The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-03-11
SPEECH OF HON. M. NORRIS,


Mr. NORRIS said
Mr. paxsIprSr: regret very much the necessity OF
tTespassing upon the time Of the Senate II is what
am very 10Th 10 DO and it is what very seldom have
done but am unwilling that the question shall DC
aken upon The bill wihou, assigning some OF me Tea
sons ior lhe vote intend 10 give upon H. know 10 90
ing this am violating what supposed TO be an unaItera
bic determination on my part never TO discuss Tue suose,
OF slavery question connected with ~ IN THIS
chamber. shall conhne what have 10 say 10 that part
OF the fourteenth section OF The bill has been amend
ed the motion OF The senators from Illinois and North
Carolina, and which reads as follows;
That constitution, and all laws Of the United States
which locally inspplioable sbal hsys The same
within the United States enoep The eighth ec;
non q he aeI prePaa9fy 70 so Which bsias IN,
consistent with tue principle OF nonnlefvenion by Con
ased by the legislation Of 1850 commonly called The com
promise measures Is hereby declared inopeIative ana
ale slavery INFO any Territory or STATE. nor % en
clude thersifom bur 10 leave ,be people neeo peccuy
Tree 10 form regulate their domestic institution: Ia
heir way subject only the constitution OF The Uni
cd States: Povded That nothing herein con'slned shall
be construed 10 revive or put In force any law Or ssana
ton which may have existed prior 10 the act OF me oth
o March, 1929 either pfoieeuns establishng pfohipi
tng, OF abolishihg slavery
Sir il seems to me that The from Massachusetts
Mr EVERETT might well have spared his criticism upon
clause in bill Surely there IS nothing here such
as he supposes about enac,,ng principle: Inere
seems be broad distinction between The enact
Iug of principle and grounding our acts o. egsia-
,ion on principle. chanably hope The senator does
uot and | he does TO say that we are
recognise principle IN our legislation II ne does
not then his criticism tails 10 the ground
| There is nothing in IT.
Now sir | understand the spirit aud true intent of
this clause OF the bill to be, that the Legislation OF 1901
organizing the Territories Of Utah and New NJ xico
grounded the principle OF the non-DteTvenii0n OF
Congress with the institution Of slavery or any DINER 90
nestle institution. in the Territories OF the United Sates
and the States be formed out OF them, leaving the peo
pie free TO form their own Institutions Tor themselves;
and that the principle Of legislation thus agreed upon ana
established TO Utah and New Mexico ought 70 be
dnal only 10 those Territories, but as 10 All Aer
togies organized alter Thai time. Y
But sir The senator, in commenting on this clause IN
the bill. says: a
"Ifanything is Than that certain measure
adopted and enacted in references those Territories,
utah and New AleAico,l take issue on that point"
Now with all due Difference TO The senator, must be
permitted 10 say this sounds little like special plead
'ogmore ike The lawyer than the Statesman The is
which The senator presents Is not egitimaie 70 the
premises, and therefore immaieria The question % not
the Territories OF Utah and New Mexico, had reference
them alone, but il whether Congress- IN that legls.
aion after full discussion. established the doctrine OF
noL-intervenon The part OF Congress oucnlng the
subject of slavery those Territories and the States 10
De formed out of such Territories.
Now, shalt endeavor to maintain that the doctrine OF
non interference on The OF the federal government with
the institutions of the organzed Territories was then e.
lablished leaving to the people Of the Ierofies the
rights free and popular government with fali power
under the constitution form their domestic nsti-
tuons as they may deem best stated TO Their condition
shall endeavor 10 establish that. snail endeavot 70
establish another iac-that this measure OF nor-inter-
venon was carried BY the almost united vote OF the
North against the OF southern senator's IN mis-
chamber az establishing principle winch the North
could stand, and not mere expeden temporary and
Aie ed in its operaion but as enduring VIII, oy ana
hy appeal 10 the record in vindlca,ion OF what now
Before proceed that. however allow me to remark
tina, the friends of this bill have been reminded, with
an cir of apparent triumph. that the two great po ical
aarte. in ,heir conventions at Baltimore in 1854 de-
claed the OF 1850 TO be manly wei sirs
that is true. But how can measures grounded uIon
Principle OF action in organizing Territory
| nrn of Wilde called
naaIy which, in The organization OF another Territory
to morrow, 10 be wholly disregaded and measures
grounded upon principle of action directly opposed
,ablisbed in their sleadf DO senators asaume seems
10 me they mu :, assume II, yield the argument-,ha
the term hnay applies 70 ,ne easa,ss o. iS'oi sna
the declaration OF the political parties, made TO the
country previous TO the late presidential e'sctoa moth
ing more than a mockery-a mere nockefy III Inc DEC.
laralion did that those measures grounded as
they particular principle OF action, were 10 De
6nal rule TO be observed other Territories, then
was a mere tIuisuthe assertion o: fact indispuabe
in uast hsory--and rot only ndispulabe, but univer-
sally acknow edged. Sir, IT not declaration CT prn-
ciple il was wofse than mockery-it was fraud.
| How can principle of action be called " hnality
which il moi TO be adhered TO single day How can
that be called :" hnay" upon the question OF slavery
IN the Territories which Is applied 10 one Territory To-
day. wholly dsregarded and refused IN the organza-
ton OF another tomorrow
Sir am not rights 1t is not impossible that before
tue end OF the present session Of Congress another ces-
son OF territory will be made from Mexico to the United
States Well cir, il that should take place. what 10 10
prncple upon which they based, limited and
confined 10 Utah and New Mexico alone. and are not TO
be regarded rule OF action IN organizing other Terri
tories What Then, be the result Why, sir. sup
pose that certain philsnihropc gentlemen, friends and
guardans oil the liberties OF The people, eresIenes, are
10 be The chief actors rc-enacng the scenes OF 1880
ia this chamber That Is the result with which we are
threatened that the fesu TO whch their doctrine leads
| Is il not the object oil their iondesl hopes
Sir, when The oil 1880 were enacted, AZ well
as when they declared TO be hnaliy had the ere
duy to suppose they furnished rule to be OF universal
sppcaon and that the vsred subject OF slavery IN the
Territories was TO be forever banshed from the halls OF
Congress will now proceed 10 The record and 10 the
faets.
Upon the question whether the people OF the Terrific
ries OF Utah and New Mexico should have the control
OF their own domestic Institutions took some. though
an humble part For six long months that fearful and
angry contest had continued during which period from
time 10 IiMe the faint breaking away OF the poentous
Darkness yielding Temporary hope, was succeeded by
darker and still darker and more angry clouds dunng
all that time and under all these trying circumstances,
voted unwaverngy for what had been declared 70 oe the
doctrine OF those whom represented. bad At length
become fully Satisfied that BY sdbering 10 that course no
adjustment Of this vexed territorial question could ever
be made NV course then determined upon. 70 act
In accordance with what my own judgment, under Oh
the circumstances dictated TO me was Tor The True sna
vial interests OF The whole country planted myself
upon The noble and manly doctrine OF NE Distinguished
| senator from Michigan MT. CAssl From that time
went for Withdrawing all nieieIence ON the part OF the
central government, and for submitting to the people OF
The Territories the establishment OF their domestic nst
tuons they might think proper. That course have
ever since been and still am, satisfied was rght; and