Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-02-15

/ and which suppose i now printed and on our
fables and | sill state briefly as can the
difficulties which have found in giving my sup
port 10 this ILL., either it stands or will stand
when the amendment shall be adopted My
| chief objections TO the provisions on the
! subject Of slayery. md especially TO the excep-
ton which is contained in the 18th section, in the
/ following words:
Except the 9Th section of the act preparatory
| to the admission of Missouri into the Union, APP
proved March q, 1890 which was superseded by
the principles of the Legislation of $50, common
y called the compromise measures and is hereby
declared imperative"
On Me day before Yesterday the chairman of
subcommittee ON Territories proposed TO change
the words superseded by to Inconsistent with
n expressing mere distinctly all that he meant to
convey by that expression. Yesterday, however,
he brought in an amendment, drawn up with
great skill and care, notice given the day be-
fore which was to strike out the words (which
WINS suppressed by the principles of the legislation
of 1850 commonly called the compromise meas
ures, and is hereby declared imperative" and to
ms .rt in lieu of them the following
(Which being inconsistent with the principle
of non interyenton by Congress with slavery IN
the States and Territories, recognised by the
legislation of 1850 commonly called the compro-
mise measures,s hereby declared imperative and
void it being the true intent and meaning OF tins
net not to legisate slavery into any Territory or
State, nor to exclude it thereform, but to leave
the people thereof perfectly free to form and re-
gulate their domestic institutions in their own
way subject only to the Constitution of the Uni
ted States
Now. | agree with the remark made by the
chairman of the committee yesterday, that this is
n change in the phrasealogy alone. 1t covers n
somewhat broader ground, but the latter part OF
ii is explanatory and as to the main point on
which il is proposed to declare the Missouri re-
strcton of $50 'inoperatiye and void" do not
find any change between this amendment and the
words contained in the bill ON our tables. 1t
seems to he the design of both to carry out the
principle which was laid down by the chairman
in his report.
will read from that report the following SEN
fences, for | conceive them to be those which
give the key to the whole measure:
''ln the judgment of your committee, those
measures tthe compromise measures OF lSoO)
were intended To have far more comprehensive
and enduring etfoct than the mere adjustment OF
the difficulties arising out of the recent acquisi-
ton of Mexican territory. They were designed
to establish certain great principles, which would
not only furnish adequate remedies Tor existing
evils but in all time to come avoid the peris OF a
similar agitation by withdrawing the question of
slavery from the halls Of Congress and the politi
cal arena, and commit it to the arbitrament OF
those who were Immediately interested in and a
lone responsible for its consequences"
This suppose is the principle and the policy
TO which it is intended in both forms, to give the
force of law in the bill now before
Now, sir, think in the fiji st place, that the
language of this proposed enactment being OBJ
scure, is of somewhat doubtful import and for
that reason, unsatisfactory. | should have pre-
fcrred n little more directness. What is the CON
dition of an enactment which is declared by act
of Congress to be ''inoperative and void :" Does
it remain in force take it not. That would be
contradiction in the terms to say that an enact
ment which had been declared by act of Congress
imperative and void is still in force. Then, if it
is not in force if il is not only imperative and
void, as it is TO be declared, but is not i'll force,
it is of course repealed. If it is to be repealed,
why not say sol | think it would have been
more direct and more parliamentary to say, "be
and is hereby repealed" Then we should know
precisely, for as legal and technical terms so,
what the amount of this new Legislative provision
! is.
Well, sir, if the form is somewhat objectiona-
BILE, think the substance is still more The
! amendment is to strike out the words (which was
! superseded BY" and to insert provision that the
act of 1890 is inconsistent with the principle of
! Congressional non.intervention, and is therefore
imperative and void. | do not quite understand
! how much is conveyed in this language The
compromise of 1890 it is said, is inconsistent
with the principle of the Legislation of 1850. If
any thing more is meant by 1.-THE principle of
! the legislation of 1850 than the measures which
were adopted at that time in reference to the
Territories of New Mexico and Utah-for may
assume that those are the Legislative measures
ferred to-if any thing more is meant than that n
certain measure was adopted and enacted i'll ref
erence to those Territories, take issue on that
point. do not know that it could be proved
that, in reference to those Territories
principle enacted at all. A certain
measure, or, If you please, course of measures
enacted in reference to the Territories of
New Mexico and Utah; but | do not know that
you can call this enactng principle. 1t is GER
tainly not enacting principle which is to carry
with it "A rule for other Territories lying in other
parts of the country and in a different legal posi-
ton. As to the principle of non-intervention on
the part of Congress in the question eff slavery,
do not find that, either even principle or as
measure, it enacted in those Territorial bills
of 1850 | do not, unless have greatly misread
them, find that there is any thing at all which
comes up to that Every Legislative act of those
! Territorial Governments must come before Con-
gress for allowance or dsallowance, and believe
that, under those bills, without repeating them,
without departing from them in the slightest de-
gree, it would be competent for Congress to-mor-
row to pass any law ON that subject.
How, then, can it be said that the principle of
non-intervention on the part of Congress in the
subject OF slavery was enacted and consecrated
| by the compromise measures of 1850! But, sir
whether that be not how can you find in u
simple measure applying in terms to these indivi-
dual Territories, and to them alone, a rule which
| is to govern all other Territories with "a retro
spectiyo and with prospective action Is it
not simple begging of the question TO say that
Al II