Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-11

which resorted to to defeat the bill commonly call
ed the Clayton compromise) Of my honored friend the
distinguished Senator from Delaware, mr. CLAYrosD in
lS4S, upon which the present bill is modelled.
admit that there are some honest and religious peo
pie North who look at the matter in its moral aspects
alone and enormously think that by the action of this
Government OF limited powers we remedy or circum
scribe what they call the evils Of slavery They seem to
forget that the Constitution recognises and provides for
it, II says fugitive slaves shall be returned and has
provision respecting representation hold seat here
to support the Constitution and carry out its pro-
visions for the benefit Of ALL by the side of Shareholders
and the Representatives Of States who think slavery
humane and beneficial institution They my equals,
and all the States co-equa well confederated
of those who believe that the powers and func
tons of this Government should be brought to bear
against the property of any of its citizens Senator'S
the Shareholders Of the South and yet do business here
with their Representatives. For one, sir, cannot
hypocrtcally pretend friendship and respect when
feel would not sit here and constantly hear
those represent abused and DETAINED account OF the
kind Of property they the sort OF business they
choose to follow under the Constitution Those who de-
slavery forget that have over three millions OF
slaves, increasing in fearful ratio Of rapidy who can
not be freed starved to DEATH and that the world can
not be gislated into the millennium. Their arguments
would be good against providing for its protection IN the
Constitution, and against uniting with our Southern
brethren in the formation administration of common
Government We ought TO some understanding on
the subject II cannot live in peace together, the
know it and provide for the event the better
torng abuse, is unbecomng free people or their rep
resenatves and brings Government and Republican
institutions into disrepute.
But Mr.. President, believe that our Northern and
Southern people continue to live in peace together
under Constitution and preserve Unon which was
eonsummaed by the blood Of heroes and the wisdom Of
sages. We have the best Government ever devised by
the wit Of and the finest country the Of heaven
shone upon The fanatcsm the eonvulsion which
destroys the must desolae the other 1t is said that
the passage defeat of this bin will raise storm at the
North uhi will whpln man ypho
Sir somewhat accustomed to these storms, and they
have no terrors for me- was member Of the House of
Representatives when Texas admitted and all reco
ect what hue and cry raised It said we were
annexng slave territory enough to make three or four
Sates resolutions passed in Massachusetts, decar
ing the Union dissolved, and person was hurt Her
citizens glad 60 there get cotton and sugar
cheap, trade, and make money.
was also member of the House when we acquired a
vast domain from Mexico The Wilmot proviso was
brought forward and nearly every State north Of Mason
bers for it, of the few who took ground against
it, and insisted upon bill like the present. adjust
ment upon the old basis of the Missouri compromise.
believe the first Representative from Northern
State who made speech against it. Well sir what
preudced statesman in the country now will assert that
it wise udicious measure? The use OF popular
names and then resored to. cry for free soil
and rights Of free labor raised by those who never
did days work in their lives. God and the spirit of
liberty appealed to- and yet those who do it do not
equal Santa Anna in his pretended devotion. We all
messages,
filled with pretended devotion to both.
twas well said in debate here the other day that his
tory proved that the corrupt the people the more
sentimental the orators legislators and governors The
effort to create sectional parties against which the Fa
Their of his Country raised his warning voice. will foil now
heretofore. The fact however, that every Wing from
the North is against the bill and large majority Of the
Democrats for it quite significant II it does not work
dissolution of the Wing party, it proves that the Demo-
cratic party is the great national party Of principle with
the Constitution for textbook Parties should be form
ed upon principle for the support of the Constitution and
the good of the whole country not a all The States
coequal as well as confederated. There is as much
virtue intelligence, and patriotism in section of the
country another and if party cannot embrace the
whole country and its members cooperate for the pre-
servation Of the Union, it ought to be dissolved.
With these preliminary remarks proceed to sustain
the positions assume in opposition to those Of my col
league
called the compromise measures that the Territorial
Legislatures shall have jurisdiction over all rghtfu sub
of legislation and may come into the Union with or
without slavery as their constitution at the time may
prescribe The language of the bill under conside-
ration, both these points, copied from the bills Of
1885, and as the territory s above $50 so Of course
the provision abrogae the Missouri compromise of
1920 We must either refuse to carry out the compro
mise Of 1861 which considered final settlement,
repeal the Missouri compromise Hence all the contro
versy has arisen the following clause Of the four
teenth section:
That the Constitution and all laws of the United States
which not locally nappcabe shall have the force
efect WITHIN the SAID territory OF Nebraska
within the United States except the sth section Of the act
preparatory to the admission of Missouri into the Union APP
proved March g. 1920 which being inconsistent with the
principle Of Intervention by Congress with slavery in the
States and Territories, recognised by the legislation of
1850 commonly called the compromise hereby
declared imperative and void it being the intent
meaning Of this not egslae slavery into any Territory
State to exclude therefo but to leave the people
thereof perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic in
situations in their subject only the Constitution Of
the United States."#
The eighth section of the act of 1920 reads follows
"soc And be it further enacted, That in all that terri
tory ceded by France to the United States under the
of Louisiana which lies north of $50 80 north latitude not
included within the limits Of the State contemplated by this
act slavery and involuntary ervude otherwise than in the
punishment Of crimes whereof the parties shall have been
duly convicted shall be and hereby forever prohibited"
Now, sir, what territory was coded to US by France
and why slavery forever prohibited above $50 30<?
Because the territory when received was oil slave terri
tory and property Of all sorts by the terms Of the treaty
to be protected There slaves above $50 30
By excluding it above $50 30 was Of course, implicitly
admitted rather continued below. Louisiana and Ar
kansas into the Union slave States by the terms
Of the treaty and not by virtue Of the Missouri compro
mise. Mr. Jefferson negotiated the treaty with France,
and the Jeersonian claim under it always extended
of the Mississippi to the Pacific ocean, both sides $50
3. But whether it rightfully thus extended those who
passed the section in question intended it to be extended
to the Pacific ocean, and divide joint property which
could not be peaceaby enjoyed in Those who
made the compromise knew very well that possessions
would extend to the Pacific Il is not only
sonabe to suppose that such the intention but we
have the express language Of those who passed the bill
that 1t was. find by the debates that Mr.. Hardin
member from Kentucky, was the first person who sug
gested the idea Of division The following is the Ian
guage Of his speech this point delivered the 4h Of
February, 1850: Vi