The daily union., 1854-03-01

this question; but regard as beyona doubt and re-
peat what said in ls4S. that is ample plenary and
it that you may literally, as have said, sell them into
slavery II you please, or even worse than slavery Have
we done itl We SET OF portion OF an organized State
TO Great Britain not into slavery exactly and we sold
Texas to the power OF Spain the most corrupt wicked
and oppressive government on the face OF the earth We
oS Texas and rsn wh .aS sS oue o,o I
very and bondage and all her citizens and placed her at
once under the aw and under the control Of the worst
may to-day by authority sell Washington aud Oregon
Territories TO the Emperor Nicholas and thereby sell the
people into slavery far worse than southern African sa
very? Who doubts the power! What power 10 there
over these territories that you have moi exercised What
there that reason says you may not exercise as naked
q ia ssS re
suppose would exercise any such power II is mon
strous but naked question OF power il is so. The
courts have power TO confne in jail for contemp 10 any
extent; but il is prepos,erous suppose that they will
carry to its full extent the power they have But
have you not done even worse,
This very territory that you have gotwhat have you
done with il since 1907 You have esabished-l say
i for the senatoryou have established and maintained
in ii an imperial absolute, unmtigated desp0tism You
now maintain it, The free born American citizen, seek
ing home for himself and his family is not at lberyto
go upon thatertory; but your military ofcers are sta
toned there with the bayone 10 hunt him out and worry
him from his location. He cannot 20 there. Sir, you
found yourselves In s1rems for want OF materials for
navy, and upon this territory there was fit timber live
oak, or other appropriate material could you not set
your maritime use 10 defend The whole Union' suppose
there were in the bowels OF the earth uncouned and
fathomable mines Of mineral Of any description. what
could you not do with them Where are your lead
mines' Where are your copper mines reserved, over
which you have held an absolute power and con-
troll as government Suppose there were valuable
mines there, has this government the power to say
that it will not sell the land, and that no person shall
settle upon IT. rample upon III and 10 set Their guards
there to protect it Sir, far the power concern
ed, we have exemphfed it in every form and in every
place possible was, therefore, justified in saying all
that did say, that as naked question Of power there
is no doubt about ii as to Its exercise thai s diherent
question
in finding any consistency in the administration or its
organ, and in the very speech made referred 10 its one
day landing member Of Congress for bringing in bill
survey the whole heavens again. TO locate the sun and
moon and stars and bid the 10 stand STILL and urging
US to make an appropriation all for the benefit OF COM
and ne on ne r
the earth and the waters thereof for the benefit OF COM
mercc You could gaze at the stars, establish this and
that observatory Tor that purpose and take resuryey OF
all the panesher positions not ascertaned near
enough by hundred. thousandh part OF second-you
could make any appropriation you saw t for this pur-
pose for the benefit Of conmerce but you could not pass
bill to take snag out OF river, nor move log from
road that you might desire 10 travel with your army or
munitions OF war said then that had abored, but
seemed TO labor in vain to establish the difference be-
tween power and the exercise OF power--that we may
have power but may not always be prudent or the
part OF wisdom to exercise it, hope am understood
Sir, conclude by saying that hope my views may
meet an approving response from my constituents They
are the convictions OF my head, approved by the emo
Mr.. SUMNER. move tina, the further consideration
| OF this bill be postponed until Tomorrow;
Massachusetts, but want few minutes for expla-
nation. do not like TO sleep upon this matter. am
not going TO initiate the dogmatcal manner or the coarse
OF language of the honorable senator from Indiana
Ny respect Tor the Senate and mysenot for that
lor--prohibis Every member OF the Senate who knows
me knows that very well /; but there some things
hal oe.iI 4 oil sho
of the Senate IL is necessary TO The proper understand
ing OF my position and, therefore, should desire the
attention OF The Senate either night or tomorrow
Several SrSAroRs, Tomorrow morning.
Mr. CASS, would rather 90 now.
Several SENATOR'S. Go on Go on
MIR SUMNER | withdraw my motion.
Hr CASS prefer to go on, and shall not delain
the Senate long The senator from Indiana has made
extraordinary speech lie says he has reflected upon
it, and that the FIRE has burned within him, think, for
about four years apparently wholly smothered. Well
s, II has hnay come OUT something alter the manner
OF volcano-wih great explosion, but very harm
less one did not suppose he bad nursed up so longs
and, under all The circumstances, the view which the
honorable senator has taken ia wonderful indeed. The
senator admits he did say that Congress had power to sell
the people the Territories lnlo slavery II had said
that in the American Senate should be in great pas
sion with myself, be evidently s and not being will
ling 10 upon myself should turn upon somebody
else Ii was most extraordinary sentIment-atrocious,
indeed. Now. what were the circumstances under which
referred TO III Two years preceding my speech on
which the senator commented wrote letter, which Is
some that known, presume 10 every senator, and has,
in measure, become HISTORICAL in which went into the
consideration oil The constitutional power OF Congress
over the Territories. The SENATOR lew months afler
thai letter written when | was not here, reviewed
the doctrine advocated in the severest terms, using such
epitheis "sness" and "absurdily" and others oil
similar character, applying them to those uho advocated
the same position which | maintained. Knowing per-
fec,ly that had advocated IT, how could suppose but
that he his remarks TO apply 10 me The hrs OPP
pounity had after returned here, took up the ques
ton connected with the government of the Territories
aud in doing turned the Congressional Globe
and reviewed all that had been said upon the subject
Why, sir, any man who has heard the senator from
Indiana to-day would have supposed that had picked
him out and that he the only person to whose opn-
ions had alluded went over the history OF the whole
matter, Ia my examination IN order 10 ASCERTAIN the
views OF the respective speakers, and the foundation
upon which they placed the assumed power OF Congress
to govern the Territories My own colleague was one
OF them and he will recolec the circumstances perfectly
well / did review them all quoted their language
in order in The first place, 10 show these assumed
grounds, and then, subsequently, to show that, n my
opinion, there power in the constitution OF the
United States giving The right TO Congress to govern the
Territories. That was my conclusion. Among these
the senator from Indiana; and was FAR more struck
with The uniustihabe sentiments he advanced than by
the strength OF the Argument he displayed comnented
upon them, as had right 10 do And il is among the
extraordinary pervesions OF human nature to witness
the spirit displayed by the senator four years acf the
occurrence, at this very common procedure.
But sir the senator says said this when he was alb
sent. And does he suppose he can ehoot speech like
Parhsn arrow, and then place himself beyond reach OF
observation The gentleman left his speech here II
public document, among the congressional
chves of the nation IL had gone out to the country,