The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1854-03-15

ssseaf lhe sieFpest compassion. such as
ihe union d these slatef-I
sad really would DO almost anything
Ia eject that ubjeef-t0 aid ID carrying
slavery into . territory where il did
not previously exist. 1t was that feel
ing which. in the revolutionary crisis.
VAS universal throughout the land; for
the anti slavery feeling Of that time, |
take il. 10 have been mainly . poliii-
cal sentiment. rather than a moral or
religious one. ltsas the same feeling
which. in 1857. led the whole Congress
ofsthe confederation to unite in the or.
dinance Of 1897. Mr.. Jefferson. in I7e4,
had proposed the same prosiso in re-
ference 20 ell the territory possess
ed by the United States. even as Ear
down as SIC, which was their southern
boundary. IL ass the same feeling. !
take il. which led respectable southern
members Of Congress. as late as 1890.
TO vote for the restriction of slavery in
the State az Missouri-of which class,
] believe. there were some. And, sir,
IL is a FEELING. believe in my con.
science, which, instead of being Great,
ed. or stimulated. or favored by sys-
matte agitation Of the subject. is pow
erfully repressed and discouraged BY
that very agitation; and il this bill
passes the Senate, as to all appearance
Il will. il will prove 20 demonstration
that that feeling is not so strong now
as il was in 1920. which, for my part,
Iascribe mainly to the recoil Of the con
sentative mind &c the non slaseholding
States from this hsrassing and disas-
trous agitation.
A single word. sir. in respect TO this
supposed principle Of non intervention
on the part Of Congress in the subject
Of slavery in the Territories. I con.
Tess am surprised to find this brought
forward, and stated with so much con.
fidencr, as an established principle Of
the Government. know that dis
tinguished gentlemen held the opinion.
II mistake not. the very distinguish
ed Senator from Michigan Mr.. Cass
holds il. and has propounded il; aud
pay all due respect and Difference 10
his authority, which | conceive to be
very high. But | was not aware that
any such principle was considered q
settled principle Of the territorial po-
icy Of this country. Why, sir, from
the first enactment in 1889 down to
the bill before us, there is no such prin-
ciple. II il were not for the guards
that have been put into the bill since
il WAS first reported. il would have
been perfectly competent. as far as l
see. for Congress 10 pass any law that
they pleased on the subject in the Ter.
ritorlcs. But howe, or tina I may be. even
by this bill. there is not a law which the
Territories can pass. admitting or ex-
GLIDING slavery. which il ia not in the
power Of this Congress to disallow the
hextday. This is not mere brufuni ful.
men. II is not an unexecuted pow err.
Your statute-book shows case after
case. ] believe. in reference to sin.
gle Territory, that there have been fl.
teen or twenty cases where territorial
Legislation has beer disallowed by Con.
gress. How. then, can il be sai,l that
this principle Of non.interyention is
now TO be recognized as an established
principle in the public policy Of the
Congress Of the United States:
DO gentlemen Iccollcct the terms,
almost u ,lisdain, with which this sup
POSED established principle If our con.
stitutional policy is trcatedin that last
,alcdictory speech Of Mr.. Calhoun,
which, unable TO pronounceit himself,
he was obliged to give TO the Senate
through the medium Of his friend, the
Senator from Virginia? lie reminded
the senate that the occupants Of Ter.
ritorv were not even call the peoplc-
but SIMPLY the Inhabitants of a Terrific.
~. till they were allowed BY Congress
to call a con, cntion and form State
Mr.. President. I do regret that it is
proposed repeal the 9th section Of the
Missouri act. believe il is admitted
that there is no great material interest
at stake. | think the chairman Of the
committee. Mr. Douglas, ] the Senator
from Kentucky, Mr. Dixon, and per-
hars the Senator from Tennessee Mr.,
Jones behind me, admitted that there
was M great interest at stake. II is
not supposed that this is to become
sIave-hol'ling region. The climate,
hc soil, the staple productions are not
such as to invite the planter Of the
States, who is disposed to
10 turn away from the cotton
'cgious Of the South, and establish
himself in Kansas. or Nebraska. A
ew domestic servants NAV lie taken
here, few farm laborers, as il were, /,
periodically but in the long run am
Iuite sure ever, body admits that this
5 not TO be slaveholding region; and
{ not this. certainly no cart oc the