The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-03-25

truth the defenders of this bill have discovered TO bo self
evident lie" Yes, they have said that fociathers,
the fathers OF the constitution stood forth N the lace OF
British power and pledged their lives, their fortunes, and
their sacred honor defence of selfeviden lien We
have heard such scntcas uttered upon the aoor e tho
American Senate defence of this bill And wen may such
defence become such peasure for, my Judgment you
defend your bill unless you maintain that absurd
proposition Hence il is you have felt the necessity OF
king such defence and the bodes have said ~ while
those who have yenured say have acted upon The
principle.
Sir have said that am opposed this bill in all its
forms and in every shape am opposed 70 u because the
people that represent all agreed that slavery shall
poute territory which Is free The territory 70 which
the bill relates is free Il made free by the Missouri
Compromise say compromise, tor Z was q eompromlss,
and will stand compromise against all the arguments
that have been adduced 10 the contrary know mas oee
assaulted by ground that il unconstitutional
have only to remark upon that point that to ass y o., On
the ground of un1onstutonaty is 10 aaign some o. .e
greatest statesmen and urss that have ever auofcu io
pages of history; for 10 undeniable that y me e
the for the admission OF Missouri was passed under
the examination and scrutiny Of some Of the most
revered and honorcd and urisss that TINS country
produced In your halls of Congress, IN your pIes
Dental cabinet called to deliberate upon that very
was pronounced CONSTITUTIONAL every department ot ihe
government for than third OF century, mas con-
Cured that rdng and who - there here now 70 sweep
away as thing of kind of importance, and as utterly
void What overtowcrng intellect IS going to reverse the
Judgment of these eminent statesmen and jnrissf
Why sir undoubtedly L was constitutional WY nott
quire this terrory No. sir il was not so pretended
the time il acquired Then, If they took II outside
of the constitution had they not right to attach SUCH con-
dons on the people of the Territory thereafter to become
State, as they fit They believed they bed and the
who that conclusion were quite aa respectable
ursts those who assa il and the lapse OF ne
and the concurrence of the whole country in il during the
period which has elapsed snce It's adoption adds strength
to it.
But sir tho reasons given by those who maintain its
constutionay will not hold good for what do they say
They tell us that proposition was made by the senator
from Illinois, in l645, TO extend this compromise me an"
bcf IN
and they tell you that 1885, but four years ago, almost
the whole South body deliberately voted for that prop
oson That is what they tell you; and what is implied
in that satcment' Will these gentlemen stuy themselves
by saying that with their eyes wide open they came up
and deliberately voted for act which they knew TO oe
Unconstitutional Yet that the position they assume
They have not considered il WELL for such proposition is
pregnant with differences that dare not utter upon the floor
Of this Senate What, sir senator deliberately make
proposition to vote that which he himself comedies Is
violation Of the constitution under which are living and
which sworn to support
Again. sir from the very organization OF the government
the present. the restriction Of slavery by proviso OF thus
kind has been admitted be constitutional was resorted
when the Oregon Territory was organized II has been
sanctioned by every department of the government sane
toned bv Congress- sanctioned by almost every oblecor
here by deliberate and yet they turn round and tell
it all unconstitutional, and amounts to nothing
know That this idea of its unconsutionaly is hardly SIX
years old 1t preached by the distinguished senator
from Michigan Mr. CAss nj time when ne was dsrobing
himself Of all membranes for presidential race Tor
scarcely year before that tune that saw HIM stand
ing here and making merit that nc was eageray
ready prompt ard eageto vote for this very provlso; and
he complained Of Mr. Davis and said the 4th of March
that he had argued long that he could not get an oppor
tuny to vote for the proyso this BILL he anxious
TO do But little afterwards his mind began TO vacllate
He thought he that the world had all turned round
He was sure his own mind had undergone change, and
thought everybody eses had That the inception of
this serious opposition to what we call the proviso
Bot supposeit unconstituiopal--w them Sup
pose man could compromise with his conscience TO
give his for unconstitutional act by way of peace
conpeomise-which hardly see how conscientious
could do bat suppose he could upon the honor
and faith Of the thus made would the repu
date because he afterwards discovered unconsttu-
tona beeeuse he conceived it to be unconstitutional at
the time he entered into il Compromise No. sir not at
AZ. There ia getting around that position Nothing has
ben said II the argument for its unconst!ulonay to es
tho North in the House Of Representatives voted il down
and in revenge the proyso is to be repealed and sa
very Is 70 be sesered over this immense territory tits
Unconstitutional because North would extend
the. restriction the pacfc Does that satisfy the
who make use Of tho argument,
Other objections made Il compromise, say
sofae Aenaors because after il made northern
gentlemen III the House of Representatives, and elsewhere
found fault with IL they grlmbied about they did not
really up 10 the mark contented and satisfied with it,
Very well you Of the South have had AL the benefit of
YOU do not complain that anything has ever been done TO
deprive you ofany portion Of the benefit that you
cd FOR but then, some men from the North were dssas
fed with ibid like II at all How is il with the
Compounds OF 1850 Here compromise, contract,
made, which some gentlemen have told sacred,
though never considered il And here LOT say that
repeal often IS get chance. have conceal
ments make about that, professed to be for
your compromise. When do you will find me standing
by Il. shall not resort to suboriuge get of it..
When you get my assent to il you will find me there,
then and forever But never did agree to IT, one
OF those who did not believe in never would have
conceded inch you that COMPROMISE and so far
was concerned would never have been made. thought
il unjust for the North, ard many gentlemen thought il
unjust TO the South and, therefore, would have
agreed L. So that quite dspuabe from the very
inception Of IT. you say this old compromise and
iC Tint vitates the one, il viatca the other also.
But how in fairness could be said that the compromise
Of 1890 supel-ededi But need argue that Cen
tlcmen themselves have backed of that position They
made speeches show that the Compromise Of 1850
ruled superseded the other long and elaborate agu-
rnsnt made to prove that position and suppose for
have in circulation, that those speeches are
every town and hamlet 10 persuade the people that the old
compromise superseded by the kgsaton of 1850 and
yet before they cot their destination everybody backed
Of the proposition and holds now that there no such
ding, and has been oensurcd-of course il
would not do for mo TO do it, for saying that il judi
cially, historically, aud 10 every way wrong.
nc bad said rnis would never have backed out OF IL
All have say IS that whether il was false or true your
speeches had not fairly got under way before the whole
foundation 90 which you argued was, by your own consent
aside and another thing it's place and the people
reading your speeches prove that the old com
promise superseded by your subsequent legislation
while standing here arguing the question on an
entirely different basis That the beautiful consistency
hIo which got oursclves by having this proposition
brought in here befoc pluns properly maiuod
But Mr. President did not now TO argue the general
question Of this BILL and viii do it at this late period
Of the evening because would be unjust 70 the Senate and
70 myself must say however that loath am 20 rise
70 address Tho Senate any questions and especially