Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-02-16


words in desutory manner upon ole or two 81
the statements which we've made by the chairman
of the Committee on Territories. lie snlti' II
understand him, that the North set the first ex-
ample of making breach in the Missouri com
promise; md find ont of doors that eonsidera-
tie Importance is attached TO this idea that the
violation or repeal of the Missouri compromise at
this time is but just retort upon the North Tor
having, on some former occasion, set the example
of violating it. | do not think that this Is cor
rectly statedihe reference Is TO the Legislation OF
ISiS, when the North refused 10 extend the line
of 30 deg. 30 min to the Pacific ocean, which was
done, rs the Senator said, under the influence Of
Northern votes with Freesoil proeisities," or
some expression of that kind. do not think the
Senator shows his usual justice, perhaps ] may
say not his usual candor on this OCCASION. That
took place two years before the compromise of
1850, and that compromise has been commonly
considered. if nothing else, AT least as a settle
nent of old scores; aud any thing that dates from
1913 must bo considered, in reference 10 those
who took part in il, as honorably and fairly set
lied and composed in 1850. But, sir, how was
the case This not measure carried by
Northern votes with Freesoil procyities. Far
from It. If | have read the record Alright the n
mcndment which the Senator moved in the Senate
to incorporate the Missouri line into the territor
al bill for Oregon was opposed by twenty-one
votes in this body. Among those twenty-one yo-
tiers was every voter from New England. There
was the Senator from Massachusetts, Mr.. Web
stcr. There was the lately deceased Senator
from New Hampshire Mr.. Atherton. Both of
the votes from Ohio Mr.. Allen one of them, and
both from Wisconsin, were given against this ex-
tension of the Missouri compromise. Mr.. Cal
houn voted in favor of 1.-THE amendment; but, if
am not in error, when the question next came
up upon the engrossment of the bill, as amended,
he voted with those twenty-one, side by side
who were included in the designation Of the SEN
ator from Illinois. In the House the vote stood,
if ! remember the figures, one hundred and TWEEN
ty-one to eghty-two-a majority OF thirty nine.
There was suppose, the whole vote, or nearly
the whole vote of the entire -slayeholding del
cgaton. That surely, then, ought not to be said
to be brought about by Northern voters with
Frecsoil proelivities using those words in the ac
ceptation commonly given to them, which sup
pose the Senator wishes to do
No, sir, that vote WAS given III conformity
with the ancient, the UNIVERSAL the Evolutionary
opinion and feeling of the non slaveholding States
which forbid citizen of those States to do any
thing voluntarily, except under case of the
stornest compulson, such as preserving the union
of the Statos-and really would do almost any
thing to effect that obieet-to aid in carrying
slavery into territory where it did not previous
" exist. 1t that feeling which, in the revo-
lutionary crisis, universal throughout the
land; for the nnti-slavery feeling of that time. |
take to have been mainly political sentiment,
rather than moral or religious one 1t was the
same feeling which, in 1877, led the whole Con
gress of the Confederation to unite in the ordi-
nance of 1857. Mr.. jefferson, in 1884, had pro-
posed the proyiso in reference to all the ter
rtory possessed by tho United States, even far
down ms Sid, which was their southern boundary.
1t was the snmc feeling, | take it, which led res
pectable Southern members of Congress, as late as
1920, to vote for the restriction of slavery in the
State of Missour-of which class believe there
were some And, sir, il is feeling, | believe
in my conscience, which, instead of being Gre
atcd or stimulated, or favored by systematic
agitation of the subject, is powerfully repressei
and discouraged by that very agitation; and ii
this bin passes the Senate, as to all appearance
it will, it will prove to demonstration that that
feeling is not so strong now it was in 1920,
which, for my part, aseribe mainly to the recoil
of the conservative mind of the non-slayeholding
States from this harrassng and disastrous agita-
ton.
A single word, sir, in respect to this supposed
principle of non-lnteryention on the part OF Con
gress in the subject of slavery in the Territories.
confess am surprised to find this brought for
ward and stated with much confidence as an
essential principle of the Government | know
that distinguished gentlemen held the opinion.
If mistake not, the very distinguished Senator
fran Michigan (Nlr Cass) holds it, and has pro-
pounded IL and pay all due respect and defer
ence to his authority, which conceive to be very
high. But | was not aware that any such prin-
ciplG was considered a settled principle of the
territorial policy of this country. Why, sir,
from the first enactment in 1889 down to the bill
before us, there isno such principle. If il were
not for the guards that have been put into the
bill since it was first reported it would have been
perfectly competent, as far as | see, for Congress
To pass any law they pleased them on the subject
in the Territories. But, however that may be,
oven by this bill, there is not Il law which the
Territories can pass, admitting or excluding slave
ry, which it is not in the power of this Congress
to dsallow the next day This is not a mere
bruium taimen. 1t is not an meXecuted power.
Your statute book shows case after case. | be-
heve, in reference to single Territory, that
there have been fifteen twenty cases where
territorial Legislation has been disallowed by
Congress. How, them can it be said that this
principle of non-in intervention is now to be recog
nized as an established principle in the public
policy of the Congress of the United States
Do gentlemen recollect the terms, almost of dis
dam, with which this supposed established prin-
cpe OF our constitutional policy is treated in that
last valedietory speech of Mr.. Calhoun, which,
unable to pronounce it himself, he was obliged
to give to the Senate through the medium of his
friend, the Senator from Virginia! He reminded
the Senate that the occupants of Territory were
not even called the people, but simply the mhdJi-
tants of Territory, till they were allowed by
Congress to call convention and form II State
Constitution
Mr. President, | do regret that it is proposed
to repeal the eighth section of the Missouri act.
| believe it is admitted that there is no great ma
teral interest at stake. think the chairman of
the committee, (Mr. Douglas the Senator from
knntnckN. LMr. liNnnA and nnrhuns the Snnntnr