Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-11
-------------the tree OF LIE, SIS. "'
High eminent, blooming ambrosial fruit
OF vegetable gold.

1t is with regard to this territory that you
called exercise the grandest function of the lawgver
by establishing those rules Of poty which will determine
its future character As the twig is bent the tree in
cnes and the influences impressed upon the early days
Of empire, like those upon child Of inconceiv
able Importance to its future veal The bill now
before proposes to organize and equip two terri
toria establishments with governors, secretaries egs
lative councils legislators, Judges marshals and the
whole machinery Of civil society Such measure at
any time would deserve the most careful attention. But
mt the present moment it justly excites peculiar nte
from the effort madeon pretences unsustained by
facts in violation of solemn covenant and Of the early
principles of athersto open this immense region
slavery. .-
According existing law this territory guarded
against slavery by positive prohibition embodied in
the act Of Congress- approved March g. 1920 prepare
tory to the admission Of Missouri into the Union as
sister State, and in the following explicit words:
Sec. s. BE further cnacted That in all that territory
cedsd by France to lie United States under the Of Lou
sana which lies north Of 36e 3 Of north latitude not
cluded within the limits Of the State contemplated this act
slavery and involuntary servtude otherwise than the pun
shment of crimes shall be and is hereby forever prohibited
1t is proposed to set aside this prohibition but
there seems to be singular ndecsion to the way in
which the deed shall be DONE From the time of its first
introduction, in the report of the Committee on Terrific
Hes the proposition has assumed different shapes and
1t promises to assume as many as Proteus;
thing in form, and now another like river, and
then Like fame but in every form and shape, ident-
cal in substance, with but end and aim its be-a
and enda 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 without slavery and did not directly
to touch this prohibition For this
not satisfactory and then precpitately pro-
posed tn daclare that tho prohibition in the Missouri oct
twas superseded BY the principles Of the legislation OF
1850 commonly called the compromise measures. and is
hereby declared imperative But this would not do
and is proposed to declare that the prohibition
being inconsistent with the principles of interven
nv will he nd
ries as recognised by the legislation of 1850 commonly
called the compromise measures is hereby declared in
operative and void"
All this is to be done pretences founded upon the
slavery enacments of $780, thus seeking with mingled
audacty and cunning, by indirecton to find direction
OUT Now sir am not here to speak in behalf of those
measures to lean in any way upon their support Be-
lating different subject-matters contained in different
acts which prevailed successfully at different times and
by different votes, persons voting for measure
and voting for another, and very few voting for all
they cannot be regarded unit embodying conditions
of compact compromise if you please adopted equally
by all parties, and therefore obligatory on all parties
But since this broken series has been adduced
as apology for the proposition now before u.s. desire
to say that such as they they cannot by any effort
of interpretation by any distorng wand of power by
any perverse alchemy be transmitted into repeal Of that
original prohibition Of slavery.
On this head there several points to which would
merely call attention. and then pass First The sa-
very enactments of 1850 did not pretend in terms to
touch much less change the condition of the Louisiana
Territory which already fixed by Congressional
actmen but simply acted upon newly acquired terri
tories the condition Of which not already fixed by
Congressional enactment The transactions related
to different subect-maters Secondly. The enactments
do not directly touch the subject Of slavery during the
Territorial existence of Utah and New Mexico but they
provide prospectvey that when admitted States they
shall be received with without slavery" Here GER
tainy can be overthrow Of of Congress which
directly Territory during its Territorial existence
Thirdly During all the discussion of these in
congress and afterwards before the people and through
the public press, at the North and the South alike
person was heard to intimate that the prohibition of sa
very In the Missouri act in any way disturbed And
fourthy The acts themselves contain formal provision
that nothing herein contained shall be construed to i'm
pair qualify any thing in certain article of the re-
solutions annexng Texas wherein tits
that in territory north Of the Missouri compromise line
savery or involuntary servitude exception crime shall
be prohibited" ~.
But do not dwell on these things These pretence
have been already amply refuted by able Senators VIII
have preceded 1t is clear beyond contradiction tina
the prohibition of slavery in this Territory has beef
superseded in any way contravened by the SLAYER,
acts Of 1850 The proposition before you is therefore
original in its character without sanction from any for
mer legislation and it must accordingly be judged b
its merits an original proposition.
Here sir let il be remembered that the friends Of free
dom not open to any charge Of aggression. The
standing the defensive guarding the early in
trenchments thrown up by fathers. No propostio
TO abolish slavery any where is now before you, but
the contrary proposition to abolish freedom The
Aboonsts, which is so often applied in reproach, just
belongs on this occasion to him who would overtime
this weestablished landmark He is indeed, no aboi
Zionist of slavery; let him be called sir, abolition
of freedom. For myself, whether with many few, m
place is taken Even if alone my feeble should nc
be wanting as bar against this outrage.
On two distinct grounds, "both strong against th
deed, arraignit. First in the Of public faitl
infracton Of solemn obligations assumed beyond re
call by the South the admission Of Missouri into th
Union as slave State; secondly, ! arraign it, in th
name Of freedom, unjust6able departure from tn
original nti-savery policy Of fathers These tw
heads propose to consider in their order CHANGING unde
the latter at the objections to the prohibition Of slavery
the Territories
And here, sir, before approach the argument indulg