Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-02-27
tree of life,
High eminent, blooming ambrosial fruit
Nf veaeta hla cold

It is with regard to this territory that you
are now called to exercise the grandest fune-
ton of the lawgiyer, by establishing those
rules of poity which will determine its future
character. As the twig is bent the tree IN
clines and the influences impressed upon the
early DAYS of an empire-like those upon a
child-are of inconceivable importance to its
future veal or woe. The bill now before us,
proposes to organize and equip two new ter
ritorial establishments, with governors, secre-
taries, Legislative councils, Legislators, Judges,
marshals, and the whole machinery of civil
society. Such measure, at any time, would
deserve the most careful attention. But, at
the present moment, it justly excites pecu-
liar interest, from the effort made-on pre-
lenses unsustained by facts-in violation of
solemn covenant and of the early principles
Of our fathers-to open this immense region
to slavery.
According to existing law, this territory is
now guarded against slavery by positive
prohibition, embodied in the act of Congress,
approved March 9th, 1920, preparatory to the
admission Of Missouri into the Union, as a
sister State, and in the following explicit
words:
"sEc. s. Be further enacted, That in all that terri
tory ceded by France to the United States, under the
Of Louisiana, which lies north of &c deg 80 min.
of north latitude not included within the limits of the
State contemplated by this act, SLAVERY AND INvoLUN
TARY sERvTTUDE, otherwise than as the punishment Of
crimes, SHALL BE, AND IS HEREBY, FOREVER PRO-
HIBITEDn
It is now proposed to set aside this prohibi-
ton; but there seems to be singular indie
cision as to the way in which the deed shall
be done. From the time of its first introduce
ton, in the report of the Committee on Ter
ritories, the proposition has assumed different
shapes; and it promises to assume as many as
another now, like a river, and then like
flame; but, in every form and shape, identi-
cal in substance; with but one end and aim
Its be-all and d-all-the overthrow of the
prohibition of slavery. -.
| At first, it proposed simply to declare, that
the States formed out of this territory should
be admitted into the Union, "with or with
out Slavery and did not directly assume to
touch this prohibition. For some reason this
was not satisfactory, and then it was precipi-
lately proposed to declare, that the Prohibi-
| ton, "being inconsistent with the principles
of intervention, by Congress, with Slave
ry in the States and Territories, as recognized
| by the legislation of $780, commonly called
the Compromise Measures, is hereby declared
imperative and void"
All this is to done on pretenses founded up
on the slavery enactments of 1850, seeking,
with mingled audacity and cunning, "by in
direction to find direction OUT. Now, sir,
am not here to speak in behalf Of those meas
ures, or to lean in any way upon their sup
port. Relating to different subject matters,
contained in different acts. which prevailed
successfully, at different times, and by differ
ent votes-some persons voting for one meas
ure and some for another and very few voting
for all, they cannot be regarded as a unit, en-
bodying conditions of compact, or compromise,
oIo ,4ad bxr oil
But since this broken series Of measures has
been adduced as an apology for the PROPOSE
ton now before us, desire to say, that, such
as they are, they cannot, by any effort of in
terpretation, by any distorting wand of pow
er, by any preverse alchemy, be transmitted
into a repeal of that original prohibition of
slavery.
On this head there are several points to which
! would merely call attention, and then pass
on. First. The Slavery enactments of 1850
| did not pretend to touch, much less to change,
the condition of the Louisiana Territory,
| which was already fixed by Congressional en-
actment, but simply acted upon fnewly-ac-
uuired Territories tho condition of which
was not already fixed by Congressman enact
| ment. The two transactions related to differ
ent subject matters. Secondly: The enact
/ ments do not directly touch the subject of
| Slavery, during the Territorial existence of
| Utah and New Mexico; but they provide
| prospectiyely, that, when admitted as States.
1 they shall be received ''with or without Slav-
cry" Here certainly can be no overthrow of
an assOf Congress which directly concerns a
Territory during ats Territorial eriste@ce.-
Thirdly: During all the discussion of these
| measures in Congress- and afterwards before
the people, and through the public press, at
| the North and the South alike, no person was
heard to intimate that the prohibition of Slav-
cry in the Missouri act was in any way dis
turbed. And, fougthly The acts themselves
contain formal provision, that, ''nothing