Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-05-25


be better: took physic and here am Bat the
states must be greatly delighted at the polite less
and ioroearance OF this bill. 1t puts states and
territories upon precise equality with respect to
the power of Congress over them. Congress
does not mean to put slavery into any state or
territory. To all polite obligations have to say,
that in respect to the states it is the superogaon
of modesty and humility, Congress happens to
have power to put slavery IN them or out of
them; and in respect TO the territories, it is an
nbdication of a constitutional power and duty !;
it being the right of Congress to lsgislate upon
slavery IN the territories, and its duty to do so
when there is occasion for it-a. in 1877 and
1890.
l object TO this shilly shally, willy wonty,
don'ty canty, style of legislation. { Ro1rs Of
taash'er) 1t is not legislative. Ii is not parlia-
mentary II is not M ,nly. II is not womanly.
No world talk that way. No shi!' =
shally i'll woman. Nothing of TIE female gen
der born young enough, or ever lived
long enough to get beiogged in such quandary
ns this ReHetred taRgMer) Ii is one thing or
the other with them But the end of this stump
speech is the best of the whole. Different from
good milk in which the cream rises to the top, IT
here settles 10 the bottom, and is in these words
Leave it to the people thereof that is 10 say.
of the states and of the terrtories.J to regulate
slavery for themselves they please only sub
ject TO the constitution of the United States
At this point in his speech IIr Benton's hour
expired. An attempt was made by Southern
members TO deny him the usual courtesy of con
GLIDING his remarks in the hour belonging to Mr.
Wentworth who had obtained the floor. After a
squabble. too long in its details for our columns,
he was suffered to go on as follows:
Certainly this is a new subsection for the states
Heretofore they have been free 10 regulate slavery
ivr themselves-admit 1t reject it--and that
not by virtue of any grant of power in the CON
ktitution, but by virtue of an unsurrendered part
of their old sovereignty. Ii is also of the
territories. Heretofore they have been held 10 be
wards of Congress, and entitled 10 nothing under
the constitution bu: that which Congress extended
10 them But this clause Is not accidentally here
ii IS 10 keep up the dogma OF the constitution in
territories but only there III relation TO slavery
and that for lis admission. not rejection.
Three dogmas affllct the land ridcitcct ::
sguaters sovereignty, non intervention, and no
power in Congress to legslate upon slavery in the
territories. And this bill asserts the whole three
by knocking each one on the head with the other
and trampiing each under foot in turn. Sir. tie
bill does deny squa,ter sovereignty, and 1t does
legislate upon territories, and for proof OF that
see the bill and see, as the lawyer says. pGsSia
that Is 10 say, here, and there, and everywhere
II is a bill of assumptions and contradictions
assuming what is unfounded. and contradctng
what il assumes and balancing every affirmation
d Il
innocent see saw which children play plank
stuck through fence; but the upand down game
OF politicians, played at the expense of the peace
and harmony of the Union, and to the sacrifice of
all business IN Congress II is an amphibological
BILL stuffed with monstrosties, hobbled with con-
tradictions, and badgered with a provso.-
(LGushfa)
.Anph..5oIogy is cause for the rejection OF
bills. not only by Congress- but by the President
when carried 10 him for his approval. General
Jackson rejected tor that cause, ana IL was
less amphIboogical than this; il was the last
night OF the last day of his last administration
and quarter before midnight. Congress had
sent him bill TO repeal the specie circular, and
20 inaugnrate the paper money OF a thousand To-
cal banks as the currency of the Federal Govern
nient- II was an object not to be avowed nor to
be done IN any direct or palpab,e manner Para
phrases, cIrcumocution, ambidexterity and ambi-
guilty, were necessary 10 cover up the design and
/, was piled on until it was uuinyeiligible The
President read H. and could make nothing Of il
he sent Il to his Attorney General, who was
equally puzzled. lie then returned il, with a mes
sage. 70 the Senate, refusing to sign the bill for
amphiboloey. We should reject this bill for the
same cause if for nothing else
Hard Is the fate of party fealty. Ii has to keep
up with the everchangug measure. Often have
these bills changed and under every phase they
have had To be received as text OF orthodoxy:
and have more changes 10 undergo yet, and 10
continue TO be a test under all mutations.
seuatter Sovereignty Exposed.
And now what is the object of this movement
which so dIsturbs Congress and tue country!
What do it propose 10 accomplish TO settle
aprInciple, : the answer-the principle of non
intervention and the right ofthe people of the
ritory TO decide the question OF slavery for them
selves. Sir, there is such principle. The ter
ritories are the children of the states They are
minors, under age and il is the business of the
states, through their deegt tions 10 Congress 10
take care fthem until they are ofage-uutil they
are ripe for state government: then 10 give them
that government and admit them to equality
with their fathers. This is the law. and has been
go admitted since the ordinance of 1884.
The states in Congress are the guardians of the
territories, and bound To exercise that guardi-
anship; and cannot abdicate it without breach of
trust and dereiction of duty Why sir the ter
rtoFy Itself IS the property OF the states and they
do with 1t what they pIease-permIt it 10 be set
tied or not as they Please cut II up BY the lines
they please; SELL give it away as they please;
chase white people from Ii, as they please. This
has always been the case. There Is a proclama-
ton extant OF the old Congress OF the coned-
Grafton, describing the first settlers in the North
west territory as "dlsorderiy persons, and order
ing them 10 be driven off by the military.
| remember many such military expulsions in
the settlement OF the western country, often execu-
tel with severity; burning houses. cutting up corn.
destroying fences, and driving off people at the
point OF the bayonet and under the edge of the sa-
bre. As late lS2t-,35, and after the extinction
OF the Indian title 10 the Platte country in Mis-
souri, sim lar orders gwen to the then colo
mel Of Dragons commanding on that frontier, the
now Senator II Congress, Henry Dodge, to expel
the people from that purchase; orders which he
executed IN gentleness and mercy, going alone,
plainins his business and requiring them 10 go a.
way; which they did like good and orderly people;
and h.ar
and lndustro'.s people, and secured their pre- emp
tons. Not only settled but organized territory
has been treated, by the federal government, and
worse the people driven of. and their homes Civ
en- away. Inis happened IN Arkansas in IS2S
when twelve thousand square miles OF her organ
lied territory given 10 the CheTokees. and the
people driven away. Why. sir, this very line of
36 deg 80 min. with all the territory on one side
OF 1t. and two degrees on the other side, were CIV
10 the King OF SPAN This has been the sew
enty years practice OF the goverument-to treat
the territories as property. and the people I'M