The daily union., 1852-04-11

then negotiating He spoke OF that insidious and mis-
chieyous which had been so successfully used
to embarass and prolong the Mexican war prevent
the conclusion OF treaty OF peace upon any other terms
than those which would have been derogalory to the
character OF oar country and Insulting 10 our soldiers
who had so glorouslv fought her battles Mr. ID. was
detained by family Affections from his seat IN he Senate
for nearly two months and on his return be found the
Senate engaged in the discussion OF b ior the govern
men OF the territories. usually known as the Layton
compromise The mission OF Messrs Sewer and Clifford
had been successful Mexico had assenled TO the terms OF
prescribed by the Senate Of the United States the
exchange OF atidcaons had taken place. aud the terrific
ries OF California then by unconditional and
undispu1ed title The Wilmol proviso had breaihed its
last gasp, and died ITS eternal death, when the treaty was
ratified, and the raiiheaons exchanged between the two
countries, without containing that express and funda-
mental condition IN relation 10 slavery But while the
friends OF the administration and OF the country had
achieved this glorious triumph IN securing Calfonia and
New Mexico by unconditional title with authority TO
govern and dispose OF il should proper under
the constitution Of the United States yet the allied forces
determined to keep up the agitation for political and par
tsan purposes upon an entirely different question, under
the same name
Now. we call attention 10 what Judge Douglas said in
the same speech in regard slavery agitaton and
/" the Missouri Compromise"
He was opposed the whole system OF agitation and
had no sympathy with those who We're foseriag and
directing it. Slavery was domestic institution local ~
It's character and confined the limits OF the States in
which existed and the people OF other States will not
be responsible for II. and had no right to interfere with
y either y Their own rs ason o. though nsr .sPsssn
formed and frankly avowed. They had governed his
action during his political lie. in and out Of Congress-
district before he was elected to the House OF Represent
aves, and TO the whole State before he entered the
Senate, He was deeply impressed with The honor which
the people of Illinois had conferred upon him. by eleva
ting him many high and responsible posts under the
State and national governments, and was prolounuly
him with their confidence during fifteen years Of public
service and still anxious to retain and deserve that
confidence, provided il could be dohe without the sacrifice
of principles or honor With this view he had thought
that it due the members OF the legislature and to
the people Of the State make public exposition OF the
principles by which his public action upon this ques.
ton had been acuaed order that they might have
opportunity OF determining whether he was proper per-
represent them in the councils OF the nation The
entire delegation in the two houses OF Congress- whose
term OF service commenced in S43, new members;
neither of them having been in either house before
About the first vote, if not the very first which they were
called upon give in the House under the yeas and nays
(for he spoke from recollection not having the journal
before hm) related TO this slavery agitation upon the
floor OF Congress II was upon the question whether the
twenty first subsequently, the twenty fifth rule prohibit
ing the reception OF abolition petitions should be retained
among the rules OF the House The entire democratic
delegation from this State voted unanimously in favor Of
retaining this rule and thereby to suppress and exclude
the whole system OF slavery agitation IN and from the
halls of Congress, and refer it back to the States interest
ed, where it properly belonged.
In 1915 the question again in new shape upon
the proposition TO establish territorial government in
Oregon containing provision prohibiting slavery in the
/
the people TO do they pleased when they should be
called upon to form State constitution preparatory TO
their admission INTO the Union bref discussion took took
place upon this branch of the subject ecitng very little
interest and creating excitement Tor the reason that u
was well known that the people of Oregon had already
established provisional government in which they had
unanimously prohibited and excluded the institution OF
slavery, and for the further that the whole OF the
territory was situated far north OF the line known
as the Missouri Compromise The Missouri Com
promise had then been practical operation for about
a quarter of century, and had received the sane
lion and appreciation of men Of all parties, in every
section of the Union 1t had allayed all sectional
ealouses and rrtaons growing out OF this vexed ques-
tion and harmonized and tranquized the whole coun-
champion the proud sobrque OF the Greai Paejcatsr
and by that title and for that service his political friends
had repeatedly appealed TO the people to rally under his
standard presidential candidate, the man who had
exhibited the patriotism and the power 10 suppress
unholy and reasonable agitation, and preserve the Union
He was not aware that any man or any party from any
Mr. Clay, that he the great champion OF the Mis-
souri, compromise On the contrary, the effort made
by the opponents OF Mr. Clay TO prove that he not
entitled the exclusive merit Of that great patriotic
measure. and that the honor equally due TO others
well as him, for securing its adoponthat il had its or
gin the hearts OF all patriotic whodesred 10 preserve
and perpetuale the blessings Of glorious Union-an
origin akin to that OF the constitution OF the United Sates
conceived in the spirit of fraernal affection, and
calculated TO remove forever the only danger which
seemed TO threaten at distant day, 10 the
cal bond OF Union All the evidences Of public opinion
that day seemed to Indicate that this compromise had
become canonzed in the hearts Of the American people,
sacred thing, which ruthless hand would ever be
reckless enough disturb Under these circumstances,
proposition prohibit slavery py act OF Congress in
the Territory OF Oregon while il already prohibited
by the action OF the people themselves created alarm
4 aud produced no excitement Mr. d. in connexon with
the entire delegation from Illinois, and according to his
recollection, company with nearly all The members from
the northern States forty odd members from the
slave States, voted for that BILL containing prohi
bon OF slavery in that Territory, leaving the people to
regulate their domestic institutions under the cons
tuition when they should become State This triumph
voe uniting both northern and southern members in
favor OF the Oregon bill, matter OF practical i'm
portance, far the existence of the institution OF
slavery in that country concerned and is only
ferred TO now for the purpose OF showing that at that
day the constitutional right OF Congress TO egislae upon
the subject OF slavery 10 the Territories not violently
! resisted, IL, indeed, IL seriously questioned.
"The alarms and apprehenslons OF our southern breth
rem growing out o the Missouri controversy OF 1870,
had been ulled and qsietei by the security which they
supposed the Missouri compromise would extend 10 them
10 all time TO come, and the whole country seemed dis
posed 10 acquesce in whatever action Congress might
choose TO take upon the subject Of slavery the tero
res presuming OF course that il would be done IN obe
dence TO those principles OF compromise and concession
which had been sanctioned and recognised the settled
policy of the country for aquarer Of century. This
presumption not only authorized by the action oil The
government and the acquescenceof the people Tor this
long period OF time, but was, during the same year,
twice affirmed in the most solemn manner by the act OF
Texas annexation and the subsequent act OF admitting
the State OF Texas into the Union, IN which the MIS-
sour compromise was, in many words, and upon
the motion OF Mr.. Douglas himself, extended indef-
niiely westward, through the State OF Texas. Those
two acts, relating TO the annexation and admission OF