Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-02-17
SPEECH OF MIR. EVERETT
OF NuassachuSetts.

SPEECH OF MEs. EVERETT
OF NIassachyISetts.
Mr. EyfnETr had scruples as to the cx.
pedcncy Of giving territorial governments
of the highest order to the region of Nebras.
ka and Kanzas at the present time. Last
yenr the whole region did not embrace more
than four or five hundred inhabitants. and
the whole number of votes received by the
delegate representing it in Congress was
only 10. In population, then, that vast coun.
try which il is proposed to supply with two
governments is only equal to one of the
snales, towns in Vermont
He next objected 10 the bill on the ground
of bad faith TO the Indians, who had been
removed, during the administration Of Gen.
Jackson, west Of the Mississippi. The third
section Of the act providing for their removal
declared ihat at shall and may be lawful
for the President solemnlp 10 assure the
tribe or nation, &C., that the United Siate,
will forever secure and guarantee to them,
and their heirs and SUCCESSORS, the country
so exchanged with them, &c: provided al.
ways, that such lands shall revert to the u
nited States, If the Indians become extinct
or abandon the same" Without proper safe
guards on this point, them Mr.. Everett slid
he could vote for neither this bill nor that of
the last session.
ar. Everett then proceeded to discuss the
amendment, which declares that the Com
promise of 1870 was inconsistent with the
principles Of non-intervention in Congress
with slavery. recognized by the acts of 1850.
lie denied that any such general principle
was established 1t was not even true tbnt
1t was established in reference to New Mex
leo and Utah, which were particnlarly en-.
braced IN the acts Of 1850, because every
act ofthose territories is subject to Congress
Tor approval or dlsapproval, and it would be
competent for Congress at any time to pass
any law on the subject The acts Of 1850
were specific and limited to certain terrific.
ny, and cannot be regarded as establishing I
general principle of legislation, much less t
as repeal Of the Missouri Compromise
his view was illustrated by parallel cases
as the admission of Missouri with lands free
fom taxation, aud the subsequent admission
Of Arkansas without this privilege. Nobody
pretended that the latter repealed or super
seeded the Missouri net, Or affected the pub
ln lands anywhere except ia Arkansas. So
alsothe ordnance of l7S7 prohibited slavery
IN territory northwest of the Ohio while in 7
l7oO. lands ceded by North Carolina were
accepted ON the condition that slavery should
be admitted; but no statesman ever thought
Tor moment that the act of 1890 superse.
ded the ordinance of 1857. Sir. Everett
then quoted from Douglass report to show
that the committee had itself declared that
Congress IN 1850 did not undertake to de-
eide the questions as to slavery. "Surely,
II they did not undertake 10 decide them.
they could not decide a principle which is at
stake in-them; and, Unless they did decide I
them, The measures then adopted must be
considered as specific measures relating on
ly TO those cases, and no. establishing prin-
ciple Of general operation" MIR. Everett
then referred to the debates Of 1850 TO show I
that nobody in Congress then claimed the
establishment of any principle such as is (
now contended for bat that, Oh the other
hand, there was much said which shows TINT
no such purpose was entertained. The vii {
mot Proviso was voted down in the Senate;
then Mr. Soule moved the prosiso for the adj.
mjssion'of New Mexico.end Utah, with or
without slavery, as their constitutions at the
time Of ad'aission should provide. Mr..
Webster voted for that, but with these re-
markable words
Be it remembered, sir, that now speak
OF Utah and Now Mexico, and Of them a.
lone"
That was Mr.. Webster oared: he evi. 4
IDENTIFY designed not to establish general
principle. Again, IN the 9Th of March
speech, Mr.. Webster used equally remarka-
bic language:
"And now say, sir, as the proposition
upon which | stand this day, and upon the
phth anu VI WHICH INTEND 10 Nfl
until il Is oyerhrown, thpt there is not at
this moment within the United States a sin-
gle foot OF land, the character of which, in
regard 10 its being free soil territory or slave
territory, Is not fixed by some law aud some
irrepeslable law, beyond the power of the
action Of the Government"
He meant of course,io give to the Mis-
souri, restriction the character of compact
which the Government in good faith could
not repeal; and there was n the course of
the speech a great deal more said to the
same purpose
In reference to this Mr. Everett said
p" Sir, in that speech his gigantic intellect
brought together all thai !, could gather from
the law Of nature, from tie Constitution Of
the United States, from our past legislation,
from the physical features Of the region, to
strengthen him in that plan Of conc iiution
and peace, in which be feared that he might
not carry along with him the public senti-
,ment of the whole of the county which he
particularly represented here. At its close,
when he dilaied upon the disastrous effects
n separation, he rose TO strain of ilnpas-
stoned eloqeenee which has never been sur
passed within these walls. Every topic, ev-
cry argument, every fact was brought to
bear upon the point; and be felt that his vast
popularity was at stake op the issue. Lei
ssince'the speech was Published, the In
fe.bgencer, by Mr.. Evefeu's request, has
stated that the whole number Of votes cast
-. 600 anlliralol.f L. E..l-. cnnni.. - IL |