Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-02-14

lands to the different States. What does he
declare? That all these lands which were pur-
chased from France. all this land upon which
the prohibtory restriction exists, was acquired
| by the blood and common treasure of the peo-
pie Of the United States, and that it was held
in trust BY the government of the United States
for the benefit of all the people; not for the
people within hclimits of the free States alone,
but for the people living within the limits of the
slave States also. Can anything be clearer?
The money which was paid for these lands was
the money of tie people of the United States.
And, sir, being the money Of the, people OF the
United States, the lands become the common
property of all of them, and ought not, there
fore, to be confined, in their settlement, to par
ticular section of the people, or in The language
Of the senator from Ohio, to foreigners or emf
grants from Europe; for thatwould be violation
Of that solemn compact thus created by the act
of the government in appropriating the money
of the people to the purchase Of the lands.
Such n principle should be repudiated by those
who look TO the great principles Of the Consti-
tuition. These, then, are the lands of the peo-
pie Of the country. They are the lands Of the
people Of Tennessee; they are the lands Of the
people of Alabama; they are the lands Of all
the southern States; they are the lands Of the
western States; they are the lands of the
northern States; they are the common property
Of all the people of the United States. How,
then, is it that this restriction is to be con-
tinued upon this description of property ? Why
from the Territories? Why is it that ], who
who have an interest in these lands, am not to
have the right to settle the Territory ms well as
those who live further north? Why is it? The
senator tells you that it will exclude foreigners.
Well, sir if it does exclude them, let it do so.
IF it drives them from the Territory because
they will not sit down side by side with the
STAKEHOLDER, let them be driven from it. We
ask bit all act of justice. We ask to be placed
upon the broad platform upon which we have
a right to stand rs declared not only in the
Constitution, but in the deeds of cession, and
in the great principles laid down by Mr.. Clay
himself, in relation to the settlement Of these
Territories. That is what we ask. And, now,
when the people of the north seem disposed
almost unanimously to remove this restriction,
are we to refuse to accede to its removal?
What do we ask to be done Do we ask
anything to the prejudice Of the people Of the
north? Do we ask that we may encroach many
right of theirs Do we seek to deprive them
Of any rights that they may have under the
Constitution of this great confederacy? No,
sir; all that we ask is that we may exercise
our own rights, and settle in the Territories;
not that we will exclude them, but that they
shall not exclude us that we may both 60 un-
restrained, without any unconstitutional restric-
ton whatever; that they may go and carry
with them their property: and that both may
be protected. in persons and property, under
the broad mantle of the Constitution of the
I..x ss,o -
yet the senator from Ohio, because the
this, says that there is to be great ex-
element in the country, which is to shake
the Union to its foundation. Sir, believe
in no such excitement. have too much
confidence in the moral justice of the people of
the north, and the people everywhere within
the broad limits of this great republic, to be-
lieve that, when they are doing a mere act of
justice. they are going in their strength to break
up the Union Of the States. The senatortels
us that everywhere throughout the country the
tocsin is sounding, and that the people are
rising in their might, and are everywhere get
ting up remonstrances against the passage Of
this bill. Sir, have seen no evidence of any
such proceedings. have heard of no such
remonstrances, with the exception of very
few which have been presented here by some
senator's / have heard ofnone Of this, / see
none Of this excitement. Everything is calm
around me, and yet, if you were to believe
what the the gentleman says, the whole com.
munity is in q state of intense excitement
Some gentlemen say that the southern people
are intending to violate great and sacred con-
pact and that. in the violation Of this compact,
they are striking down the principles Of the
Constitution of the United States. tell you
that the excitement does not exist. 1t cannot
exist; for the very moment you say to the peo-
pie of any State that all that we have done in
this particular was to give the people Of the
States equal rights and privileges in the settle
ment Of their territory, the excitement will in
stantly fall away, and the whole community
will resolve to abide by our act.
/ shall not follow the senator from Ohio
through all his argument; but he seems to
think that this state of slavery is great moral
evil in the country. Well, sir, if it be a great
moral evil in the country, has the senator any
remedy for it? Has he any relief to afford to
the sick patient2 Does he come here to pre-
scribe without pointing out the remedy? Does
he speak of the disease and denounce those
who have it, without being able to afford rem
edy for the evil, which, as he says, is breaking
down the country, and prostraiing the religious
spirit of the whole community? Sir, what is
the remedy? There are some northern States
which have passed laws prohibiting colored
people from entering within the limits Of their
States. am not certain whether they have
done it in Ohio or not but I know that some
of the free States have done 1t. 4 know that
there is such provision in the constitution of
Indiana, declaring that free people Of color
shall not immigrate within the limits Of the
State. Why is it SO declared? Sir, while they
remain in their degraded condition, when yon
emancipate them, they are free in name, blu; in
fact you mock them with the name of freemen.
You give to them the right oflocomotion, and
you still deprive them ofall the privileges which
should belong to state Of freedom; and, in
that state, they are not restrained by the moral
influence of the laws which govern the commu-
nifty in which they live, but run riotin the com.
mission Of murder and depredations upon the
property of others, and in the violation Of all
the laws of the land. You will not let them go
within the limits of your States, and yet you
tell us that we have great moral evil within
the limits Of ours. We have some three mil
lions of slaves and we are denounced as men