The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-28

The HOUSE resolved itself into Committee Of the Whole
the state Of the Union and proceeded M chAsDLEa in
the chair the consideration OF the amendments Of the
Senate TO the deficiency bill
NEBRASKA AND
Mr. SMITH Of Virginia addressed the committee in re-
laon the bill for organizing the Territories OF Nebraska
and Kansas lie said he felt deeply this subject II
was not in his TO feel eoldy upon any question at
fn9 the interest Of the section of the country which he
had the honor 10 represent lie acknowledged 70 the
House and the country that he felt deeply and acutel
too great wrong had been perpetraed by the past
legislation of the country upon his portion OF the Union
and il proposed by the present bill to correct that
wrong Whether that wrong had been perpetrated under
deliberate solemn circumstances or not did not alter the
fact When great outrage upon the constitution had
experimentation the provisions OF that holy nstru
had been disregardedtme could not harmonic nor
sanction the error and he roiced in his heart that there
indication in the proposed bill to repair the
wrong that had been done In this view Of the subject he
asked how it that gentlemen from the section OF
the country himself We're found in opposition 70 this
and how il that gentlemen had hurried into
the debate before the bill taken up to manifest that OPP
position With what sort OF expectation was II to have
been anticipated by the country that gentlemen from that
section of the Union interested in this question: would
have opposed this bill Nothing was better calculated to
excite his surprise and provoke his astonishment lie was
particularly astonished at the remarks OF the gentleman
from Loasana NJ HuSr,l and Of the ss''''e' ron
Slavery was not introduced into the States by le-
gisation AT the time Of the discovery of this continent
the whole country plain which slavery was
to be found II also known historical fact that
slavery came into Virginia. first Of all in 1920 to the num-
the planters slaves and held by them slaves without
thought of the necessity their part Of having the in
sttuon recognised established by the enactment of
law.
The slaves into the population of the country, and
the very first in which slavery recognised
an act passed in the Virginia legislature in 1860 forty
years afterwardsand that punish English
wants for running away with negroes He mentioned this
to show the In which slavery came into this coun
try II came in In the way cattle and other prop
erty imported by the Puritans at Plymouth Rock He
wished call attention to the fact that the first legislation
this subject did engender ilwill among the prov
up to the time Of the revolution although slavery ex
listed in every province And although there reg
uaton in reference to fugitive slaves amongst hem yet
the provinces moved in their without any strife
amongst them this subject and in that day there
difficulty about rendering to their masters the property
that might be taken from them.
After the termination of the war; effort made for
the first time to introduce this question into national egs
laton as an institution of the country The western
ritory moved in its Of settling and OF prosperity
until the ordinance it was termed of 1877 was enacted
He said fermed-fDr il then term which APP
piled all the of the confederation at the time
and did not indicate any particular solemny 1t was re-
quired then that nine Of the States were TO accede TO
measure before il adopted but they found that eight
States only concurred in its passage and not nine as the
constitution required.
From the close of the revolution until 1875 all peace
and kindness and brothery love, Here and there
fanatic and petition, but these did not even disturb the
general surface of society The element of dscord intro
uced in the year 1919 the application of the State of
Missouri for admission the Union And what the
consequence The gentleman from Missouri Mr. BENTON
had said the other day that since there had been
but he Mr. SMITH said there had been peace from that
period Did they all know tina, distinguished man
John Quincy Adams stepped down from the chief mags
tracy and agated this question: saying sooner than stop
agitation he would five millions Of southern hearth
denched in blood and did the gentleman from Ohio
Mr. GDDNGs say that it was lawful in effect for the
slaves of the South TO Stay the wives and children OF their
GlDDINus said .s-ls,uan ,asreprese nted him
lie had alluded 10 the wives and children
| owner.
Mr. SMITH replied it was because that would have
been nsuerahe and that the gentleman for the resolu
ton he introduced that OCCASION made to retire
from his seat and received the rehuke of the people
Mr. GlDDlNGS remarked that the rebuke sent him back
TO his seat
Mr.. SMITH. Sent you back with diminished major-
ty of two thousand, and ever since you have been afraid
to repeat the experiment
Mr.. GIDDINGS said the majority was increased.
Mr.. SMITH replied that the gentemans majority
four thousand but he came back after having been expe
led with only two thousand The gentleman, too had the
face TO ask the House repeal the resolution which
PEELED him. but instead of doing this there was general
Mr.. GIDDIYGs. The proposition was NOT made by me
Mr. SMITH But by your colleague and presume With
your consent
He repeated that up 1918 there was peace on the
very question and since that time discord and distraction
Mr. s then proceeded to reply to the gentleman from
Missouri Mr. BENTON e0ntending that II not his
torca fact that the Missouri Compromise Of 1920 i'm
posed by the South the North and denying that il
solemn compact lie likewise alluded the remarks Of
the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. BKsTosl in 1852, in
which that gentleman said the Compromise OF 1920
buried although he had remarked Tuesday last that be
came into Congress upon IT, and there he meant to stand
long as he lived
After some interruption from
Mr. CIlLOM, disputing the statements Of Mr.. s in ref
erence TO the position Of Mr.. Clay, TO which
Mr.. SMITH ably replied, the hour having expired,
Mr.. BARRY took the floor lie had here entertain
ing the opinion that we lived under constitutional gov
ernment and not under government Of neJe compro
misses; but he had been told that certain compromises
made since the adoption of the constitution equally
obligatory and binding that instrument itself lie re
pudated the idea that this government Is government Of
compromise II IS he repeated government Of the
stituon and that portion Of the country which received
less or asked more than guaranteed by the consttu
non was tathcss to the ea, trusts under that instr
ment
Mr.. b then argued that the Missouri Compromise was
unconstitutional, and advocated It's repeal
lie said that gentlemen from the North had been pro
sentng petitions Of which from women and IL
South asking for the passage Of the Nebrassa Dill True
but i've different southern legislatures had passed reso-
lions IN favor of the II however southern gem
temen should fail to defend their rights they would
put women forward 10 beg for their rights either in the
Senate or in the House, [Cheers and Iaught,rJ
The South got nothing by the Compromise Of 1850
cep prospect of something in the fuurej and that
the harvest time had come they were told TO withhold
their hands and reach forth for their share Of
the golden sheave The fact that the people of the South
had not by petition asked for the passage OF this bill was
no argument against IL
In the Of his speech Mr. explaped thai ho was
opposed to the Badger proviso but did not intend 10
this an excuse for opposing obsrucng the progress Of
the bill lie would vote for the bin even II that royiso
were retained and prepared to support measure to
the fn extent OF his ability as calculated 10 promote JUS
uce, harmony, and peace in the country.
Mr.. GlDDINGS asked the unanimous consent of inc
committee 10 make personal explanation in reference TO
what had fallen from the gentleman from VIRGINIA mfr