else would have been the conSe-
quence Gentlemen, in an honorable war, if for
eigu foe invade us-if rights were threaened-If
it were necessary to defend them by arms am not
afraid of blood. And if am too old myself, hope
there those connected with me who are young,
and willing defend their country to the last crop
of their blood. Sensation But l cannot express
the horror feel at the shedding of blood in contro-
versy between one of these States and the govern
ment of the United States, because see in it, in the
sight of Heaven, disruption Of all those ties that
make US great and happy people, Gentlemen,
that the great question, the leading question, at
the commencement of the year 1850.
Then there was the other, and that was mateEof
the ugitive-slave law. Let say word about that.
nder the provisions of the constitution, in General
Washington's administration in the year l793 there
was passed law for the restoration of fugitive slaves
by general consent. No opposed it at that peri
cd. 1t thought to be necessary carry the
stituton into effect. The great men of New Eng
land and New York all concurred in it. 1t passed,
and answered all the purposes expected from it, till
about the year l84l 1912, when the States inter-
fered to make enactments in opposition to it. The
law OF Congress said that State magistrates might
execute the duties of the law. Some of the States
passed penal enactments involving penalty on any
who executed authority under the law; others OF
| them denied the use of their jas carry the law
into effect and generally, at the OF the
year 1850, il was absolutely say it was absolute
| Iy-indspensable that Congress should pass some
law for the execution of this provision OF the consti
tuition, else give up that institution entirely That
the question. l was in Congress when the law
was proposed. was for proper law. lhad, indeed,
proposed different law. | of opinion that a
summary trial by jury might be had, which would
satisfy the prejudices of the people; but left the
Senate and another station before the law was
passed. The law of 1850 passed. Now, under
take lawyer, and on my professional character.
to say to YOU and all that the law of 1850 Is de-
cidedly favorable to the fugitive than General
Washingion's law of 1893; and | tell you why. In
he first place, the present law places the power In
much higher hands-of independent judges of the
superior and circuit courts and district COURTS and
commissioners who appointed to office for their
law-learning Every fugitive is brought before rl-
buna of high character of eminent ability, of respec
table station. Well, then, IN the first place, when
claimant comes from Virginia to New York to say
that one has away, or is a fugitive
from service or labor he brings with him record of
| the county from which he comes, and that record
must be sworn to before magistrate, and certified
by the county clerk its correctness. The aft
davit must state that A or B (as the case may beg
had departed under such and such circumstances, and
had here and that record under seal is by the
constitution of the United States entitled full credit
| in every other State. Well, the claimant, or his
agent, comes here and he presents to you the seal
of the courts of Virginia, that A or had escaped
| from service. Ee must prove that he is here. He
brings witness and asks if this is the man, and he
proves it, in ten out of eleven the answer
would be, " Yes, massa. your slave; did es-
cape from your SERVICE" Such is the present law
and much opposed and maligned as it is, it is a
more favorable law the fugitive than the law of
Washington's of 1893, which created disturbance
at the time it passed, and which sanctioned
by the North we'll as by the South But this OPP
position is sentiment of modern times. From whom
ings of the ant.slavery conventonslook at their
| nj Do find all thOSR uho