Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-02-14


effect Of The introduction Of slaves viii be the ex
clusion Of free Iaborers, and 10 great extent oI
the emigrants from Europe -
Mr.. DIXON. The exclusion of free 10.
borers and of the emigrants from Europe
rhatlis the reason which the senator from Ohio
has given here why this act Of restriction upon
che people Oft the slave-holding States should not
berepealed. 1t will place the stakeholder along.
side of those who come from States where no
slavery exists and, according to the gentle
mans Interpretation, that is moral pollution.
1t will place the Shareholder alongside of those
who come from Europe and, according to the
senator's Interpretation, that is moral treason to
The country. To place the people who live
within the limits Of the slave-holding States
Upon an equal footing with foreigners is not
enough for the senator from Ohio. To allow
oreigners the same right which is afforded to
The people of the slave-holding States does not
70 far enough for his taste and for his great
christian philanthropy No, sir, he cannot
stop at that point but he must declare that
he people of the slaye-holding States shall be
,anished from the territories, that those terri.
cries may be exclusively occupied by those
Who have no slaves and by those who come
rom Europe. Is not that new doctrine
which the senator from Ohio has published
the people of the United States? Is not
his strange assumption on his part Of what
,hould be the power exercised by the different
.,eople of these States in the settlement of their
erritory? Surely no senator here, and no one
outside OF the chamber, can concur with the
senator that it is right and proper to exclude
rom the settlement of these territories slave.
holders, with the view to give them up into the
lands of foreigners. Sir, what claim have
~ Al ~
# every State have not? What claim have
hey to the exclusive right of settling those
erritories? Did they sacrifice their blood and
heir treasure to acquire them? Did they
aelp to win those trophies, anu did they stand
'ide by side in battle with our people for their
acquisition? Did they help to attach this ter
itory to this great republic of ours No, sir;
TO- AT the time when your ancestors and mine
we're struggling to uphold the liberties of our
country, by pouring out their best blood to es-
ablish her independence and national exis-
tence, the government whose subjects are de-
clared by the senator from Ohio to be preferred
our own citizens in the settlement of our
erritories sought not only to chain us to the
riumphal car of despotic power, but to blot us
nut forever from the book of nations. And vet
according to the senator's doctrine, they have
he right to come here and demand that law
hall be passed to give them the exclusive right
IF settling the territory belonging to all the
people of these United States. Sir, the doc
.rine is new indeed. To say that slavery is a
moral evil, and for that reason we would not
ike to see its extension, is right enough per-
haps on the part of those who think so; but
10 give such reason as that given by the sena-
Sor from Ohio, that it would be wrong to extend
to the Territories thus laid under restriction,
because it would bring the true-hearted sons
If the south in contact with the emigrants from
Europe, and thereby pollute them by their
souch, is doctrine which has no precedent, so
ar as ! have ever heard.
Sir how far are we entitled to these terrific
ries? How did We get them? During the re-
evolutionary war, and before these States were
ormed into their present contederacy, the ter
ritory belonged to the States. New York pos
sessed great deal Of it; Georgia had her por
ZION oft; Virginia and other States had theirs.
But they were secured to those States by the
common blood and treasure of all those who
assisted in establishing the independence of our
country and hence Congress passed a resolu-
ton declaring that it would be better for these
States that they should cede those territories
TO the federal government for the general use
ofthe people of all the States. That resolution
",
it is in these words:
"Resoired, That the unappropria,ed public lands
that may be coded or rellnquished TO the United
Recommendation Of Congress of the 9th Of Sep
tember last, shall be disposed OF for the common
benefit Of the United States"
In pursuance Of that resolution, New York
coded her territory to the United States; and
q La rlyol1 IL .J.
nsed THAT the territories here ceded shall be
for the use and benefit of all the States that
shall be parties to this confederation.
There can be no language clearer than that.
The territories were ceded, not for the benefit
of any particular section, but for the people of
all the States collectively. That is the limita-
ton which is included in the deed Of cession
Virginia, the largest owner of the territory of
any, and perhaps all of them, also ceded her
territory, embracing Ohio, Indiana, and the
vast region extending far beyond the United
States. What does she say2
g All the lands within the territory so coded to
the United States, and reserved for the before
the officers and soldiers Of the American army,
shall be considered common fund for the use and
benefit of such ofthe United States as have become
or shall become members of the confederation or
federal alllance Oh SAID states, virginia inclusive
No language can be clearer. All the terri
tory which she ceded is for the common benefit
of all the people living within the different
States. All have an equal right to it. Itdoes
not belong to the people of one State; it be-
longs to the people ofevery State and to lay
the people Of any State under any restric
ton, as to the right of going into that territory
is violation Of the very principle upon which
it was coded to the government of the United
States. Georgia coded her territory also to the
United States, and her deed Of cession contains
the same provision
Then we come to the territory that was pur
chased by the federal government. We take
the purchase from Spain and the purchase from
France; and what says the great statesman,
who has been referred to by the honorable sen.
ator from Ohio in relation to the common
right of all the people to the territories thus
purchased from Spain and from France? /
will read to you what was said by the great
senator from Kentucky, for he was great and
he was great not in a limited sense Of the word,
nor in a sectional sense, but he was great as
the republic Of which he was the glorious re-
preventative His mind attended not only To