The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-08-13
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OF HON. MARTIN J. CRAWFORD
OF GEORGIA,

OF GEORGIA.
On the restoration of the Missouri Compromise and in sup
port of the Kansas Nebraska bill delivered in the House
of Representatives July 2b, 1856. E .#.
The House being in Committee of the Whole the state
of the Union and having under consideration the army
appropriation bill
Mr.. CRAWFORD said
Mr. CHARMAs. The subject of African slavery it
lists in the southern States has been not only fruitful
theme for discussion but the of much sectional hos
tity aud great alienation of that raternal feeling which
should exist between the citizens of the great repub
ic regret that the necessity has arisen which, in my
Judgment requires of any remarks upon this subject
would gladly have avoided it but cannot remain silent
when il s my duty claim the attention OF the committee
and present the views which the majority OF my people
in with myself entertain in regard TO the cond-
ton in which we find ourselves placed.
The abolition feeling which prevails IN the North s the
offspring of sickIy senmentaisn which has existed es-
pecialy in England for than half ana,
coupled with political hatred for the American consttu
ton which is entertained by very many in that country
has been arully managed to enmity and dscord
where there should have been peace and harmony. We
had well hoped that the good and patriotism of
people would have seen the design of the enemies of re-
publican institutions, and avoided the snare which had
thus been set with the view Of luding them into the
dangerous position which occupy 1t is needless
however, to inquire by what reached the pres
ent dangerous and unfortunate condition 1t b sufficient for
us to know where stand and to provide for the
ry of rights and against the Preparation of renewed
wrongs. Our constitution is only safeguard and pro-
lection in its provisions find everything which is
cessary for the safety of the people, It's dl execution by
the great powers who created it. and the ministers whose
duty 1t is directly to act under its behests is all that the
American people need, and all that they desire. Whilst it
was our cloud by day and pillar Of fire by night all
has been well; It's only when have wandered away
from it that dangers beset and ruin threatens us.
Our government for upwards of thirty years after it's
formation, went forward in its of greatness and
effort made to deny any American citizen the rights
which the constitution gave him. No sectional array
against the people either of the North South made
for brethren, not only in but feeling Our
succeeded beyOnQ the
aton of its friends and brought prosperity and happiness
unequalled in the worlds history to all sections OF
confederacy. A second of independence had been
fought and won and still marching onward with
steady tread and hopes Frightening every
sve step of our political existence The dangers which
had given the greatest concern disappeared and we
stood exalted among the nations of the earth challenging
the admiration OF patriots and the fear of rans
where
Just at this period feeling of sectional hostility mani
tested itself towards the slaveholdng States which had
grown noseessy that experienced statesmen
were wholly unprepared to believe what actually
them and with CONSERVATION they that the represent
aves from the North prepared deny to the South
the enjoyment OF her constitutional rights by refusing
allow her people the privilege of providing for the exist
OF slavery upon territory where it had before
been questioned Up to the year 1920 the right to hold
slaves all the territory acquired from France
where admitted and they had been held in the Missouri
Territory from the formation of her territorial government
and effort made publicly to deprive the people of
that right until the national House Representatives step
ped beyond the constitutional bounds and passed
which unconstitutional In than particular,
well Unjust and ungenerous in view of all the past
history of country. Much has been said and written
the aggressions OF the slave power. Who, let
ask, first commenced this warfare2 Was it our peo-
States No. sir in 1889 the shareholders South held more
than swohrds of the territory belonging to the United
States their lands stretched from the Atlantic the
TO the great Father of Waters the West their south
boundary rested upon the Gulf Mexico where
nial summer shed Its uctfyng influences and the great
lakes OF the North acknowledged their dominion In that
day all this vast country the preponderanoe
in avor-so much so, that solictude, doubt
felt to the future Of the North but their safety
their honor their future In hands that wronged
brother We had just passed through the bloody strug
pie of revolution and willing with
and sparing hand to share with you the results flowing
from that together had fought the blood of north
ern and southern men moisened our batte-felds the
bones Of the STAKEHOLDER and nonsayehoder found
grave amid the granite hills Of the North and the
Of the South With all these remembrances upon
would not take to ourselves and appropriate to
postery every foot land which had been by the
blood and treasure of brave and generous people
Here it that the eary fathers of the republic" of
whom mention is often made "consecraed TO freedom
the great Northwest and rendered inheritance to
our northern brethren and their children after them, for
ever.
Little did these "fathers" think when they thus acted
that in after years this boon their part would be tortured
into precedent for foul injustice and unmgated wrong
upon their country and their kindred 1t is nevertheless
true that the descendants Of these northern In 1920
when Missouri desired admission into the Union State
forward and declared by law that the rights held by
southern In slave property should be enjoyed
the common territory OF the governments and here began
the aggressions Whose rights might well ask
ssled7 Not only ia Missouri but in all the territory north
and west of her. slavery existed If not in fact in legal
temptation and abolition invaded rights and restrict
ed us from our domain
This aggression unexpected unlocked for without
precedent and yioative Of constitution infringe
ment upon southern rights which had occurred from
the day government went into operation until Its
summation in 1870. We prepared and propose now
show that in this sustained by the public records Of
the country and dare the enemies Of the South to deny the
truth Of our assertion.
In the very first Congress that held under
present constitution bill for the government Of the Ter
rtory Of Tennessee passed, and the right to hold
slaves was expressly reserved In April l79S during the
session Of the fifth Congress territorial government
established for Mississippi and abolition free-so
Wmot provsoes inserted therein In the year 1904
another government organized by Congress for the
Orleans Territory and in 1905 for louisiana in 1912 for
Missouri in 1917 for Alabama and in 1919 for Arkansas
making in all territorial governments and in none
Of them did Congress exercise the power to prohibit the in
PRODUCTION Of slavery except in far they had the
horiy under the constitution to prevent the Importation
of slaves from foreign in other words the At
rcan slave trade prohibited but the right of American
citizens enter these Territories with their slaves
pressly reserved
This prohibition OF the african drsrade into the Uni
ted States and In the territories has been insisted upon
justification for the denial Of plain and papabe rights OF
the people Of this country to equal enjoyment of the
common territory and efforts have been made place
this question before the northern mind produce the
impression that the power to abolish the saueads In
cludes the power also pass the Wmot proviso And
more sir argument is drawn adroty as to conound
the importation with the emigration into the territories and
thus gross fraud is prsctsed upon the unsuspecng and
honest portion OF the people, who have intrusted their
rights in the hands Of unfahfn and unscrupulous public
men.
But In 1920 after slavery had been recognised in Mis-
souri, by our government for sixteen years part Of the