The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-05-16


was partial and unsatisfactory This compromise is Of
recent dae Tor the passions which il gave rise
snbsideu and public opinion TO its merits is yet little
else than the dscordant sentiment by which the community
was divided upon Its passage shall forbear any arg-
ment 70 show that IL is unconstitutional and any attempt
define the esmte in which it is held by the public
But has this Compromise been violated will be
lated eisl<r by omission comlnission7
1t is but candor sir to state that advo-
cate or ~ admirer OF this Compromise entertained the
same opinion OF compromises in 1850 which have avowed
in this debate believe that the country would have
been as happy and our institutions permanent if
of them Aad passed. satisfied the constitution
would have been far the object of vencraton and
confidence informal amendments had been attempted
and no questionable powers had been exercised be
similar those which had preceded and that its fate
uoad nok be unlike; and it originated and rumphed in
undue assumptions that ta stseSA ef power would be
equity and justice it contained would be withheld scoed
and cyaded. u thought 1t no further binding upon the
people OF the Union than as the wisdom of its provisions
might commend It TO their favor. The issue made be
fore the people Of Mississippi whether not they would
assent to 4 AS permanent adjustment of the slavery
questions q attempt to procure redress against its hard
ships After very heated canvass the people OF thnt
State determined TO abide by The Compromise although
they did mot entirely approve" It, Those who opposed
this ceased they had promised to do when the
people should have acted upon the subject all opposition
to those measures; and without changing their opn
ions of thq real nature of the Compromise united in
hoping tlAt II might bring to the country even
more pernnent repose than its most sangunc friends an
ticipated The argument mainly relied upon in Missis
spp by the friends OF acqnescence that the territorial
bills involved an abandonment by Congress of the right 10
exclude slavery; and that in the future organization Of
Territories the question Of slavery should not be adu
ted by Congress and that the States should be adj
mitted with without slavery their constitutions
might provide Whether this the true construction Of
those bills not II certainly the put upon them
~ the friends Of the Compromise and on the faith q which
the people OF Mississippi acquiesced in it. Did they tran
scend the real intent and meaning of the Compromise in
representing or is the hesitation in this House to apply
these principles in the Nebraska and Kansas bills only the
o of
course will not surprise me- will it. though Of the
saterghts party in Mississippi prophesied such result
CRAFTY me- IT must however outrage the Union men of
the South, who urged the Compromise upon the people
there with the that its wise provisions would
forever quiet the agitation Of the slavery question:
and secure equality and justice to the South The
friends of that measure to be the first victims of its
deccptons and with the memory of outraged confidence
fresh in their recoections, where body of men be
found in all the South who will dare urge that people to
trust again in cspprolnses They have found that the
constitution was unequal to their defence and now the
grievances Of the Compromise TO the South inmedi
ate they are executed and revocabe its benefits were
prospectvethey Wers justice and rpose not the justice
that consists in the pcrpetuaton Of wrong when fair
occasion offers for repairing it. nor the repose that is to be
procured only by not daring claim rights but the
pose and Justice OF an equitable exercise of the powers of
Congress The practical advantages to the South under
these bills may be nothing If there were laws protecting
slavery in this Nebraska Territory perectly in Mis-
ssvi, il 3ay be that slave would find his way
sstsr xilsAc Htiesons uns roprvsi.es russ
readiness there k DO jnstce md how many northern
men dare stand by the constitution
believe il was Earl Puney who said in the British
Parliament that if he found the Crown Of England hang
ing upon BUSH he would be ready to die in its defence
and sir there have ever been both at the North and the
South willing TO peril life and honor whenever they
found shred OF constitutional right to be defended
they would guard banner on which the constitution
itself were inscribed The of such extinct
either in This House among the people The times de-
mand then, and they will not be wanting, will they
falter The b Ifu bsiieee, will pass, and win give
rePose not the htu uneasy transient slunber OF ma
ton drxged with the deeierous anodynes Of compromise
but the healthy rest Of people reposng securely upon
just distribution of its constitutional rights and that fra
terna which will always exist among kindred
people whose regard is not outraged by of nu-
ries inflicted or endured.
come now, Mr.. Chairman TO the considerations why
this restriction should not bc repealed, The honorable
gentleman from Missouri, Mr.. BENTON TO whose expert
and ability pay reader Difference than has de-
clared that "heythe free Satcsa,e not only been just
but mapnanmous the slave States and that TO pass
this bill would he requiting their justice and magnanimty
with ugratitude In what did this magnanmity consist
In the fact that northern senators voted for treaties with
Indians by which land in southern States relieved
from Indian occupancy and title Let examine this al
legation On the gath of April 1902 the State of Georgia
ceded the United States all that territory comprs-
ing the States of Alabama and Mississippi In considera
ton OF this cesson the federal government undertook
among other things all of which palry compared to
the value of the country ceded to extnguish the Indian
title all the land In the State of Georgia This the gov
undertook to do and northern senators had abso
luey the mngnanmity vote for confirming treaties made
with the Indians by which the contract between the State of
Georgia and the federal government performed There
question that the dnty OF the to
ex,inguisl the Indian title; doubt about the neccs-
siy of its being done promptly And yet this discharge of
duty paraded before the country an instance Of the
magnanmity of the North towards the South; towards
State too which for nominal consideration had yielded
to the federal government hundred thousand square
miles Of a. fine territory there is in the Union But sir
the honorable member from Missouri forgot TO state that
north OF the Ohio was another magnificent domain the
voluntary gis Of the State of Virginia the Union in
which found Indian tribes as numerous fierce and
Yarlikc those in the Georgia cesson There no
explicit obligation 20 estn guish title there and yet the
proceeded rapidly in the south
extremity ~ the Union And for the treaties necessary
accomplish this many southern senators voted rs
found from the North voting for the treaties ex-
tnguish the Indian title in Georgia Two-hirds Of the
Senate necessary to confirm treaty, and the number
\ OF senator's from the two sections equal
sir compelled 10 think that the Senate IN the mat
under consideration did its duty, and nothing
Magnanirous is strong word by which TO charactezc
the simple discharge OF dnydischarged too, under
circumstances of peril under any of those temptations
which are sometimes formidable than danger But
this is rravcy down the of the South
obligation of gratitude and IL is thought criminal TO ask
rights now because the North voted 10 fulfil
pact Of the government half century since Nothing
shows more plainly tho low esteem In which the South
is held in certain quarters than that the slightest oh
cation fulfilled towards her Is ascrbed TO charity and
magnanmity while all her sacrifices and iorbcarance
but tbanklcss duty think, then sir that this potent
gument of gratitude, which IL Is thought should bind us
70 submit TO injustice, Is summarily disposed Of by the
| facts.
i Another reason Mr. Chairman, urged by the member
from Missouri well rs others here is that there
petitions from the South for the abrogation Of the line
Nhe there many from the North against IT, II might
II n. -