The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-08-07

ID does fix him ndeiby upon the record as having yo-
ted TO sustain the reception discussion printing and ac-
purposes2
The abolition of slavery and the save-trade in the Dis
triet OF Columbia.
The abolition Of the Interstate slave trade
The non-admissou oil slave States.
The making Of slaves free who in HaasI from one
slave State to another
The making OF foreign negroes naturazed citizens
The right OF foreign negroes TO hold real estate.
And, Mr. Chairman, IN addition to these propositions
hold that by his vote the various resolutions which
have mentioned he committed himself TO the following doc
trnes;
That abolition petitions arc not part Of plan Of oper
atoms 10 affect and destroy the institution OF slavery with
in the States.
That Congress has the right TO do that indirectly which
il cannot do directly.
That the agitation Of the subject of slavery in the Dis
tr of Columbia and the Territories, overthrow that in
stutou in the several Stgtes violation Of the true
spirit Of the constitution is infringement Of right
OF the States affected and is not breach Of the faith upon
which they entered the coniederacy.
That Congress has the right to discriminate between the
institutions of portion Of the States and another with
a view Of abolshng the and promoting the other.
That the abolition of slavery the inter State slave trade
and the discrimination between the institutions of the
eral States would not be volave Of the constitution de-
strucye Of the fundamental principles upon which the
Union rests and that the consummaton of such
is within the power of Congress. "a.
That Congress consider petitions subjects over
which it has power. ..
That such petitions should be received debated printed
referred, and considered .aM lM.
That citizen of slave State cannot pass in transa
with his slave property through free territory and that the
laws preventing him from doing constitutional and
of binding effect.
That Territory ought to be forced by Congress per-
nit the imposition upon it of the immigration OF free
groes into its limits. ...s
That Congress has power to impose upon State the
abolition of slavery within its limits q condition of its
admission into the Union r
But Mr. Chairman his congressional record does not COM
pete the chapter of his opposition to the South.
lie opposed, sir, in 1914 the annexation of Texas.
In ls4T be led the whig ticket in New York the
ddae of that party for comptroller and elected
platform containing the following part of one of its
resolutions .a. 81. ..#
!" they declare, since the crisis has arrived
when the question must be met their Incorporating hos
which may hereafter be acquired by any action Of the
government of our Union" a..l# .0 .s#
And now, Mr. Chairman anticipate the answer TO all
this startling array of facts will be told as will this
House and the country, that Mr. Fillmore signed the fugi-
tiveslave BILL and that that fact is sufficient reri6u
tion for his previous offences Sir, there is merit at
tached to his signature of that b when reflect upon
the circumstances which surrounded that act Mr. FIJI
signed the other of compromise accompany
ing this act and delayed signing the fugitiveslave law
He said himself in his speech at Louisville Kentucky in
1854
The fugtve-save law had provisions in it to which
bad some objections; regretted s necessity e s being
confusion and difficulties, and doubt mind
whether il unconstitutional denying the right Of
haesa' corpus TO ,he fugitive saye which DOUBT submitted @
assured by him that the law not violation Of the cons
tuition, therefore gave my sanction to the bill"
Thus IL will be seen Mr. Chairman that be hcsitated to
sign the BILL because he thought like his old compees in
Congress- Gddngs Siade Co, that the runaway negro
ought TO have q trial by jury.
why Mr. Chairman, the man who runs second on the
ticket TO Mr. Fillmore the patriotic greasy Tcnnessean
Andrew Jackson Donelson thus knocked Mr. Fillmores
preensous to credit or signing that bill into the head
In the Union, in 1851, when he was editor he said
the assertion that the [of Fmorel
entitled the credit Of standing the Of the
Compromise in good iaitb Il Is ridiculous 20 require de-
wkte citizen, who is infant, IDIOT lunac
fully orgetul knows that it Is racry and entirely without
foundation ALI the measures OF the Compromise, except
the fgitiveslsve law selcnacting As to that ta,
Mr. Fillmore unEHy 70 pera ito tecome lap before
lie consui.ed Mr.. Crenden the subeot-a fact which
the Republic This crgan mentioned at the time order TO
justify Mr. Fillmore before bis northern higher friends
for not returning the bill with his objections"
We know, Mr.. Chairman, that Mr. Fillmore into
office pledged the whg doctrine not TO veto bill when
constitutional and passed by majority of the
representatives Of the States and people The constitution
aty of the ugitreslave law is evident TO the dulest in
telect Mr. Fillmore though was in doubt his Attorney
General removed these doubts After that doubt being
moved the following affords the key to his signature of
The New Albany Tribune, the leading Fillmore organ in
Indiana, says; ~
"Mr. Fillmore gave his official sanction to the fugitive
slave bill because (the eeoiler) could not have got
had at lac been passed ALSO and because in doing be
but carrying out one Of the great principles Of the party
tive on mere questions policy ought be brought
conflict with the will OF the peoples representatives
y
Judge Conklin his minister Mexico in late Speech
said:
q But in imputing TO him willingness TO extend and for
fy slavery persuaded has asaaHi hare done ham in
Justice believe the contrary, that he still hold slavery
the abstract he is known formerly TO have done in
great aborrence they do The evidence constantly cited
TO justify this charge Is the fact OF his having affixed hs sig
nature TO the fugitive slave bill. The alternative in
terpose his But had right expect him TO do
this for he had right himself TO do it, Either from doat
about its copttuonny, from Difference TO the opinion
of those who questioned IT, be did appoint the usual prccau
on OF submitting bill the examination Of the Attorney
General and asking h opinion OF s oonstituonslity To
have vetoed under the very extraordinary circumeapce
Of the would have besn TO say the least papabe vio
aton of the constitution No enlightened who under
stands subject doubt this and such have
been sincere in casting upon Mr. Fillmore for adopt
ing the opposite alternative"
But sir even admitting that he signed the fugitveslave
law in good faith the first official act Of clemency
his part subsequent 20 signing it, to pardon two
who guilty Of violating the very principle OF the bill
In the year S4s deepaid conspiracy was planned and
nearly consummated carry off from Virginia and the
District Of Columbia large number Of slaves Two men,
Drayon and Sears the captain and charerer OF schooner
called the Pearl were the parties They had got of from
Washington slaves the schoo and had
actually reached the mouth Of the river with them when
they overtsken by steamboat and brought back
The citizens were much excited that they came
near using lypchaw. Drayton and Sears tried and
convicted seventythree for transporting slaves,
we're fined heavily and committed to Jail in default Of
payment Mr. Fillmore psrdoned them on the application
OF Senator Sumner, and thus outraged law went un-
avenged by the pardonng Of these negro thieves The
security OF snve property impaired large smoun'
Of fines lost 70 the government and TO the owners Of
the slaves who under the law, TO have half Of the
fines
And now, Mr. Chairman having disposed Of the idea by
his testimony that OF the who second on
a., nfh MIA