The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-13

torial government for New Mexico brought into
operation a principle far more favorable than
this rule of 80 deg. 80 min. in our Southern in
stiIutions. Does the senator from South Caro-
lima object to this important amendation OF the
Texan resolution Of annexation, when, he
must perceive, by means OF it, slave States are
allowed to spring up hereafter, where before
this plan Of settlement was adopted, II was i'm
possible that any but free States could exist
Perhaps the gentleman mainly objects to the
District of Columbia bill, as it is called. Well,
sir, if he does | have to say to him that he OBJ
jects TO what has been the law of this District
during the whole of the present century the
act of Congress of 1901, to which the signature
Of Thomas Jefferson was attached, which
adopted the old Maryland law on this subject
aud gave full validity and binding effect to the
same in the part of the District not retroeeded
at the period of this enactment to the State Of
Virginia, having been far more stringent in its
terms than the act of 1850; the former having
provided, under the precise penalties OF the pre-
sent law, too, not only against the bringing OF
slaves into the District, for sale here or Tor de-
posite here and sale elsewhere, but having de-
nounced the penalty OF forfeiture, &c, OF all
slaves brought hiiher, for dnypupose whatsoever
can scarcely believe that the honorable gen.
tleman can have intended to be understood on
this occasion as murmurng over the passage of
the fugilve-slave law, though believe do not
err in surprising the senator from South Caro-
lima not to have attached as much Importance to
this particular enactment as some other gentle
men are known TO have done, who represented
in Congress the border States OF the Union. |
recollect, too, quite wildly, various declarations,
in this chamber and elsewhere at different times
made by certain Southern gentlemen Of extreme
opinions, that no great appreciation was due to
this particular enactment, since it only carried
out plain provision of the Constitution. 1t is
also not forgotten by me, and l hope that it is
not forgotten by the Senate either, that this
particular act would have been passed by the
two houses of Congress at a much earlier period
of the session before the last than il was, but
for the fact that it was not deemed polite by
certain Southern senators, who had special
charge of the subject, to report bill for the re-
capture and restoration OF fugitves from service
until it should be ascertained that all the other
questions connected with the subject Of do
nestle slavery were likely to be satisfactorily
disposed of in Congress- The Senate will re-
member my former exposition OF this matter
here, and cannot have forgotten my statement
of an important matter of fact connected with
this delicate point, when | declared. in hearing
of honorable senators from the South, who
could not deny the truth of what said that the
honorable senator from Michigan, Mr.. CAss
and other senators from the States of the North,
now present, and whom | could easily name, re.
quested me to see the senator from Virginia,
Mr. MASON, and the senator from South Car
olina, to whom ! am now replying, Mt very
early day of the session then in progress, and to
urge upon them both the importance Of their
reporting bill without delay, which, when it
would become n law, would secure full justice
to the South in regard to fugitves from service,
pledging themselves to vote for any bill which
should be thus reported which should be free
from constitutional objections The motives Of
honorable senators in not reporting this bill
earlier, have never arraigned, nor do on the
present occasion. They were doubtless consci-
entious in their action, though thought them
at The time nudcious in the course adopted by
them, as still do the reason given me for de-
laying the reporting of this bill--tiai If the
question iipolred therein should be satisfactorily
adjusted at that time, IL might prove impossible
thereafter 10 rouse The border Sidtes 10 energetic
action in co operation wih The other Southern
STATES for the rindication Of their essential
rights, never having been considered by me tc
be of character sufficiently solid TO cntite it to
operate potentially upon the deliberations of
Congress.
| repeat, Mr. President, that cannot suppose
that the honorable senator from South Carolina
could have seen anything in this particular law
TO demand that exhibition of his powers Of par
amentary obluration which we have witness cd
this morning. To be sure, was aware that
when the President of the United States, IN the
course of the last winter, called our attentonto
the riotous proceedings in Boston in opposition
to this lava painful remembrance OF which ]
suppose all now present to bear in mind-thcre
were Southern senators herc--yen, sir, Southern
senators, too, who assume TO be the peculiar and
exclusive guardians of the South--who did not
hesitate to avow the opinion that any attempt on
the part of the Executive TO put down by mill
tary force such an armed opposition to the law
as was known to have been set on foot, would
be a most outrageous usurTalion OF authority,
and a serious violation of the rights Of the SOW
ereign State of Massachusetts,. Mr. President.
this doctrine was at the time most justly de-
nounced in this body, and its uphoders mostly
deservedly chastised and the same doctrine has
been regularly adjudged by all intelligent men
10 the South to have been in its inception little
better than sheer nonsense.
Now, sir, | shall state proposition to the
honorable senator from South Carolina, to
which | invoke his special attention. There is
pealable in its character except the fugitive slave
bill and the District of Columbia bill. The
latter ! have shown TO be unworthy of a mo-
ments consideration. California is already in
The Union, and there is no remedy known to the
Constitution by means or which she can be ex
PEELED therefrom and restored TO the territorial
state. The territorial governments are estab
shed, and on such principles M Southern men
have always advocated and ] suppose that the
honorable senator would hardly contend that
Congress could, otherwise than by palpable
us1rpaton of power. and most shameless VIC
ation of vested rights, deprive the people of
Utah and New Mexico, so long cut off from the
blessings o. regular government, of the protec
ton now afforded to them by the governments
under which they live. Texas is understood to
have (vir,ually, at least) received her t mil
lions of dollars, or large portion thereof, and
all sensible men know that there are no consti-
tutional means of getting it back without her
consent willis. no one possessed Of a particle
of sanity would conjecture that she would ever
willingly restore the benefits of q contract SO
manitestly advantageous to her. The great
Int.