The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-06-03

attached to her to neutraize her strength as Maine
had IN Missouri, and Iowa had in Texas, and
the South claim should always be done when free
State was created. The majority Of the States of
this confederacy thus became free. The entire
Pacific coast Of the United States was dedicated to
freedom by the prohibition Of slavery in Oregon
and california; The slave traffic has also been
prohibited in the District of Columbia and a power
has thus been exercised that subject which the
South have denied and zeaously resisted. The same
power exists TO abolish slavery itself in the District,
question of time. The ground assumed by the
Buffalo Convention was, that slavery within the
United states should be exclusively controlled by
the States themselves, but that tho general govern
ment should relieve itself from all responsibility for
the evil, by abolishing it where Congress had the
power, and prohibiting its introduction where it
did not then exist This brief statement shows the
extent to which the doctrines of tina. convention
have thus far been carried into the action of the go
yernment and it seems TO me- furnishes Just ground
Of exultaton to the advocates Of those doctrines.
The results Of the election Of 1913, upon the per-
sons who were candidates. are not less significant.
We opposed equally and inpartially both General
Taylor and General Cass. The latter had been =
| somewhat intimate acquaintance of my own, with
whom and with whose family had enjoyed foe
twenty years, so far as know, unbroken relations
Of friendship but could not fail to see that when
he, resident of free State, had once avowed the
justice and propriety Of the Wilmot proviso, and
had then renounced that faith at the dictation Of
the South, it became matter Of the first necessity
that he should not be rewarded with the Office Of
I President for SO doing. The cause of freedom be-
de spcrate at once if those in the free States
who are treachcrous to it, can be elevated to Offices
and, important all deemed it, to defeat Gen.
Taylor, the defeat of his chief compete or even
more important. Thisresult also may be added to
the other consequences which the friends Of
freedom have right to rejoice. Let US now look
at what we failed to accomplish. New Mexico and
tab have been organized into territories without
| a positive prohibition of slavery. This result is
owing, in some degree, to the vote of the House of
Representatives, laying upon the table Mr.. Roots
resolution, instructing the Committee Terrific
ries to report bill for the organization Of these
territories with prohibition of slavery 1t is also
to be ascribed to the detection of distinguished
Eastern statesman who had been uniform, earnest
and open advocate Of the Wilmot proviso, until
the 9TH of March, 1850, when he announced that
Utah, as he had discovered that it was the "will
Of God that slavery should not 90 there. As
Mr.. Webster voted to insert this proviso in the
Oregon bill ; as he had claimed it, in State
Convention in Massachusetts,, in 1913, as his
"thunder;" as he has made several earnest and
vehement speeches in its favor after that time it is
matter OF curious speculation when the will Of God
was revealed to Mr. Webster. (Shouts Of laughter)
This is . matter of public concern, (renewed
laughter,) for this is not only Daniel come to
judgment, but judgment come to Daniel. (Shouts
Of and apRaus1h he Of the
the interference of Providence alone TO arrest the
extension Of slavery. The will Of God is presumed
TO remain always the same. 1t may well be sup
tended to thirteen original colonies, yet slavery
was inflicted upon all Of them by Great Britain. II
required human legislation TO drive it from the
States which are now free. Slavery extended to
the entire North western Territory; the ordinance
Of Mr. Jefferson was necessary to abolish it.
Slavery existed in the territory Of Iowa; it had to
be abolished by law: The safe course, then, is to
arrest its extension by law in the only mode which
has thus far proved efectual (Cheers.) But if
this cannot be done, We have two other resources.
In the frst place, VIC can constitutionally abolish
slavery in these territories, il it should be intro
duced. The ordinance of 81, re-enacted by Con-
gress in ~, produced this precise result in the
State Of Illinois. One thousand slaves were eman-
cipated by that act. | mention this fact on the
authority Of Mr.. Edward Coles, the first Governor
Of Illinois, Virginian gentleman with large ia
mily connection, most of whom ayeholders,
but who il nevertheless patriot and phlanthro-
pist. The importance, then, Of adhering to this
power the subject of slavery in the territories
when its exercise is suspended, cannot be over
rated. II is power to abolish well as a
power TO prohibit, and is the great conservative
authority 10 which the friends offreedom must look
FOR protection against the aggressions of slavery.
There is another mode in which The question may
be met Ii slaves are introduced into New Mexico
and ttah, slave States will be formed in those ter
ea They sRpa be mes at the ' doors sG Of
Congress with stern and unyieldng resistance.
They should be charged with having covered
free land with the ignominy Of slavery.
and should be turned back upon themselves
until they restored freedom 70 its ssceIdancy,
These are tbs three modes BY which the great pur-
pose o. keeping free territory unstained by slavery
ertion. They rely ON the lower law; they distrust
the intervention which Mr.. Webster 30 recently
counts upon, and they reject the revelations Of this
new Moses on the Mount. There is another ques-
tion which has arisen since the last Presidential
election, and which was in no degree involved in
that controversy. ! allude 70 the Fugitive Slave
law. Onarecent occasion, stated the reasons why
Why believed that Law to be utterly unconditional
IrrafU Eazn Etruf hat
had 10 power to legislate upon the subject Se-
cond. That If they had the power, the law was
constitutional, because il did not give party seized
under i . trial BY jury at the place where be was
seized Third That il suspended the privilege OF
the writ Of h1bsdS CORPUS in case not excepted by
the constitution. Fourth. That the tenth section
condemns person conclusiyely TO the deprivation
Of his liberty, in his absence, and without any hear
ing or notice 70 him, And added, that, ss the
law was unconstitutional ] should resist Il with all
the means could command, IL seized under IT, lie.
mo offer a few suggestions, 10 reply TO comments
that have been made upon thcse Eropositions IL
u not correct 70 gay that the supreme Court II the
l nited states have ever passed upon these ques-
lions The case IL which il IL claimed they did
20, was that 0f Prigg W. the Common We lth Of
Pennsylvania. Prigg was indicted for carrying of
q fugitive slave, in violation 81 law Of Pcnnsyy,
ria, ard was convicted. That conviction was car ,
ried to the supreme Court Of the United states,
and reversed Several Of the judges took the ground
that the power Of legislatng upon the subject OF f-
gitiyc slaves was exclusively vested 10 Congress;
Othe-s held that rs the person seized was admitted
On tho record 70 have been the slave q the party
by whom he wa seized, tao right Of recap +
ton exstt d, independent Of any Law fer the pur-
pose. The most that can be claimed from the
decision Of that case Is, that K determined that
congress had exclusive power over the subject.
lhis po8iton CARRIE viii, il the conolus'on. that
the Pennsylvania law unconstitutional, and
u u Prgg was improperly convicted under IL; but
X by no means determined IN what form Congress
shall legislate, and II nc lev had been passed ~
Congress urUu he subject. the decision ia Prigg's
case would have been precisely DC same; To- too
grant q an exclusive pcwcr q Congress, whether
u is exercised or not, EARLY dEpsts the state
Uf such power. All the objections that / make.
tho. fore, t. this law except tho frst, a-c opep
question: in the courts IL the law IS uGcou.
stitution@, J had supposed that H. Judge cr
lawyer who Las any respect for himscU would .
pretend that II should III ctcy.t AN writers