The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-08

Creator, not by human laws, with life and lib
erty and therefore they said that the writ of
manumission was written by an imrerishable
power. And, at that moment, there was no.
where in the civilized world free State where
the hated system of African Slavery was not
recognised, and these thirteen colonies all rec
ognised it.
Soon after, actuated by the spirit of our
fathers, the system was repudiated by the New
England States, then by New York and
New Jersey, and afterward by other States,
without any interference of the General Gov
eminent, and this spirit permeated the entire
heart of the South. Kentucky, in amending her
Constitution, attempted to incorporate law
against Slavery, and was followed by many
other States. And in the formation of the Ter
ritory northwest of the Ohio, the same spirit
was manifested. The idea of Liberty was abroad
in all the land. The country generally did not
seem to know but that the Constitution was the
supreme law of the land-the Constitution
which says that no person shall be deprived of
liberty or life but by due process of law.
said the Constitution is the supreme law of
the Territories. The Ordinance of ,87 was en-
inently Just, and it stood the perpetual law of
that Northwest Territory. Why it is but seven
ty years-the ordinary period allotted as the
measure of human Gfe-since that enactment:
took place under the Constitution of the Uni.
ted States-since that vast Territory, known as
the Northwest Territory, stretching from the
banks of our beautiful Ohio away to the base
of the Rocky Mountains, was one vast unbro-
ken wilderness, uninhabited by civilized man.
Behold the benefcent results of this system of
free legislation, of those enactments which
Washington taught US to make for the protec.
ton of American soil against the ingress of
any despotic or crushing tyranny whatever.
ID IL Ia IL
seventy years. Five great States, having all
the elements of great, elevated, and enlighten-
ed civilization-Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, H.
linois, and Indiana--they are the offspring of
this legislation in favor of Freedom.
Tell me whether Washington and his asso-
ciates have done wisely in taking care to secure
by law that Territory for the homes of the Free
Loud cheers Look at their free schools
look at their churches, their free presses, their
intelligence, their thrifty population, and their
happy homes-all the growth of seventy years.
Why, it is miracle in the history of nations.
In the despotism of the Old World, ages were
but as years in national growth and existence
they can show nothing like this Nothing like
it can be shown since Nimrod, the mighty hunt.
er, founded the first empire. A thousand years
since, Alaric founded that first empire, in the
presence of which all Europe has trembled a
thousand years have passed, since Charlemague
wore his iron crown in France; thousand
years have rolled away, since Alfred gave laws
and manners to England; but here in seventy
years has an empire been founded, which, in
all the elements of great, free, and independ-
ent State, survives them all. Loud cheers
Fellow-citizens, after so brilliant result as
this, the question is raised at this late day,
before the American people, whether we shall
abandon this policy of Misunderstanding
We shall strike down this covenant in favor of
Liberty, whether we shall blast that virgin Ter
ritorY, larger in extent than the Territory of the
thirteen original Colonies, with the manacled
footsteps of the bondman. "No, no." That
is the question this day presented. AS was we'll
remarked by your Chairman, a third of GEN.
fury ago, the people of the United States,
through their Representatives assembled in
Congress, in the year 1920, in imitation of the
great example of Washington, declared by law
that all that vast tract of country lying north
of 36th parallel of north latitude should be
forever free; that no man should, in all coming
time, be deprived of life, or liberty, or property,
throughout that vast domain, except by due
process of law, as a punishment for crime, upon
due conviction. That was the law, and it con-
tinued to be the law for period of thirty three
years; but strange to say, in these latter times
man came before the people-a very remark
able man, gifted with mighty and stupendous
intellect, in the presence of whom cannot but
bow with homage, and who has since been
gathered to his fathers. This great man, when
Secretary of State of the United States, took
it into his mind that he would bend the Con-
| stitution, the principles of which, in the lam
guage of Washington, were perfectly free-bend
that immortal instrument to the business of
perpetuating and extending the system of do
mestic Slavery. / speak of Mr.. Calhoun, of
South Carolina. There was tract Of terrific
ry, four times the size of New York. carved out
of the Empire of Mexico, known as the State of
Texas, conquered by certain men who went
there chiefly to establish the system of African
Slavery. They opened q new market for the
slaves of Virginia.
The Supreme Court of the United States had
recognised the principle that Slavery was pure
ly local. All the Judges, including Chief JUS
tice fancy, with but one exception, decided that
the institution entirely and altogether local,
and dependent for its existence upon territorial
authority. The case was this: The State Of
Mississippi, by its amended Constitution, had
provided that slaves brought from neighboring
States for SALE should be confscated. After
the desison of the Supreme Court, what was
left for these gentlemen but to conquer new
Territories for Slavery was interdicted in the
Territories then unoccupied by the Missouri
Compromise, though Missouri, Arkansas, and
Louisiana, and Florida, had been admitted.
What other way was left them to dispose of
their surplus property? Mr.. Calhoun said the
empire of Slavery must be extended under the
American flag and under the National arm.
AS Secretary of State under John Tyler-a
man whom believe, Mr.. President, you were not
guilty of voting for, laughter, though was,
and / am sorry for it-misfortunes do make
strange ed-fellows for all of US renewed
laughter III say that when the question was
whether Texas, which was still struggling with !
Mexico, should be recognised by Great Britain |
as separate, independent Republic, on condi-
ton thatshe should be free Republic, or whether
she should be annexed to the Government of
the United States as a slave State, Mr.. Calhoun
addressed letters to our Ministers in France |
and England, asking them to have France in |
terpose in the recognition of Texas as free |
sovereignty, and telling them frankly, as the |
reason why, that she must be annexed to the |
United States, and that the continuance of the |
domestic institution Of Slavery depended upon
that annexation. That was the proposition. |
What then took place? The heart of the |
whole North revolted at the proposed sacri- |
lege-at the attempt to lend the Government |
Of the United States to any such unhallowed |
work. That Old Man Eloquent who stood SEN |
tnel in the cause OF Freedom, lifted his voice |
like a trumpet agaips. the proposed treason. |
Cheers. The heart of the nation responded. !
Mr.. Van Buren, addressed powerful and thrill. |
ing appeal to the people Of the United States |
against that profound iniquity, and the great
heart of the Democracy of the North responded |
to the appeal. The great patriotic man of
Kentucky, Henry Clay, joined with Mr.. Van
Buren, and John Quincy Adams in the denunc- |
alton of the treason, and l believe that the