Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-18

the issue adverse to himse and the verdict Of Impair
tia and upright win be quite likely to shock his
sef-eseem and to give him place and name on the
pages of American history quite the of envabe.
But, Mr.. President deny that there is to be found
any such principle policy in the legislation of 1850
is suggested in this amendment. deny that by the
Territorial acts for New Mexico and Utah. you conferred
The people there the power to regulate at pleasure
their domestic institutions, left them free to act
this any other subject. No such liberty of action has
been conferred by this on the people OF
the Territories Originally the whole power of egsa
ton confded to the governor and judges Of the
spective Territories but atterly the people, admit,
have been allowed to participate to some extent therein
But let to the New Mexico and Utah acts and
see how the matter stands. say there is written down
in each of those declaration of want Of confidence
in the people of those countries We have invested the
President with the power of appointing, by and with the
advice and of the Senate all the executive and
judicial officers of each Territory We have assumed that
the people competent to elect such officers How,
them be supposed that Congress intended to conde
to them exclusively the power OF deciding the momen-
tous question of slavery or freedom?
1t is true they authorized to choose council to
consist of thirteen members and House of Representa-
tives to consist Of twenty but the legislative power
and authority is not vested in them solely but the Gov
is associated with them in the exercise thereof
The language Of both acts is that the legislative power
and authority Of such Territory shall be vested in the
Governor and Legislative Assembly," and, again, that
the Governor shall approve all laws passed by the Legis
ative Assembly before they take effect" Hence it ap
pears that the people do nothing without the assent
and concurrence Of the Governor Give me the appoint
ment of the Governor and exclude slavery forever
if not introduced perpeuate 1t if tolerated No mat
ter how anxiousy the people may desire its introduction
its exclusion matter though they may be unanimous
in calling for slavery freedom the Governor who holds
his Office at the will Of the Executive here, can pro-
peremptory negative and oyerrue their wishes
But this is not ALL sir Another part of the act pro-
vdes that All the laws passed by the Legislative AS
semby and Governor shall be submitted to the Congress
of the United States, and if dsapproved shall be null
and Of no effect" Singular liberty this! And equally
singular method Of comforting them the power "to
form and regulate their domestic institutions in their
way" Congress says, in effect, will not entrust to
you the power to enact even wolf or dog law; we will
appoint master you who is not responsible to
you but to he shall revise all your dongs and may
write them down nulty if he fit and in order to
make all safe reserve to ourselves the power of ut
mate revision Though you obtain the
of the Governor it shall not avail you; in short do
not intend you shall have any legislation for Utah and
New Mexico except just such as we approve. The de-
mands for these precautions infinitely urgent
in respect the newly Mexican provinces than
in ordinary How was it with New Mexico? We
had there unoongenal and hostile population speak
ing foreign language just subdued by arms, ignor
ant OF form of Government and unfamiliar with the
principles Of free institutions. How Indispensable
then was it that should have the power hold such
population in check and to overrue any and all their de-
examinations and yet in face of the plain provisions Of
these acts of Congress and of the paable facts Of the
this amendment in effect asserts that left them
perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic ns
buttons in their own way!'
But, Mr.. President will bring the matter at once to
ISSUE which challenge the honorable chairman of
the committee Mr.. DoUGLAs) to meet. You say that
by the Utah bill you intended to leave the people there
perfectly free to regulate their domestic institutions
they might fit What those domestic institutions
or relations! They husband and wife, parent and
child guardian and ward and master and servant Now
desire to ask the chairman did you intend to confer
the people of Utah the power to Introduce poygamy for
that appertans to of the domestic relations? want
the honorable chairman to stand here and tell whe
ther if the Legislative Assembly to send act here
sanctioning poygamy, he would let it stand single
On the contrary would he not seize pair of tongs
and thrust it out of yonder window?
But, Mr.. President, let trace this matter little
further let consider what would be the modas operan
OF the singular principle annunciated in the amendment
in reference to the poygamous relations of Utah. II they
may introduce polygamy in their TERRITORIAL condition if
this Of the relations which they perfectly free
to establish, and Congress cannot gansay it, then say
Utah knock for admission into the Union and must
be received though she be with this moral
leprosy. We must admit Brigham Young with his forty
wives! Nay, more; Brigham might, and probably would,
elected Of the Senator's from the new State has
the honorable chairman considered whether he to bring
his forty wives to the seat of government and,
would ask in what part of the city is he to establish his
harem The Committee on /" Public Buildings and Public
Grounds should take his into tender consideration,
it to me. Any patriot having forty wives on
his hands ought in the matter of his harem, to have
little relief from the public Golfers And besides, our
present system of "mileage and per diem would hardly
chairman, lr DouGLAs he should allow ut least two
dollars per day additional for each wife Discrimination
would be Indispensable have long thought that there
should be distinction made between those Senators
who do their duty society and the arer portion Of God
creation and those who do not; but however this may
be- the of friend Brigham would cry aloud for
relief and the honorable chairman is not the statesman
he has been cracked up to be unless he would be willing
to grant it. ,..m
But, Mr. President, we will suppose Utah admitted,
Brigham elected Senator and actually present in this city
with all his retnue and that he forms procession with
himself at the head of the aforesaid renue for the Capt.
toll. Being somewhat fatigued, he all at makes
dash with his twice twenty wives for omnibus in
of which is sitting worthy friend the chairman
What would become of the Senator? Would he not be
stfed? But suppose he escapes and the omnibus draws
up in front the Capito the honorable Senator, who
is much distinguished for his urbanity, could do
less than hand the domestic institutions out and
duct them into the Capitol. Who, then, shall rise and
move that this chamber be opened to the ades?" 1t
cannot be my honorable friend from Texas, Mr.. HoUs-
who ordinarily performs that grateful Office, for he
is utterly opposed to this BILL but at the instance of
some Senator who is in favor Of the principle avowed
rushes Brigham and his forty wives who arrange them
selves around the chamber. The Hon. Brigham, be-
ing in Immediately takes the floor the negro
question" And, oh how the eyes Of "the darings'
would fash and their countenances beam with their
ege lord lowered away the superave advantages of
negro sertude good odashioned Saxon liberty and
:" the naenabe rights Of man.! By the time MIR. Pre-
sident all this is should begin to understand the
nodus opand Of this monstrous system of this uuheard
regulate their domestic institutions just they please
Polygamy and slavery fit associates united in the bonds
Of unholy wedock, and producing miscrcated progeny
called in the first instance "princples, but which has