Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-06-21

that instrument framed the idea OF limited Govern
ment Il proposed to leave and did leave the different
nestle institutions Of the several States to themselves II did
not propose consolidation did not propose that the laws
Virginia should be the laws OF New York, that the laws
Of New York should be the laws of Massachusetts, II pro-
posed only that for certain purposes aud certain extent
there should be united Government and that that Govern
should have the power OF executing its laws All
the left TO the several States. And come
gentlemen, to the very point Of the case AT that time sa
very existed in the Southern States enaed upon them in
the time Of the supremacy of British laws There il
was II was obnoxious to the Middle and Eastern States
and honestly and seriously dsked the records of the
country will show by the Southern States themselves. Now
how they to deal with it Were the Northern and
Middle States to exclude from the Government those States
OF the South which had produced Washington Laurens
and other distinguished patriots, who had truly served
and greatly honored the whole country Were they to
be excluded from the Government because they tolerated
the institution of slavery Your fathers and my fathers did
not think They did not that il would be Of the least
advantage the slaves OF the Southern States off the
South from all connection with the North Their views Of
humanity led to such result and, Of course when the
Constitution framed and established and adopted by you,
here in New York, and by New England, il contained
express provision Of security to the persons who lived in the
Southern States, in regard 10 fugyes who owed them ser
vice that is to say, the fugitive from service or labor was
stipulated should be restored to his master or owner he
escat ed into free State WE'LL that had been the history
Of The country from its first settlement 1t matter OF
common practice fugves before the Constitution
formed Fugitive slaves from Virginia to Massachusetts,
restored by the people Of Massachusetts, At that day
there great system Of apprenticeship at the NORTH and
many apprentices t the North, taking advantage OF crcum-
Stances and of vessels sailing to the South her by escaped
and they restored proper claim and proof That led
clear express, and wede6ned provision in the Cons
tuition Of the county the subject Now know that all
these things that they have been stated thou
sand times bat in these days of perpetual discomfort and
Misrepresentation to things thousand times Is not
enough for there than thousand whose
would think lead them to make duty to
deny, misrepresent, falsify, and cover up truths.
Now, here is the Constitution citizens and have
taken the pains snscrbe thereom these words that he
who runs may read .a
/" No PERSON HELD TO SERVICE LABOR IN ONE STATE,
UNDER THE LAWS THEREOF, ESCAPING INTO ANOTHER,
SHALL, IN CONSEQUENCES OF ANr LAW OR REGULATION
sTHEREIN DISCHARGED PROM SUCH SERVICE OR LABOR,
but SHALL BE DELIVERED ON CLAIM OF THE PARTr TO
WHOM SUCH SERVICE OR LABOR MAY BE DUE.
Is there any mistake about that Is there any forty shilling
attorney here to make question oft No. will not dis
my profession by supposng such thing There not
in out of attorneys office in the county OF Ere or else
where, who could raise doubt, particle OF DOUBT
about the meaning Of this provision Of the Constitution de
may act as witnesses do sometimes on the stand lie may
wrggle and twist and say he cannot tell or cannot remem-
ber have many such exhibitions 10 my time, on the
part Of Witnesses asy and deny the truth But there
who read these words of the Constitution Of the
United States and say they are not clear and imperative
person. the Constitution says, "hed to service or la
Dor in Sae under the laws thereof escaping into anoh
err shall in consequence of any law regulation therein, be
discharged from such service labor but shall be delivered
the claim of the party to whom such service or labor
may be DUE" Why you told by forty conventions IN
Massachusetts, in Ohio in New York. in Syracuse and else
WHERE that colored here he comes as free
that is seg,tur. 1t is not II be comes as
fugitive from labor the Constitution says he is not freeman,
and that he shall be delivered up to those who are entitled to
his service Now, gentlemen, that is the Constitution OF the
United States Gentlemen do or do we not mean to
conform it. and that part Of the Constitution as
well the rest Of suppose there are before me here
members Of Congress- suppose there are here members OF
the State Legislature executive officers under the state
government suppose there judicial magistrates OF New
York; executive officers assessors, supervisors justices OF the
peace and constabes before Allow me to say gentle
men, that there not that there cannot be- one OF these
officers in this assembage elsewhere who has not accord
ing to the form of his usual obligation bound himself by
solemn oath, before God support the Constitution They
have taken their oahs the Holy Evangeists OF Almighty
God by upled hand the may be- or by solemn
affirmation, is the practice in some cases. But among all
Of them there is not man who holds is there any
who hold, any Office in the gift Of the United States or IN
this State any other State who does not become bound
by the solemn obligation of oath that he will support the
Constitution of the United States. Well, Is he to tamper
with that Is he to falter' Gentlemen, political duties
much matters of conscience any other duties our
sacred domestic ties most endearng social relations are
the subject for conscientious consideration and con-
scenous discharge than the duties enter under the
Constitution OF the United States. The bonds of political
brotherhood the bonds which hold together from Maine
to Georgia.
Now gentlemen that is the plain story Of the Constitution
Of the United States the question OF slavery Gentlemen,
contend and have always contended that after the adoption
Of the Constitution any Of the Government calculated
10 bring slave territory into the United States was be-
yond the power of the Constitution, and its provisions
That is my opinion, and it always has been my opinion
inconsistent with the Constitution Of the United States
thought be So in Jeersons ime attach Louisiana to
the United States treaty with France was made for that
purpose But Jeersons opinion at that moment was, that
alteration of the Constitution necessary to enable it to
be DONE In consequence of considerations which need not
now recu to, that opinion abandoned, and Louisiana
admitted by law without any provision alteration in
the Constitution. At that time too young to bold any
Office take any share in the political affairs Of the country
Louisiana admitted slave State, and became entitled
to her representation in Congress the principle OF mixed
basis. Florida afterwards admitted. Then, too, was
out of Congress had been in it but had nothing to
do with the Florida treaty, the admission of Florida My
opinion remains unchanged that not within the original
scope or design Of the Constitution to admit States out OF
foreign territory and that for one, would consent
no matter what may be said at the Syracuse Convention
or at any other assemoage of insane persons would
and never have consented that there should be
foot Of slave territory beyond what the old thirteen States had
at the time Of the formation Of the Union. Never,
The cannot show his face and he prove
that ever departed from that doctrine. He would sneak
away, and stink away hire mercenary press that be
might cry out what apostae from liberty Daniel Webster
has become. Laughter and cheers He knows himself to
be hypocrite and fas6e But gentlemen was in pub
lie life when the proposition to Texas the United
States bought forward You in Texas
which divided that country from Mexico occurred in the year
1885 or 49, them and do not know that it required
any particular foresight that il would be the very thing
bring Texas, which designed to be slaveholding
State into this Union. did not wait. sought
sion to proclaim my utter aversion to any such measure and
determined to resist il with all my strength to the last
10 mott