Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-08-23

Constitution of the United States abolished the
Mexican laws by which slavery was abrogated, in
either case the owner of slaves in New Mexico
would have rghtto enjoy the possession of his
property Bat #, on the contrary, as I6ezieue,
the Constitution did no svch thing, and Texas, not
having actual possession, did not extend her laws
there, then 1t scould follow that the right to main
tain and carry slapes there acould not preoaH.'
Again, in reply to a remark of Senator Rusk, OF
Texas, Mr.. Clay, said
81 spoke of the law as it exists de .facto or de
jare. But law cannot be introduced without some
action by legislative authority if there be pre-
existing local law If there be law de .tacto, al
though the title may be in Texas, yet the ler loci
will exist until the law assuming that Texas has a
good title is carried through by the force of legis
latve authority
Jefferson Davis, said in reply to Mr. Clay, that,
"The object of the amendment is to restrict the
territorial legislature from action hostile to proper
y but not from making necessary provisions for its
protection: that, instead of saying that no law
shall be passed in respect to African slavery" it
should declare that 'Hno law shall be passed inter
ferng with those rights ofproperty which grow out
F,
any of the States of this Union" As stated,
laws in respect to African slavery are necessary
wherever such slaves are held. The Senator from
Kentucky knows that as well as any one can he
knows that there are police regulations which must
be enacted where that species property is held"
Again: Il make this amendment to the bill for
establishing a government for New Mexico, to
shcw to those whom l represent what are the,
terms Of the law, if it shall become one how it is
construed by its trainers and how it rolls with
immolating wheel over the rights of my constitu-
ents'' 3: ~
Mr. Clay in the same debate after beingssa3riiYeA
from position to position, finally says: 81 must
say that cannot vote for any express provision
recognizing the right to carry slaves there
Senator Davis modified the amendment SO as to
read thus
''That nothing herein contained shall be con-
strucd so as to prevent said territorial legislature
from passing such laws as may be necessary for
the protection of the rights of property of every
kind, which may have been, or may be hereafter,
conformably to the Constitution and laws of the
United States, held in, or introduced into said ter
ritory'
it drew out the best talent in the Senate jeff
Davis, our own Senator, met Mr. Clay in debate,
and we hazard nothing in saying that he more than
sustained himself-he forced the great Kentucki
an to abandon position after position.
But all was without aval-the proposition was
voted down. Yeas 25-Noes 80.
Chase proposed amendment to the above,
the Wilmot Proviso and it was voted down
Yeas 25-Noes so.
Mr.. Yulee of Florida, offered the following:
''-4nd be 1t tatrther enacted, That the Constitu
ton and laws of the United States are hereby ex-
tended over, and declared to be in force in the
said territory of Utah, SO far as the same any
provision thereof may be applicable
Mr. Foote said of this amendment, that it was
''entirely useless" &c.
1t passed. however, and will be found as the
last section to the Utah bill, and the 18th to the
New Mexico bill.
Mr.. Webster said on the 7th of March "Sir, l
declared my opinion to be, that there is not a
square rod of territory belonging to the United
States, the character of which, for slavery or no
slavery, is not already fixed by some irrepealable
law. I remain of that opinion The opinion, sir,
mas Deen 1OOu utdl dSScu III tuc
there have been complaints-sometimes respectful
and decorous, and sometimes so loud and so empty
as to become mere clamor. But have seen no
argument upon any question of law embraced in
that opinion, which shakes the frmness with which
hold it, nor have l heard any discussion upon
any matter of fact, as to that part of the opinion
which rests on facts, which leads me to doubt the
accuracy of my conclusions as to that part of the
opinion which regarded the true construction, or
might with more propriety say, almost the literal
meaning, of the resolutions by which Texas was
admitted into the Union. / have heard no argu-
ment calculated, in the slightest degree, to alter
that opinion. The committee | believe, with one
accord concurred in it. A great deal of surprise
real affected, has been expressed in the country
at the announcement by me of that opinion, as if
there were something new in it. Yet there need
have been no surprise, for there nothing new
in it. Other gentlemen have expressed the same
opinion more than once and / myself, in speech
made here on the 23rd day of March, 1848, ex-
pressed the same opinion, almost in the same
words with which nobody here found any fault
at which nobody here cavilled made question,
and nobody in the country.
''With respect to the other ground on which my
opinion is founded that is, the high mprobability,
in point of fact that African slavery could be in
troduced and established in any of the territories