The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-04-07
on OHIO,

fur.
The House having resolved itself into the Commits. .
the Whole on The state oil the Union, (Mr MT,nes
Virginia, IN the char,) &C. sW
Mr.. TOWNSHEND said
MIR. CHAIRMAN desire 10 avail myself OF the las,i
oil debate usually tolerated 10 this committee m nrsN
what conceive TO be the true method TO secure tbe %
hcauon Of The country IN general and oil the demoete
party IN particular. ~
The action OF the last Congress on the series az ma.
ures known as the compromises. the efforts made ~
cure their endorsement by both party caucuses al ,h
ginning oil the present session. and subsequently, in ~
House and in the Senate. the resolutions adopted bv ~
legislatures oil several States, and the ayowed opisi
OF several presidential candidates, prove, beyond hs
sbility OF doubt, that SLAVERY, in some form or o
either ghtfully or wronguy, is in fact, the grea oas
ton now before the country Ii occasions rno,a IVES
both secllooal and personal, has more 10 do with 6ss
lection OF public officers aud niefferes more MIA
the legitimate business OF Congress- than all other po%
cal questions put together
Ia view OF this, | ask, IN seriousness, the question
What has Congress 10 do with slavery FA'
For answer 10 the question shall not intrude ma
the committee my own opinions, but refer directly 10 IN
authorized creed OF the democratic pay-lhc BalmoIs
platform:
"Resoleed, That Congress has no power under ia !.
stituon interfere with control the domestic n,s
tons Of the several States aud that such States are ,hc ~.
and proper judges of everything appertanin TO their n
Affairs. not prohibited by the constitution sc. -"
With this doctrine, the platform Of the Ohio demo,
racy agrees After asserting that slavery an evil Gr
il says: '
"But be ii further resolved, That the democracy Of o
do AT the time fully recognise the doctrine held by s
early fathers OF the republic, and still maintained b bs
democratic parry in all the States, that each stals be-
longs the right to adopt and modify lis own municipal laws
regulate It's internal affairs, and hold and main
tain equal and independent sovereignty with each and
legislature can neither legislate nor cncIoach."
So well settled is this position, that it is also endorsed
by the Buffalo platform OF 1913 as follows:
!" Resoiued, That slavery in the several States Of this
Union that recognise exisence depends upon State
alone. reDpaleI Hab lu tho al
raj government, and for which that government is not re-
gress with slavery within the limits OF any State"
These resolutions all agree in declaring slavery 10 be
State and not national institution they all assert il 10
be under the sole control OF The States where il exists
and therefore not subject for national legislation
! come how TO second inquiry: Ii Congress has no
power granted by the constitution slavery, by what
right has Congress been leglsatng in reference it, and
what prorely IS there N bringing the subject connu
ally before Congress On this point the Baltimore pIal
form is equally explicit. The remainder OF the reso
luton, OF which have already read part is as fol.
lows
And that all efforts of the ABorIoNIsrs or OTHERS made
TO ndnce Congress TO interfere with questions Of slavery
take ncipient steps in relation thereto calculated
10 lead 10 the most alarming and dangerous consequences
and that all such efforts have inevitable tendency
to dimnish the happiness OF the people, and endange
the stability aud permanency OF the Unlon, and ought
not 10 be countenanced by any friend OF our political In
| stitutions."
Ii is plain enough, Mr.. Chairman that the convention
that adopted this resolution, or, any rate its amers
tDdt was ~ De disturbed by
ations OF the slavery question, and solicitations leg
late on The subject coming from two opposite Quarters
Ist, from the opponents OF slavery, who hare called
ABoLTIoNisrs and secondly, from the friends of slavery
who come under the general description OF "oTHERss
The opponents of slavery TO be suspected Of wish
ing Congress TO interfere with slavery in the States and
the friends OF slavery on the other hand, OF desiring
Congress to legisale in its behalf, or for It's extension
beyond State limits. From whateve quarter agiaions
might come, Efforts to induce Congress to egslae on
the subject, such Efforts according 10 the Baltimore plat
iorm, are greatly TO be Deprecated and ougbtlo be dis
propose now TO inquire from which side these las.
gallons TO national interference have and whelhs
The friends OF slavery lis opponents are to blame To-
The consequent disturba OF the pubic harmony
The law OF 1898 1.-The first example oil national legsa
lion ON The snbIect-was passed at the demand OF hs
Trends OF slavery, 10 enable them TO recapiae Their
runaways with greater facility. This law not only gave
naiioual aid 10 State institution which is declared ,oM
no concern oil ours, but IT was an unconstitutional Is.
sumption OF power on The paii oil Congress- violating
the sovereignty OF all the tree States.
By another act oil Congress the general government BE-
came responsible for the existence OF slavery this DE-
tIic and Congress has been esslang the subject ia
The District more or less ever since and this doubtless
TO please the friends OF slavery.
At different periods North Carolina and Georgia made
cessons OF territory to the United States, out OF wh
Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi have
been formed Congress accepted the cession Of this
rltory with express proviso sort oil anti Wilmo pro
vso-that Congress should abolish slavery there
thus giving, at The desire OF the friends of the system
national though unconstitutional guarantee Tor us scu
riiy in those Territories.
Louisiana and Florida were ceded TO the United States
by France and Spain. The treaties OF cession required
the United States 10 secure the blessings OF liberty al
the iRhabtiaats yet Congress induced 10 tolerate
slavery there, forgetting perhaps that the national gov
ernmcnt was framed for nobler purpose than the pro-
lection OF slave property.
And subsequently, when California sought admission
into the Union, with such constitution she had
right TO adopt because she preferred free and hom@e
neous to mixed populaton--half free and ball slave
because she preferred system that admits OF unlimited
progress 10 that system which has brought such Rp
Van Wnkie sleep on some oil the slave States because
her sons chose BY honorable labor TO get an honest Nv
ing rather than 10 whip u out OF other men ifo ihs
and for other that know OF. The friends OF
slavery resisted her admission Who is responsible ior
the agitation growing outof that resistance
And finally the friends OF slavery clamored io ana se
cured the passage OF the fugitive bill which congress
bad right or authority to pass. 10 all these cases
and others have not time 10 enumerae, who IS respol
sibe for efforts to induce Congress TO interfere WIN
questions OF slavery r.
On the other hand, have ye, 10 learn where the op
ponenis OF slavery have demanded any unconstitutional
interference with the system. They have peuuoned o'
the abolition oil slavery in this District but tbs IS sm-
ply asking oil Congress to undo what il had no Tgh
have done in the first place The interference y O. ne
part OF those who gave slavery legal sanction heTe-
not on the part oil those who sought its removal.
The stoppage OF the coastwise slave trade has ato
been demanded but before any petitions for tbs ooee
had been presented, Congress, by direct leglsaoh p
taken this traffic under It's protection and regulation pre-
scnbing all the details. IL
Petitions have also been presented asking the pfoolef
ton OF the nter-Stai slave trade But previous 70 oe
presentation Of these petitions demands had frequently
been made Congress for payment for slaves and sue
claims before this body. Is II strange va
the opponents oil the system, II compelled 10 recognise
slaves as merchantable commodities, should ask 20 nay,
the trade in such commodities regulated as other oo
merce may be, prohibited any other immo's'
and uluTlOus Traffic be