Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-05-16

/ eosss thrice armed and even il overthrowu. for
The time in some Of Of the northern States. by the
waves Of fanaticsm, they will not go down as
those who fall without hope" but il will be- sir,
with the proud consciousness of having done
right, aud Of deserving al least glorious poiili-
cal resurrection, aud, in mig opinion, the men re-
jected for this cause, and this cause only, stand
fair chance OF being made chief stones in the po-
| litcal corner.
| ] do not anticipate that Congress will be over
wheImed by any such avalanche of wings, free
sellers, and olitionists. the gentleman from
| Illinois seems 10 anticipate. sir, the same kind
! of game attempted in relation to the compro-
misses of $780, of which this act is but contirma-
ton) when, as is well known, the agitators poured
in petitions by the ari,ful praying the repealofthe
fugitive slave act and yet the great mass of The
people passed il by as UNDECIDED as the idle
wind.p e
SIR strike om tie Czayon proviso psrtscf and
pass me bill, Then let The gentleman from Illinois
erect his standard Of repeal, and cry havoc, and
lei slip the dogs of war" against the democracy Of
the north. II will be about as successful as the
poi gun. AT all events, we may safely promise 10
meet the gentleman. with his repeGling forces, at
PhilIippi; and then
Lay on, Macduf,
| And damnd be him that first cries, hold enough"
| Sir the democracy will meet this crisis as they
/ have every other in which the country has been
| involved. They will not faIter, or lag behind 10
| catch the popular breeze. They will prove them
selves equal TO the occasion. A few frail brethren
may shrink from the responsibility, "with fear
and trembling but the great mass of the party
/ will stand firm in support of the principles Of the
4 bill !; and, sir, let the feeling of the moment be
4 what il may in certain localities, in the end they
will sustained by "lhe sober secondIhought OF
1 the people,
Even that portion Of our dissenting brethren,
not entirely carried away into the whirlpool Of
whiggery and freesosnl, will come back upon
the democratic platform lat a more convenient
! season" and will probably be the loudest advo-
Gates of the principles of the bill; and shall NOT
/ be much surprised 10 see the day when even the
wings will claim the paternity of the measure, and
! place il as prominent article in their creed:
There thin gs In heaven and earth, Horatio
/ Than are dreampt Of in your philosophy"
| Sir, vndicate The sovereignty OF The people by
| the passage of this bill, and the waves of political
agitation will room subsde: il will silence faction,
| and ultimately remove, TO great extent, the ex-
citing question of slavery forever from these halls.
/ Besides, il will terminate at a blow the weakly,
| lingering life of the wing national organization,
and leave the democracy, for time at least, the
only great national party existing in this country.
.'Tis contamination deyoutly to be wish'd."
4 Mr.. Chairman, before / conclude desire to
i make a remark or two for the ear OF that portion
| OF my constituents who have pettioned against
The passage Of this bill. They are few in number,
but, as far as know are gentlemen and ladies' OF
! high responsibility, and for whose opinions en-
iertain entire respect. Some OF them, believe,
! have been induced 10 this course from an imper-
feet knowledge Of the measure, and others, whose
| opinions We're based upon the House bill, would
have no serious objections 10 the bill proposed as
| a substitute, which | have no doubt we shall
adopt. say TO them that do not like the insti-
tulion Of slavery, and feryently hope it may not
| be extended sf 1 S
In voting for this bill, do not vote 10 extend il;
do not vote to give il legal existence where il is
aot. The people Of these Territories will never
adopt the institutions but If they should il is their
fault, and not mine. Il is their right, with which
cannot Justly Interfere. any more than shareholders
could interfere 70 force slavery into the community
where reside. believe that this portion Of my
constituents, and every other, are willing 10 stand
| 10y the Constitution OF their country. deny that
| under il slavery could exist in the Territories
without the sanction OF positive law. But suppose
the reverse 10 be true is moi The question then
entirely beyond our reach? multitude of Mis-
souri compromises and Wilmot provisoes, piled
up mountaIns high. would avail nothing, because
all such laws would be in contraventon TO the
supreme law Of the Constitution, and therefore
VOID. II the claim has just foundation in the
Constitution, then it cannot be taken away by
Legislation; if it has not, then pretends that
under the provisions of the bill, slavery could le
gally exist in the Territories without being first
established by the people. So that, after ALL II the
question arises il must be determined by that tr
bunal, wisely provided by the founders Of our re-
! public. the Supreme Court of the United States
from whose decision there is no appeal.
! have said that, in my opinion, the people Of
| these Territories would never adopt the institution
OF slavery, and have yet TO hear member OF
either house OF Congress express opinion TO
the contrary. | will exist in neither. You could
not devise system Of Legislation thut would make
Nebraska a slave State.
The people OF the free States are essentially an
emigraiing people II is not so at the south. There
is no comparison between them in this respect.
There will go al least three enIgrants into these
Territories from The Tree States 10 every one who
VIII go from the south, and even a large proper
tlon of the latter will not favor the establishment
OF slavery Sir, who will 60 from the south Not
the large stakeholder. for the wealthy and wellto-
20 but seldom enigrate and when they do, they
seek climate adapted 10 the great staples Of cot
ton, rice, and suk ar. Will the man " no owns
few slaves take they into these Territories No,
SIR; he cannon run the risk of losing his property
he knows that from the beginning he will be sub
Jsct 10 litigation 10 determine whether or not
slaves can be held without the sanction of postive
law, and he must feel that the chances are that
slavery will be excluded by the people.
Now, majority Of the inhabitanls of the south
DO not own slaves, and many Of them have no love
oi rhe Institution, and that the class most likely
70 go INTO these Territories from the south Ii
slave-oMpers go, they will leave their slaves be.
hind them. Il will be such as have large families
ana ot lew slaves, which they will sell, and no 10
invest the proceeds in land where il is cheap and
OF good quai'y; or Else it will be those who hate
The institution OF slavery and eniqrale to uet rid
oft; and can assure gelslemen there are mapv
such As far as my knowledge extends, the most
violent freesoilers and abolitIoNists in the free
States emigrated from the south. kentucky and
the Carolnas have sent more such INTO
Me region from which come than all Nev Eng
lapd put together.
Now, is il not evident from whence the mass ef
the population OF these Territories will be derived,
and What sentiments will be entertained by them
IN reieence 10 the institution OF slavery! What
ciiizen vi free State entertain doubt in |
relation = this subject, when he reflects that The
climate lsSboly upsuited TO slave labor; that the
white pop,fation Of the north more than doubles
thai Of the Youth; that even majority of the |
south are notpwners of slaves; that many who
do own them an not slave propagandists, and will
eingrate wlthon their slaves; ind last, that an
immense tide OF Amigrauon VIII How in from the
countries OF the nd World, every one Of whom
will oppose The adoption OF slavery? Then, sir,
how stands the easel Ofevery ten men emigrat-
ing TO Kansas ard NEBRASKA, four wi be from the
free States, and DIT opposed 10 the institution
OF slavery; three WI be foreigners with like
opinions; two will b4 from the south, with no par
ticular love Tor The ntttuiion and one may be