The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-05-14

The intention that these laws shall NOT be renewed bui
Iea continue repealed, could not well be explicitly
eared tha Is done IN the pending bill by the following
ARLxFlso already cited for another purpose
u being the true intent and meaning this act not TO
Slate slavery into Territory State, exclude
ifhereom but leave people thereof perfectly free 10
form andregulae their domestic Institutions in their own
way subject only TO the constitution Of the United States
Bat for doubts expressed in some quarters it never
n"dn ~Sud have occurred h & e me i there could any two
question: however and place beyond controversy what was
before certain the proviso moved in the Senate by Mr.
Badger of North Carolina comes in, and declares
That nothing contained ~ this shall be construed to re-
viye put in force law regulation which may have
existed prior TO 9th March, 1920 either protecting estsb
fishing, prohibiting, or aboishing slavery"
Thus was assurance made doubly sure This was sim
ply deearatory clause To adopt the words of the gem
teman from Alabama, it Pathological, and could
have been intended only quiet the apprehensons of gen
emen whose knowledge of the law equal to their
caution l. seems to me, theRore, that Mr. Badgers pro-
S si'lhaas hai should render
less acceptable in any quarter
Slavery is local institution IL exists by virtue Of local
or municipal laws permitted by the federal constt
ton IS not inconsistent with it. but is not established by
it. The constitution recognises the right Of the States
determine the matter for themselves This bill proposes
the same thing for the Territories 1t does for Nebraska
and Kansas what the compromise legislation of 1850 did
for Utah and New Mexico-nohing more nothing less. It
does not establish slavery prohibit it, but leaves the
people concerned to say whether they win have it
The question has arisen whether slaves carried into these
Territories after the passage of this BILL could be held
such before any territorial legislation upon the subject
Southern gentlemen have expressed the opnion that they
could be SO holden contrary view is taken the North
as northern man, concur in the opinion that slaves
could not be holden in the absence of authority from local
laws But this not ground for difference in regard
the pending measure The Supreme Court is the proper
tribunal to settle the controversy should it practically
arise There sir am willing to leave it. There this bill
leaves it, Congress PREJUDICE the constitutional
question The bill does undertake to do it. 1t in
wolves therefore, surrender concession this par
cular by either party 1t leaves every citizen to stand
he IN tupl his
der the constitution.
Slavery, then, is not established in the Territories by
this bill In my Judgment sir it could be carried there
by any legislation II will go there 1t has been
practically excluded by higher power than ours That
sir the power which fashioned the territory mixed its
soil determined its products, and tempered It's skies The
condition of this region in this respect though in some
particulars for different natural causes is that of California
and New Mexico 1t does not require is it to any
tent compatible WITH slave labor The people by whom it
will be inhabited whether from the North the South
will generally be such that their interests if not their in
elinations will be adverse to slavery This opinion has
been substantially expressed by of the prom-
nent statesmen OF the North who oppose the BILL and by
almost il not quite every southern speaker who has au
ded to the matter And sir il gives pleasure to say
the mass of the southern here who favor this measure
that they ask il not because it will give any advan-
tage to their section but because il recognises their
stiutona rights and comedies their constitutional equal
ity.
The issue presented by this BILL Mr. Chairman will go
before the country No man need fear to trust that trbn
nal with the decision of such question 1t of those
matters upon which the people will be found advance
rulers and politicians They sir for progress when
that progress Is in the direction of right and their
welbeing Whoever places himself in its way will be
overwhelmed by the advancing mass had anticipated,
sir that this measure mbodyng principles salnary
ana aeiesioe coming 10 us win such an emphatic sane
ton from the other house would have met with the speedy
appreciation of large majority of this body Ii has been
procrastinsted The votes of to-day have shown that il
cannot be defeated That certainty has already been pro-
claimed lightning wings TO the country But sir,
should be defeated for the present by the elements
opposition combined against it, that result though matter
Nc
uce and expediencynothng of my confidence in its ult
mate Such the fate OF the against
the United States Bank the independent treasury the
uue ar the compromise acts OF 1850 and other great
measures Of democratic policy They too misundc
stood and misepresented opposed and obsructed Some
of them failed for time They were thrown back upon
the country for examination The people canyassed them
sanctioned them rallied to their rescue and bore them r
resistiby forward 70 glorious triumph They have be
come canons Of the republican churchtoucsones of po
liuea orthodoxy Their beres revilers fain deny
their former opposition and claim the credit havng been
their friends 1t win be Through the clouds and
thick darkness that have enyeoped the present con-
trovcrsy see even now the dawn of brighter day.
1t will become clear and peryading the light Of
the MONDAY sun The great principle of scligov-
ernment will be vindicated, and the slavery agitation
viii be banished forever from the halls Of Congress.
1t is time that this agitation should Futile for
good it has been potent only for evil and that con-
tnually 1t has been fruitful Of strife hcarburnngs and
peril but has liberated slave II has made his yoke
heavier and his chain tighter II has set brother against
brother State against State and section against section
At the north il has excited anmosty towards the South
at the South il has stirred up enmes against the North
IL has esanged those whom God and Nature designed for
frends-whose interests promoted their intercourse
is increasedheir relations intimate their inter-
change of products and friendly offices frequent BY
interfering where IL has right, and attempting to
dragoon and 70 coerce when If il inerposes at ALL it
should seek concate and persuade his exasperatcd
the master while it has Disconnected without bene6tng
the slave II has induced the necessity for rigorous
laws and scter discipline Ii has welded the southern
mind TO system 1t might otherwise have been disposed
when il practicable 10 abandon and rolled back the
Of emancipation for half century II has continued
the existence Of slavery in several of the States which
but for its interference would in my belief have to-day
been free is the canker-worm Of peace the
pent in the garden Of prosperity the sole formidable
obstacle in the way Of national advancement and per-
peuity Shall continue longer to foster and to en-
courage IL? Let IL be driven by the passage Of this bill
like nm Achan from camp; and henceforth let the
brand Of public reprobaton like the mark of Cain, be
upon the brow Of him who would stir up the fires OF
sectional strife raise the hoarse cry OF dscord and dis
union The memories of the past the realities of the pres
eu the kindng auguries Of the future all beckon
ward to power of empire and of grandeur
flter and pause and turn back from .hs magnificent
career weep the imaginary wrongs of the red man
the black 10 criminae and quarrel about the balance
| Of power between the North and the South
Let us eschew such miserable themes Of strife In the
noble words Of him who guides the helm Of State let US
\ know tno North, South, East no West but fidelity
to the common bond and true devotion TO the common
brotherhood The spirit OF comprehensive patriotism
there uttered has guided him through life We may be
sure that it will animate him to the end With mind
alive to the stirring calls Of future wntchfu
the countrys interests and honor he viii be found 10 pos
ses under all circumstances and upon s occasions the
dauness will execute what his Judgment shall ordain