Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-03-22

If the power is not conferred by Congress,
whence 10 you derive it? The senator from
Michigan has left Us in no doubt as to the quar-
ter from which he derives it. On a former
occasion, and in speech not now before me,
but which have in my minds eye, the sena-
tor said he derived the power from Almighty
sod. ~.
Mr.. CASS. do not wish to interrupt the
senator at all, because il is matter ofno sort of
but wish to say to him that |
did not derive that power from Almighty God
| was asked whence i derived the power of
government in the people; and ! answered
that the right Of government, not the right
~ exclude slavery, was derived from Almighty
God.
Mr. BROWN. l suppose when the senator
said the right of government without imposing
\ limitation, he meant, of course, to include the
right 10 exclude slavery?
Mr.. CASS. OF course. f
Mr.. BROWN. SO understood the senator.
understood him as deriving the power Of self
government for the people directly from Hea.
ven; and, rs the senator imposed no limitation
or restriction on the power, inferred, Of course,
that he meant to include the right over slavery,
and the senator says | was correct. Twas JUS
tilted, therefore, in saying that the senator had
derived this power from God; not this single
power, and it alone, but this along with other
powers '..
Now, sir, if this be So the conduct of this
government has been most singular; and, if the
senator will ALLOW me, viii say, with the most
perfect respect, that his own personal conduct
needs explanation. If | am not mistaken in
the antecedeuts OF the senator, some sixteen or
twentyyears of his now protractea and honora.
bic life have been spent in the government OF
one of these Territories. He was commits
stoned 10 do so, not by Heaven, but by the
President Of the United States. The people
whom he governed vita so much ability, and
with such acknowledged advantage to them,
were never consulted as to whether he should
be their governor. .*.
The President commissioned him, and that
was the end of it. All the people had to do
was to receive him and to respect him as their
governor. When the senator comes to reply, |
shall be glad to learn from him how he JUST.
fes himself in taking a mans commission to
rule over people who have authority direct
from God himselftog govern themselves? Itseems
to me- without explanation, that the senator has
stood, according to his own theory, very much
like usurper; and if had not the greatest
possible veneration and respect for the senator,
i
terposed to wrest from a people the greatest
and best gift of Heaven-the ri ht of selfgov-
ernment. #.
If, as is contended, the people of Territory
are gifted from Heaven with the right of SELF
government, by, what authority do you habtu.
ally send men to rule over them? You ap-
point their governors and other executive Off
c,rs, and remove them at pleasure. You ap.
poiut judges to expound their laws, and even
These lire not exempt from the power of re-
moval: True, YOU allow them, as matter of
special grace, TO elect members of their legis-
la:ive council. But then, to show the omni-
potence OF your power, YOU require them to
send up their laws for approval here, and none
are binding until approved by Congress. This
very bill now under discussion authorizes the
President to appoint governors, secretaries,
judges, marshals, &c, for these Territories;
and il is very explicit in providing that all laws
passed By the territorial legislature shall un-
dergo the revision Of Congress before they are
binding. 1t does seem to me, Dir. President,
il these people have been specially commits
stoned from Heaven to govern themselves, we
are guilty of an impious usurpation, and be-
come the rankest despots, when we exercise
authority ike this. l shall be glad to know
OF the senator how we are to Justify ourselves
in thus assuming and exercising control over a
people whom God has authorized to govern
themselves? For be it remembered, the sena.
tor has asserted that the people had the right of
sell-government unlimited and complete; aud
when / So stated his position, as in his judg-
ment to INDUCE the impression that he had as.
serted their power over slavery alone, he cor.
recced me, and said his assertion was the right
OF acknowledgements as to every
thing; slavery, of course, included.
What | contend for is, that if the'people
have the right Of selfgovernment as contend
cd ion by the senator from Michigan, then YOU
have 40 right 10 appoint officers to rule over
them, nor exact that they shall send up
their laws for your approval: and if they
have not the sovereignty which entities them
to appoint their own officers and to pass their
own laws. independent Of your supervision and
dictation, then they have not that higher de.
gree Of sovereignty which entities them to say
what shall and what shall not be property in a
territory inhabited by them, and belonging to
The States Of this Union. -. -:
Whateverth the senator's opinions NAV be. and
do not question his sincerity, the practical re.
suits OF his action are these The people, with
all their Heaven,born sovereignty, have no
right OF selt-government, of free and uncon-
rolled Sclt-government, Until they come to
slavery, and then their power is as boundless and
as unlimited as God can make it. You an
point their officers without their approval. and
remove them without their consent. You ex.
ercse the utmost vigilance over their legisla
ton until it comes to slavery, and then Won
grant them the largest liberty WHY is this !?
Either it proceeds from n timiditv that shrinks
from manly responsibility on this subject,
which cannot suspect, and therefore will not
charge; or else from conviction that slavery
is an institution accursed Of Heaven, and that,
while yoar love for the Union will not allow
you to stamp on it the seal of Heavens ven
geance, you will withdraw from it all protec.
ton, and leave it to the tender mercies of all
whose passions or prejudices may lead them to
make war upon it. '....s
Sir, | have no fellowship with that sickly
sentinentaliy that speaks Of slavery as great
! moral evil, and is constantly PRAYING for some
safe and peaceful mode Of getting rid of it. |
believe that slavery is Of divine origin. and
| tina: it Is great moral, social, and political
blessing-a blessing to the slave, aud blessing
to the master. am not going to elaborate
this idea; it is Of itself theme for half doz.
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