Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-03-01
NUMBER 50
RICHMOND wHIG.

u' ''i win heart full Of gratitude TO wise Providence
after protracted contest Of years. this question va.
~ ".'e solution not by any temporary expedisats.
OUT upon the broid principles constitutional us,; .d
rght which was the only ground upon which I, c,,l,
be satisfactorily and permanently seuI.d L. .,..,-
upon the discusson he desired resemble In. A,hs,.
~ho before speaking always prayed III, uois that
NC go' utter no word inconsistent With justice and truth
ine'e was a msrked difference bet~eeu tho argument
mAoe oy the opponents Of this bill, and those bv n.
friends The friends OF the bill had uttered no word which
might not be accepted by the people tho truth vais
S''e's Who lived moved and had their being in
excitement and agitation had sent forth much tia, .hoa
never have been addressed the pen pl These I.u.,
rave revived their old speeches ad ia IN ~.
COmptoise Of $50 and delivered them again .os;, =, ~
o" lhsy are o"' ng nos against the great uuth
asserted and estibi sh ii by the eatou OF 1880 The
Senator from Mass chusetts mr. Sumner in his ,necch
not OILY uaduc'd The people oi the South but also hi,
coantymen OF section by styling all Al. thos Tho Ala
not agree with him in he Free Soil aud AboItoo s.n,,
neht white slaves II tue To sdI,esa
he south TO change her policy Of African Slavery that
mere hght be white Slavery? Was Il an argument to
ne sonth That white should in ,h.,
here might he elevation the blacksy IL ua. Eh.I -
ue NIrn 70 style al. who were Free Soilers white slaves
lie had seen lately in New York proof that it WAS Hb.I
There were there who declined all political .ssno;
Ton With Free SoieTs and Abolt oniss and who ey.,
refused office at the price of that association Thss
men In New York city who did this did NOT stand sia
one hundred thousand freemen Of that State had
ed The act: Were these men slsvesr We could mo,
ooaSs unht our dnu produced hut
while admitting that had reptiles among ma Wa cond
boast that We had an intelligence a freedom and con-
sut'on, which was superior to their venom The aues-
ton now before the Senate the same old ona of ,h
right, power and expedency Conprr., intarG,in In
the regulation Of the domestic concerns of The neon Of
he ierritoits Much had been said Of compscts and
honor ahd iit and hvolabity Of sacred obIiqations
Who spoke OF these things? The men whom M on,hs
could bind no Obligations Of !n:y of law could swer,e
rom rom ,e execution OF Their ie purposes. The Senator
nom New York spoke upon public and sacred honor
aud solemn compact, and he, when Governor of Nv
ork AND sworn TO execute the Constitution Of the Uni
TED States refused To execute it the ground that n
slave not the subject feonous of n,o
perry Some OF these Senators knew something of
paCs to defeat the vail of the people BY some Of these
foul compacts coalitions they were called in N,a-
sachusetts the people defraudrd Of being
properly represented that of these men mipbt he
sent to the Senate Men who owed their elevation to
such fraudulent compacts these now talked of the
Igh"d aith honor and the invioability Of contracts
who Nile openly declaring they will not carry opt a
compromise, talk To others about observing them What
did this conduct mean? IL disclosed that thew were
insensble TO shame He would consider the psrtrusr
provisions OF this hill under four aspect- First that II
wise just, constitutional and ought TO be adonted
Secondly that It had resolved the aequiescent approval
of nineteen twentieIhs of the public sentiment Of ,ha
United States Thirdly he would reply the objections
to tie bill; and ourty, he would dprove that this bill
was a departure from the ancient policy of Tho
Republic, aud dsp. owe that the ancient policy uas
prohibition o. sisery. Th,re VAS no objection tho
conslituoualy of allowing e people of the Territories
to settle this question they tlought proper Those Who
advocated the prohibition OF Slavery Congress a. we'll
i MED in
Congress to do So all admitted was 10
leave the question with the people the Territories To
decide ior themselves lie did believe the sovereign
~ ever Territories in the Congress of The
Government. The Supreme Court lad aaid somerLinp
about sovereignty in Congress did lot place much
confidence there. That Court undoubtedly the sa "a
depository Of private right but he knew Of no
oi political power hy the General Government but what
the Supreme Court had found power Tor it, He be.
ieved all sovereignty in the Territories in the peope
OF those Territories ConRess had power ei ven il
in the
population of five thousand in the Territories had tb
same supreme political sovereignty that they would
nave did they numt er hive millions. The sovereign
msht Tor lime lie IN allegiance, but it could
not be disturbed. The very first man who entered
those territories was covered all with the ssme
,onstt"ton that covered him in any State, and his
right TO sovereignty OF the people could not bs
usurped. lie might be- able to assert aud maintain IL
by force but it much bis bad armies 10 de-
iend IT, The people Of California lad exercised this SOW
eregnty. Congress admitted their aWiu exercise of H.
and California able 10 assert it. She bad the power
lie and many Others had defended the admission Of Cali
torsa bCcluse OF this great principle Of popular
eighty lie bad voted to apply the principle To Utah
and New-Me1ico. How were they treated who had re-
cognzed this great principle by voting those acts
Many OF them had been hunted down by those who nov
opposed ts bl hunted down their graves and their
memories trsduced and viled. Hyenas feed on dead boz
dies but these men feed upon something more precious
than the body-name motive aud reputation. In his mind
there question doubt that the people who 90
to these territories vested with complete SOW
eregny over IT, That sovereignty may be held in abey.
for while until Congress give its assent TO ts ex
ercse but that il is all the time held by the peop aone
could not he disputed. Ths Constitution sed nothing
OF slaves He denied that Congress by any Implication
could draw the to ohbt Slavery the Terrific.
ries IL had power in any shape over Slavery Tho
Constitution was not framed with reference slavesths
was Government OF freemen Its liberties were won
and upheld by eemen for eemen and not slaves Slave.
ry the time Of the adoption of the exi
ted in many of what are free States Their Consu-
tons made no provision respecting African slaves The
freedom those Constitutions provided for eemen and
not slaves The most OF them gave freedom whites
for years before they abolished Slavery and before they
set their slaves free they took sell the greater part
OF them to Southern States This question Of the SOW
ereignty OF Congress the old issue between
the parties who combatted prerogaye against privilege
Madison had written much against and long disputed with
those who favored prerogatve and held
to the doctrine that all powers vested in the States
people not expressly given Congress In 1895 Mr.
Madison argued in the House Of Representatives against
the sovereignty OF tho General Government II was then
decided in the case OF Mr. jays treaty that tho
treay-makirg power, though underlined, unimi-
ted The people Of the North not aycrse to this
principle of popular soveregniy-they would notbe in
at its recognition adoption. Some Of these Sena-
tors who live by agitation, think the world Is in motion
because they excited lie well remembered In 1850
| hearing the Senator from New York proclnnipg the
storm which would follow the sets of that year. and his
thre nenng that though passed, the time would come
when the cry would 20 up Of repeal repeal repeal -
Those acts were adopted and what the resntS Tho
Senaior went home, few riots and were got up
and then all quiet. The people Of tho North were
then aud willing to have this question settled
the principle that the sovereignty in tho people and
prophecies in 1850. Tic after one Of the hrst
mCn who sneaked into political organization which
endorsed every Of those he had bittry
opposed The Senate might rest assured that storm
would from that Senator. That Senator's
thuudcr not real but sheet iron and phOsphorus-
Another individual who then represented New
Hampshire undertook to tell the fate Of those who
woul vote for those and the result OF the pro-
phecy was he longer in the Senate His princi-
pie Of popular sovereignty the great principle
which the battles Of the revolution fought IL
dear Ia the people Of the North snd at all times
to any others They knew that this bill proposed
nothing than that principe-ihey would approve t.
But they not told this by tho speeches Of the oppo
ncnts Of this bill The Free Soers did truly repre-
the people Of the North. They bal got IN the Senate
by getting up eIcements aud would go out OF h as coon
the people could reach them. All the South asked vas
that the principle established in 1850 aud given TO Utah
and New Mexico. should bo extended to other territory
protected by the hig and same Consultation The
people there would at the proper time and IN the proper
manner exercise their power The Senstor from hassa-
chusets had ifed the history fNesocles and Afisiides