The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-05-27

slavery existed in The southern States entaed upon
them in the time OF the supremacy OF British laws
Us. There II III obnoxious 10 the middle
States, and dsliked and honestly and seriously dsked
the records OF the country will show by the southern
States themselves. Now, how they to deal with il Z
We're the northern and the middle States to exclude from
the government those States OF the South which had pro.
duced ashiDgon, Lawrence, and other distinguished
patriots Of that part OF the country Were they 70 be
led the institution OF slavery Your fathers and my ia
theirs did not think They did not see that II would
be OF the best advantage 10 the slaves OF the southern
States 10 cut off the South from all connexon with the
North. Their views OF humanity led to no such result ;
and OF course, when the constitution was framed and
!abished and adopted by YOU, here IN New York. and
by your ancestors in New England, il contained
press provision OF security to persons who lived IN the
southern States for delivering up fugitves who owed
them service; that is to say the fugitive from ser
vice labor should be restored 10 his master or
owner. WE'LL that had been the history Of the coun-
try from its first settlement 1t was matter OF
common practice TO return fu9itives before the con-
stutiOn formed Fugitive slaves from Virginia
to Massachusetts restored by the people OF Massa-
chusetts AT that day there a great system OF ap.
premiership at the North and many apprentices at the
North, taking advantage Of circumstances, and OF yes
sells sailing the South, thereby escaped This led TO
clear. express and lldened provision in the consii-
tuition OF the country on the subject.
Now, know that all these things common--that
they have been stated thousand times; but in these
days perpetual discomfort and 10 state
things thousand times not enough for there are more
than thousand persons whose consciences, would
think, led them to make it duty deny, misrepesen
falsfy and cover up truths Now, here is the constu
on fellow citizens and have taken the pains to tran
scribe therefr0m these words, that he who runs may
read No person held to service labor in State
under the laws thereof escaping into another shall in
consequence OF any law or regulation therein, De dis,
charged from such service labor but shall be delivered
up claim OF the party to whom such service or labor
may be due" Is there any mistake about this! Is there
any forty-shilling attorney here No. will not dis
not in OF attorneys Office in the county-c
Erie or elsewhere who could raise doubt or par
ce eli doubt about the meaning OF this provision OF The
constitution He may act as witnesses do sometimes on
the stand. He may wrggle and twist, and say he can't
tell. have many such exhibitions in my time,
the part Of Witnesses 10 asy and betray and deny the
the constitution Of the United States and say they
clear and imperative "No person. the constitution
says held to service labor in State, under the
laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in conse
quence OF any law regulation therein be discharged
from such service or labor but shall be delivered up
claim Of the party to whom such service or labor may be
due" Why. you told by forty conventions in Massa-
chusetts in Ohio in New York, in Syracuse, and else
where that if coored man came here, he came as q
free man that is a non sequttu Ii he came as fug-
and that he shall be delivered up to his owners, who are
entitled to his service Now gentlemen, that is the
stituon OF the United states Gentlemen DO We or do
not to execute that part OF the constitution as
well as the rest OF it, suppose there are before me here
members OF Congress suppose there are here members
Of The State legislature, or executive officers under the
State government | suppose there are judicial magis,
traes OF New York, executive officers, assessors super
vsors, justices OF the peace and consabes before me.
Allow to say, gentlemen. that there is nothat there
be-any of these officers this assembage,
elsewhere who has not according TO the form oil hrs
obligation, bound himself by solemn oath before his
oaths on he Holy Evangeliss of Almighty God, or by
uped hand. the may be. or by solemn asseve
ration, the practice in some cases But one and all
OF themthere is not who holds, nor is the any
man who hold, any Office in the gift Of the United
States. this State, any other State, who does
not become bouad. BY the solemn obligation Of an oath
United States Well, he TO tamper with that' IL he
| TO falter' Gentlemen, political duties much
matters OF conscience az any other dutiesour sacred
domestic ties. our most endeaIng several relations,
are the subject for conscientious considera-
ton and conscientious discharge, than the duties
enter into under the constitution of the United States.
which hold us together from Maine TO Georgia
Now, gentlemen, that is the main story OF the eonsti
tuition OF the United States the question OF slavery
Gentlemen, contend, and have always conended that,
after the adoption OF the constitution any of the
government calculated to bring slave territory into the
United States was beyond the power OF the constitution,
ways has been my opinion II was very consistent, or
thought to be for the same purpose in eaersons time,
to attach Louisiana to the United States treaty with
France was made for that purpose But Jeersons opin
at that moment that alteration OF the const-
tuition was necessary to enable II TO be done In consid
erng what will repeat, that opinion abandoned,
and Louisiana admitted by law, without any provs-
ion or alteration IN the constitution. AT that time was
too young TO hold any Office or take any share in the po
litlcal aifalre OIL the country. LOUISIANA admitted
slave State and became entitled TO her representation
Congress on the principle OF mixed basis Florida was
afterwards admitted Then, too of Congress-
had been in once; but had nothing TO do with the
Florida treaty or the admission OF Florida. My opinion
remains unchanged, that not in the original scope
design OF the constitution 10 admit States out OF
the foreign territory, and that for one, never would
sent, and matter what may be said al the Syracuse
convention. any other assembage OF insane personsI
would that there should be foot Of slave
territory beyond what the old thirteen States had al the
time of the formation OF the Union. Never never The
can't show his face to and say he prove that
ever departed from that doctrine He would sneak way,
and sink away, hire mercenary Heep, that he might
say what nercenary aposiae from liberty Daniel Web
himself 10 be bypocrte and faslher But, gentlemen
in public life when the proposition Texas TO
the United States was brought forward You know the
| revolution in Texas which divided that country from
Mexico was IN the year 1895 or 1886 saw lhen-and
don't know that II required any particular foresight
that would be the very next thing 10 bring Texas which
was designed TO be a slaveholdng State into this Union
Ter aversion 10 any such measure, and determined
| si.t II with all my strength to the last,
Now gentlemen II is not for your edihcalion, am
sure that revive what have before spoken the
presence OF this assembly in this city in the year
1897; and long before left New York that excur-
sion, in The course Of which went the South and
returned here, my friends in New York were kind
their public regard for went out OF my way on
mat occasion Tor The purpose OF showing what antic
pated IN the attempt to Texas slave territory
and said il should be opposed by the last extremity
And in Nblos Garden, in March, 1897. made speech
WE'LL there the press all around me--the whig press
enough of my speech, but all agreed tina, took pains 10
m q in adva fhn