The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-04-16

| al IL Mr.. Cobb On the goth ut.,-a speech
which his real friends, and the friends OF the
country everywhere deplored- they never
mention, little episode which that day varied
| m duH monotony ofthe ordinary proceedings
! 81 tbe house. We refer to Mr.. Campbell $
| CHARGE against him, viz: that he (gov. Cobb
/ mad voted for the slavery restriction feature IN
1 the Texas bill-a feature much more obJec-
| tonable than that contended for by Mr. Camp
! hall and the balance of the freesollers!
! We copy the following from the National In
te]lioencer's report of the proceedings OF the
/ bnusa ne representatives on the goth of Dec:
.Mr. Campbell of Ohio desired to know why
| # was that the gentleman from Georgia had
| CHARGED the one hundred and six men who yo-
ted for the honorable gentleman from Massa-
/ chusetts (Mr. Banks) with entertaining prlncl-
pies adverse to the constitution! DID II grow
out ofthe fact that they claimed the right, un-
| der the constitution, to exclude slavery from
the common territories of the government! In
/ other words, did the gentleman consider what
was commonly called the Wilmot proylso vlo-
/ lation of the constitution of the United States?
| Mr.. Cobb: Whenever have the floor
Mr.. Campbell: (interrupting) You have 1t
now.
Mr.. Cobb And when the gentleman from
/ Ohio sees proper to PROFOUND that question to
me, with an unlimited control of the floor to
speak as long as may be necessary to answer
him, l will reply with great pleasure. see
that the gentleman has been reading the Con-
| gressional Globe, and / should judge that he
POUNDS his questions upon position heretofore
taken by me.
Mr.. Campbell: We claim here the right, un-
der the constitution to exclude slavery from
the common territories of the country. | I'M
derstand the gentleman to charge that in this
respect we defy the principles of the constitu-
ton; and I should submit it to the house and
the country that, having made that charge, the
gentleman should answer the question have
propounded. The gentleman may tell me that
lie perceives have been reading the Congress
sional Globe More than that; let me tell the
gentleman that have been reading the jour-
mails of congress. When he charges me with
sectionalism and disposition to violate the con-
stitution ofthe country because maintain prin-
Eciples like these, mean to justify myself by
the highestauthority known to this government.
If / desired, could also justify myself by the
action of the honorable gentlemanhlrnself; and,
that he may be more careful in future, will
refer to the records the past by way ofvindl-
eating our position.
In 1916 there was a question before this boz
dy of vast consequence to our country-the an
nexation of Texas; and pending that PROPOSE
ton here, the following proyiso was introduced
BY the honorable gentleman from Illinois, Mr..
Douglas, then member Of the house:
provided, however, That in such State or
States as shall be formed out ofthe territories
north Of said Missouri compromise line, slavery
or involuntary servitude, except for crime, shall
be prohibited.
!. He wished the country to bear in mind that
this proviso did not seek to place arestrictlon
upon territories, but it went far beyond any
thing claimed by the one hundred and six mem
bers who were voting for Mr.. Banks. ltpro-5
vided that even when a territory should form
a state constitution and be ready to come into
the Union as an INDEPENDENT sovereignty, the
people thereof should not have the right to toll
crate slavery.
Heshad not risen to make a speech, but for
the purpose of justifying, by the vote upon the
proviso lie had quoted, the position occupied
upon that question BY the one hundred and SIX
members with whom he was acting. And be
would call the attention Of the house to the fact
that upon that vote the name Of the Distinguish
ed gentleman from Georgia was recorded in
the affirmative. Applause.
Having thus indicated himself and those
who were acting with him from the charge of
sectionalism, he desired to say that, as to the
matter Of Amelicanism, he stood prepared to
defend all Of the leading characteristics of that
organisation. APPLAUSE The present, how
ever, was not the time to enter into discussion
Of that question. But be would say to the gen
tleman from Kentucky, Mr.. III. Marshall, who
seemed to claim the right to read out of that
organization every man who would not declare
against agitating the subject of slavery, that he /
regards free thought and free discussion upon
all great questions as the vital idea of true
American independence.
Mr. Marshall said that he had not assumed I
for the American party that gentlemen had not
the right to entertain and express what opin-
ions they might think proper. He had spoken
Of the American party as a political organiza- T
ton, and would not say that he did not reeog-
nize all persons as belonging TO that organiza
ton unless he subscribed to the sentiments /
which they had published to the country
Mr. Cobb said that the gentleman from Ohio
had referred to his past record. That record
was perfectly satisfactory to him;t he had dis
cuSSed IL often, ana VindlcateQlslO MS own sat-
isfaction and that of his constituents If tt /
should become necessary he was prepared to
do so again.
Mr.. Campbell begged the gentleman to un-
derstand that he merely desired to show that
if he and those acting with him should violate
the constitution, they would have his authority |
for SO doing.
Now, we should Ike to know when and
where gov. Cobb ever discussed this record in
regard to his vote restricting slavery in Texas?
We have lived in the same town, in the same
congressional district, ever since the vote was
given, and this is the first time we have heard
of his referring toit! 1t is true that he has
frequently attempted to explain away the force
of his vote for 'Wilmot proviso' in the Oregon
bill, but that was not half such an outrage I
against the south as this Texas restrction-l
Oregon was but a territory, whereas Texas was
not only a sovereign State, but an independent
republic!! Athens Ca. Waterman.
The following act was approved by governor
WickliHe on the 9th of March last: