The daily union., 1854-02-09

Whenever States shall hereafter be organized oil these
Territories. il will extend 10 them. Il lays prohibition
only upon the people OF the Territories but upon the
people OF the States after the Territories shall have been
organized into States That act then, from the
have already given believe To be null and void II is
restriction upon the people OF the States formed rora
such Territories that they shall not decide whether they
will or will no, have slavery Whereas il they come into
the Union upon terms OF equality with the other States,
that provision s UNCONSTITUTIONAL and therefore ought
to be repealed.
Sir, il cannot be doubted that the provisions of this
act extend we'll 10 The people OF the States formed out
OF the Territories. TO The people living within the im
its OF the Territories before such States formed
and that far regards the restrictions ii imposes
upon the people OF sovereign State, il demonstrations
al and void and that such restrictions will never be OBJ
served and can never be enforced You canno admit
State formed OF this Territory into the Union
without virtually repeating this law for the very
she is admitted, the federal constitution throws It's
strong around her aud clothes her with all the at
baes OF sovereignty enjoyed BY tbs favored States
and the people with all the rights and privileges belong
ing TO such sovereignty Then, sir H. after a State
formed out Of such Territory into the Union. the
law would be unconstitutional, woad il not be equally
before her admission! To say that II would not be,
involves the monstrous absurdiy OF laws being con.
stltuona to-day and becoming unconstitutional to-mor-
row, by act OF Congress admitting new State lto
the Unlonor, in other words that the mere creation OF
Stale would render act OF Congress uncons,i-
uiional to-day which was constitutional yesterday The
law il stands is either constitutional or IS not II
encroaches upon State sovereignty, or nierieres tl
the great prncplc-to w.t., the right OF the people 10
make all rules and regulations concerning their own
property which are necessary TO protect then Is un-
constitutional.
There is another why, in my humble opinion,
this law is unconstitutional Ii you will look al the ar
cle OF the constitution which declares the powers OF
Congress over the Territories belonging ba people Of
United States, you will that il is limited power.
II says;
.The Congress shall have power dispose Of and make
all needn't rules aud regulations respecting the territory
or other property belonging 10 United States; and
aohng Ia this constitution iall be construed as to
judce any claims of the United States o par.
ucuiar Stase."
Congress- then, has power to make rules and regua-
ons respecting the property of the United States, and
not respecting the properly o citizens Of the United States
living within the limits OF the Territories No such pow
er has been gwen 10 Congress Nothing, then,
be clearer than that Congress right to deprive
Of my slaves within the limits OF the Territories OF the
United States unless they can be shown 10 have the
right TO deprive me of my horses or cattle or other
property that may carry there The senator from Ohio,
Mr.. CHAsr,l it IS True, declared yesterday upon this
that the constitution OF the United States did
ognise property as existing IN slaves Sir, the sem
aor is laboring under great error in this parlica
lar Surely ne cannot have examined The decisions o.
question: whether properly may may not exist 10 slaves
In the first place. II recognised IN the constitution,
Though not declared TO exist Tue decisions pronounced
the Supreme Cont OF the United Slates declare thai
the right OF property in slaves ample the right OF
property in land, or horses or anything else Tnen. s
Il is property recognised by The constitution OF the Uni
of this great republic property held everywhere n The
southern States properly which has existed for period
far greater than the exsience OF this government And
ii II be property where is the justice ot laying restraints
upon IL Where is the proprie,y OF in Where Is the
power to do it II you were TO pass law iaat
should be deprived Of the lands which he has purchased
oil the government such Law wouli sltike every man
with indignation aud adherence; for il would s,nke at
the liberties OF the people. Il would strike az the great
principle which lies at the foundation OF our govern
and which is contained IN the Constitution OF the
ntt etrs.t a
taken, for public use. without making fair COM
pensation therefor Yes sir; whenever by any action
OF this government, you destroy the rsht OF property
you at strike down the very principles upon which
the consultation itself Is based And you need not stop
there. II you have the power 10 say that property may
be taken by the federal government under tina, clause
which gives Congress power 10 make all needtul rules
and regulations respecting the territory and property OF
the uniied States, you have the right TO say what
sort OF labor shall be done within the limits OF the terri
tory Have you right, because you think slavery Is
evil, prohibit IL IN the Ternofies Was IL in
tended that you should be the arblters IN sgfeatqueson
like ,bsl The principle oil our government, which
TO the States the rights no, expressly granted 10
the federal government surrounds and shields every c-
zen OF this coun,fy 10 holding his property. Ii you
deny this principle, where do you stopl You might
say TO eoulhcrn men, you shall not 20 into the
Territories TO cultivate tobacco because ii rs exhaust
lng and pefBiclous to the soil You shall not eut
vaie cotton, because II exhauss and impoyerisbes the
SOIL and 4 II therefore nnpoie TO permit these products
to be cultivated Ia the Territories. II you say that
shall not hold slave property there, why not say that
shall not produce tobacco cotton there. no
distinction, do believe any one can point IL out.
The only solution OF The matter IS this; Congress has
no power Whatever over the subIeci Of slavery Con.
gress has night TO interfere With ~ because 1t would
be usuraon, lfampbng upon The rights oi citizens and
ought TO be resisted by every citizen. s, therefore,
our constitutional right aad our duty TO repeal such an
obnoxious law.
TIE government OF the United States should know
nothiog OF the property OF the citizens OF The States bot
to protect H. The moment VI loses sight OF tbs great
principle and attempts 20 draw geographical line o dis
net1n In favor Of section OF the Union aud 10 the
prejudice o anoher II Tanpes the great principle oil The
quaiy OF States aud o citizens under foot aud tears
asunder the chart upon which the liberty OF the people IL
written The Union Iisef only be preserved by tbe
respecting The part OF the federal government The
rights OF the sovereign States. and ot the people living
MOI only within them, but IN the Territories also.
Bat, again how II IL that those gentlemen who make
such parade about The repeal ot This act claim an excu
sye right 10 the settlement OF these Een,oresl The
aior from Ohio-ihe able senator, may call h'm-snd
The very courteous senator, ioo-ghu upon every sub
ect excepting the subject o slavery, thinks well aDd with
ability, gives a why slavery should not be per
mitle9 10 go into the Territories The senator says:
ia this appeal we araign this bill gross v0ation
OF ssefed pledge Ihe from Illinois thinks that
the pledge Of the Missouri mpromisp nothing worth
We thnk Il was Of vast and absolutely bind
ingj aud. the bd proposes sbrog,te It,. do
choose sof words but ehstaoerizs deserves
We aairn u, siso, as cfniuai betrayal Of precious
rights Well what rights precious, N tose secured
labor and free lsbore IN that Territory
Wha' can be piinsl u be no. criminal 70 subycr these
= ghs Tor the pufpoe Of giving 70 slavery When
bin proposes teach this bad ,ud by the b,esss
iafaon hst tbs Misoaf prohibition Is supersedsd by the
repeal that-wo call t a criminal betrayal Of precious
rights'
: rne appeal goes dsuoopc- the bin a. psu and
pact OF euoei0us plot exc uJe from unocco-
pied region from Od Word and tree labor.
irom States, and convert ino dteary region
o' deSposn ionabi cd By masters and slaves Wel sup
tNa. Ia -.