Washington sentinel., 1854-04-26

large portion Of which was the hard earnings
of the southern people. The south opposed the
bill abolishing the slavetrade in the District OF
Columbia, because an unjust discrimination
was made by it against slave property, and be-
cause she believed the precedent to be an alarm
ing and dangerous one, and might be made use
of as an entering wedge to still further en-
croachments upon her.
While no southern jurist of any distinction
admitted that the Mexican laws were in force
excluding slavery from the Territories of Utah
and New Mexico, after our Constitution had
been extended over them, still, as many of the
ablest iurists and statesmen of the north, and
Mr.. Webster among them, contended that these
laws were in force, the south believed that it
was the duty of Congress to have repealed them,
and to have extended the same protection to
slave as other property, when, under the Con-
stitution, it should be taken into these Terrific
ries; that the duty to protect did not carry along
with it the right to exclude or destroy. And to
test this question, Hon. Jefferson Davis, then a
senator from Mississippi, offered the amend
ment to the compromise bills, and made the
following explanation, both of which / quote
from the Congressional Globe:
Mr.. DAVIS of Mississippi. offer the follow
ing amendment: To strike out in the sixth line OF
slavery and insert the words with those ights
of property growing out Of the institution OF Ari-
can slavery as it exists in any of the States of this
Union The object of the amendment is TO pre-
vent the territorial legislature from legislaiing
against the rights of properly growing out of the
institution of slavery.
MIR. DoUGIAs. Is it in order to ask for divi-
sion of the questions
The PRESIDING OFFICER. 1t is not
Mr.. DAVIS, of Mississippi. Mr.. President, l
will state very briefly the object / had in view in
offering the amendent. II was 10 test the sense
of the Senate on the single question, whether the
right 10 the service of man, whether the right of
properly in slaves il exists in the slaveholding
States of the Union, shall receive the same pro-
lection which other property shall receive in the
Territories of the United States. The language
of the BILL as it stands, would seem TO exclude
the idea of the right of property growing out OF
the institution of African slavery TO receive the
same protection from The Territorial Legislature as
is accorded 10 all other species of property. As
now propose 10 amend the BILL il will prevent the
Territorial Legislature from invading the rights OF
the inhabitants of the slaveholding States | am
willing 10 leave the question 10 be decided accord
ing 10 the great cardinal principles of the demo-
cratic party, that the people inhabiting Terri
tory, when they come TO form a Stale constitution
for themselves, can do as they please. II will
leave the territorial legislature those rights ard
powers which are essentially necessary, not only
10 the preservation of property, but TO the peace
of the Territory. 1t will leave the right TO make
such police regulations necessary TO pre-
vent disorder, and which will be absolutely neces-
sary with such property that, to secure its ben
efcia use 10 its owner. With this brief expana-
lion, submit the amendment
But it was rejected, and the Utah and New
Mexico bills finally passed with the following
clause:
And, when admitted as State, the said Terri
tory any portion of the same, shall be received
into the Uni0n, with without slavery, as their
constitution may prescribe at the time of their
admission
This is what the south got by the compro-
mise Of ls5O--with the exception of the fugi-
tive slave law which is only valuable because
Of the constitutional right it was passed to en-
force, but which is of little practical benefit
to the south-not the repeal of the Mexican
laws, but the bare recognition of the right of
the people, at the proper time. to accept or re-
ject slavery, as they may prefer.
These measures of compromise, then, to
which the south was thus opposed, and against
which the sternest and most determined oppo-
sition was made, became the laws of the land;
passed through all the forms required by the
Constitution of the country; California had
been admitted in the Union, with all the priv
ileges of sovereign State; Texas had ac-
cepted the Sl0,000,000 offered her by Con-
gress, and the President was proceeding to
carry into effect the Utah and New Mexico
bills.
The question then presented itself, what
was the south to do in view of the crisis which
was upon her? The voice of Virginia was
! first heard on this subject-a State which had
never faltered in its devotion to the true princi
| pies of the Constitution; which first unfured
| the banner of State rights and State remedies,
during the memorable conflict of lT9S and
III i =, H.. i
of the resolutions of Jefferson and Madison,
the triumph of which was the triumph of popu-
lar liberty and the sovereignty of the States
over the illegitimate encroachments of federal
power.
The following resolutions, offered by Hon.
Henry A. Wise, were adopted by meeting of
the democrats of Virginia on the 18th Februa-
ry 1851:
"a Resotred, That il is the object Of this meet
ing TO heal past and prevent future discussions,
caused by the continued agitation Of past issues,
and of the mode OF their adjustment, among the
friends of tie Union and of State rights, of democ
raey and ottAe contederaey, ofk5eny andof oflar.
IS. ReSoired, That all further agitation OF these
issues, and oftneir late adjustment, either upon the
one hand upon The other, having practical end
/ is now worse than vain, andis dangerous alike 10
all that Is precious in the Union and that is worth
preserving in the States.
80. ReSotced That TO appeal, on the one hand,
10 State sovereigntes, to dttfmpt by resort
to extreme remedies 10 ando 1chdt has bee done,
to imroke then, 10 risk the good aciich IS sill ht
and 1cl'ch IS too precious TO be jeopardeG for that
fchdteuer IL BE- 1chich is lost and tchich cannot be
| restored, and appeals, the other hand 10
love of the Union, and 10 federal power intended
| to impair II mot asstroy the rights Of tie States
and 10 destroy State pride, no less odious than
they in the design ofconroring The holiea senti
ments Of patriots into political capital 10 be
tradcd upon by that party for coRsodat,o srieh is
as destructive Of the Union and Of The Constitution
ofthc contederacy as IL is ofMe rights Of the States
! AMI ofthe liberties ofthe people"
The following resolutions were adopted by
the Legislature of that State, with but one dis
senting voice:
"1si BE ii therefore yesolved By Tie general assem-
big Of Virginia That whilst this State deeply sym
pathizes with South Carolina in the feelings excit-
ed by the unwarrantable interference OF certain
non -saveholding States with our common insttu-
tions and whilst diversity of opinion exists among
the people of this Commonwealth in regard TO the
wisdom, justice, and constituionaliiy OF The mea-