The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-09
CONGRESSIONAL
SPEECH OF HON. T. L. CLINGMAN,
or NORTH CAROLINA,

the state OF the Union, "A
Mr. CLlNGMAN said:
Mr. Chairman; As no one has had the floor assigned
10 him, will now occupy II with view Of saying some
thing upon question which has been already discussed
at great length during the present session of Congress
have heretofore sought an opportunity TO present TO
this House certain points connected with the Nebraska
bill Il isprobabe that shall find hour little time
enough for my purpose. and, therefore, say 10 the
gentlemen around that hope they will not interrupt
me by asking PERMISSION 10 explain shall endeavor to
20 justice every one bur, should be my misfortune
misrePresenl any gentleman with whose opinons may
come in collision. hope that he will avail himself OF
other occasion 10 correct me II has never been
misfortune, while have occupied upon this floor
omake single remark that any gentleman 10 the House
upon to explain nythng have said n the course Of
debate. My purpose viii be to-day 10 keep within due
parliamentary bounds, and at the time frankly and
fairly to discuss The questions connected with this SUBJ
jec upon wha.i understand to be their true merits
You have been told by the gentleman from Virginia
[Mr. NILLsoNl that had something TO say upon the
Nebraska territorial bill IN the last Congress- when IT
pendingnot in the shape, however, in which il is
now presented. After speech it, i offered an amend
men, to protect the rights Of the Indians which was
adopted and then voted for the bill That amendment
stands in the present bill in the identical language
which il was offered BY me The fact that more than
two-hilds Of that Congress thought that territorial or
ganiza,ion then necessary affords additional rea
son, my mind, why we should at organize Ter
riory there voted ior the bill then-no liking it. how
ever and after trying lo get in better because
there was nothing offensive in The bill itself greatly
prefer the proposition whch has come from The Senate
could well support il as is; but shall vote. neverthe
less TO strike out what is known the Clayton amend
men; not think is wrong in theory, but because
j, will lead TO practical results and moved by
enemy of the bill merely TO embarrass its friends in the
North. As to the amendment of my colleague, tSenaor
BADGER, do not think that il changes the character OF
the original bill in any manner whatsoever Be that
may as the bill now stands, provides, IN the ceares
terms tha, the people OF that Territory shall be pro-
hibted, by any law formerly existing, from egsating
the constitution Of the United States pemi them to do
1t does not Fay that there shall re no law upon The sub
80
any former old law prohibiting establishing it in
other words that it will leave this Territory just
though there had never been in il law upon the sub
ect OF slavery
This in my judgment, is the best species OF nonner-
veniion. We cay that the people Of the Territory may
egislae as the constitution OF The United States permits
them to do without the Intervention OF congressional
law, French law, Spanish law, Mexican law, Indian
law. |, makes the Territory like sheet OF blank paper
which citizens may write American constitutional
law therefore, better bill than the Utah and New
Mexico bills oil 1850, because those bills left the Mexi-
laws in force, by which slavery had been abolished
and prohibited is better bill than the Clayton
promise, because that compromise lett those Mexican
Jaws iorce and ye, every southern democrat IN both
houses OF Congress- including Mr.. Calhoun, supported
that measure under the idea that the constitution OF the
United States propro pgors, would OVERRIDE annu and
supersede those local laws II they were right 10 this
view, why then, The more certainly would thai consu-
ton be sufficient where there opposing law bat,
ever. | am satisfied that, If the Clayton compromise and
the acts of 1850 had contained repeal OF the Mexican
law, there would have been no opposition 10 them iron
the Kansas and Nebraska bills are. for the South the best
measures yet presented
shall not stop TO answer the ingenious speech OF the
gentleman from Virginia MIR MnLsos,l or that of the
gentleman from MARYLAND, lMr. FRANKLIN The points
argued BY them were very mnch discussed SIX or seven
years ago. by those OF us who were then IN Congress
will only cay that The real question TO be met Is thls
Shall this territory be lett open to every citizen OF the
United States with the constitution alone TO control him.
shall the Wilmot proviso stand on H." That IS the
point which gentlemen have 10 They have 10 show
IN Ilptrf pustIfn hrlne hai kllO.
standing upon and controlling the territory, is better than
having open everybody, whether IRON The South or
The North leave genilemen TO make me expiansuoh on
10 their constituents as they best car II Is enough ior
say tina, the arguments and excuses given by hen
not in my opinion of the smallest weight TO justify
opposition to the bill
But sir before noticing wha, regatd as the prin
epa difficulty in the way let advert TO other sf
king point know that in 1850 certain persons pro-
fessed 10 be in favor Of non-inetvontlon who we're
really opposed that principle The true friends OF the
ysem-thoso who have sustained The doctrine oil Cen
ersl CAss-are have doubt, willing 10 carry II out
to-day. Bat there were certain persons at that time
entirely adverse to The principle in fact, but who,
erbeless then gave it bypocrtical support because
they tha, The settlement at that me proposed
on non intervention grounds, would operate inJurousy
to the southern section. They saw That 1t LEI % the
whole OF California down 10 the 32l deg OF north lat
free State. and iha, threw the Santa Fe country out
OF Texas slave Siste-into New Mexico-a ierndTy
where The Mexican lay bad abolished slavery, and, In
the opinion OF ar Webster Mr. Clay, and many other
prominent men, sill IN full force, and sufficient TO
VI
foreigners understood TO be hostile to the establishment
ofsavey any way in short, that these prominent
gentlemen said. The North got the territory practically,
while OF the South got only the principle OF non inter
veniion for tie future. This principle highly valuable
In itself they did not ntend 10 apply 10 the organization
Of other 1erores The conduct OF these persons shows
that they did not IN good iaub Intend 10 adopt the sys
tenn = general one Hence, when afterwards this was
declared to lie settlement 10 "prtnciple and substance
by Mr. Fillmore and the national convention, lhese per.
only prtsndsd 70 agree 10 The declaration Their
condnct shows Their nsnceriy and the hoiiowness
of their professions
But Mr. Chairman. II is sometimes said BY gentlemen
that this Missouri Compromise was originally advan.
tageoas the South, and that now when il has ceased
10 be so, want 10 get clear OF ~ Let us look this
statement fof one moment
Missouri and Arkansas were admitted as slave States.
Their extent wss hundred and seventeen thousand
square miles. Bat On the other hand, Iowa admit
ted a free Slate. AID Minnesota organized as
Territory, also wih restriction or prohibition OF
ssvety: so. also. were Oregon and Washington Now,
SIR these three Territories and that State contain five hun.
dred and thirty -four thousand square miles ~ Their
neatly i've times much the States OF Missouri and
Arkansas. Remember, too, that all this had originally
been slave territory 10 Inc date OF the Missouri resc
uou u appears therefore, tha, while ibs policy OF d.
vision enforced by the Missouri line, the northern
section OF the country acquired FIVE times much errto-
~ as the southern. Minnesota and Iowa alone have
nearly twice The extent OF the two slave States OF MIS-
soon ano Arkansas, and Washington and Oregon have
fites times much more II must also be bone m mind
tbsi Mf Buchanan, asSeeetary OF state. claimed 10 The
controversy with Great Brsin the Oregon Territory, ~
well under the French and Spanish by the right
OF discovery.
As 10 how our title TO il really accrued is not, how.
ever material because ugder the policy Of division BY
lhe MISSOURI iine, this whole territory given 10 by
we Nouth without struggle because II lay north Of