Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-01-31
CONGRESS.
SLAVERY IN THE TERRITORIES.

DefcTed debate IN The House Of Repr6sen tG-
tj0s January II, 1856.
Mr.. Stephens | ask the indulgence Of the
House but for few moments. / wish o make
some inquiries OF the honorable gentleman from
Tennessee, mr.. Zollcofer, in reference to some
remarks made by him n the debate yesterday. He
is reported as having said:
INV opinion is that the advocates of the cOnsti-
tutona power OF Congress to establish prophibiC
slavery in the territory OF the United States
though they may live in the South, though they
may profess TO be the advocates Of the constitution
al ri ghss OF the Soath-are doing TO the South more
damage, and are more dangerous, than the Aboli.
tionisis Of the North"
wish % ask the gentleman from Tennessee what
he means by that declaration. and also if he knows
any getlemen, or any persons, the South who
advocate the constitutional power Of Congress to
prohibit slavery in the Territoresg
Mr. ZOllicOfer. | am pleased that the gentleman
from Georgia has put the question to me, and |
shall be Obliged to him, and to the House, not to
coBfu- strictly 10 a categorical answer. Ny
conviction is, that the theory that the Congress Of
the United States has the constitutional power TO
draw geographical line through the public terri
tories and TO say where slavery shall be proh bted
forever is a theory giving to Congress a power
which the Constitution has never conferred upon
this body. My opinion is, that this theory has
done more damage to the constitutional rights OF
southern States OF the Union than the open warfare
of northern Abotionsts upon the institutions OF the
South / DO not mean TO be understood as saying,
that gentlemen who entertain this theory OF the
Constitution are less patriotic than gentlemen who
believe as l do, tina, the Constitution does not
confer that power; tut my position il, and what |
wish TO be understood saying is, that the theory
IS an erroneous aud most dangerous one. Aud
here let remark, than many gentlemen Of the
South, whose patriotism | have never doubted,
have fallen into a belief OF this theory; and some
gentlemen have gone so tar as TO demand that the
Congress of the United States should mark out the
line dividing The territory between the North aud
the South, and thereby determine forever where
slavery should 90 aud where it should be prohibited.
Bat am gratifed that many OF those gentlemen
have changed their opinions.
The gentleman from Georgia Hr Stephens asks
ane to point him TO a man OF the South who enter
tains such opinions / would say to him that nay
understanding is, Eat the gentleman from Georgia
himself Mr.. Stephens has, upon the floor Of this
House, maintained With regard 10 the territory
acquired from Mexico that unless Congress would
extend the Missouri compromise line to the Pacific
would, by geographical line, divide the territory,
and determine t0reUer where slavery should exist,
and where il should be prohibited, that he had
no other sternGrve than TO return the territory 20
Mexico. "Let keep our money which is 10 be
paid far il" said he, land let Mexico keep her
provinces aud her people" That has position,
as understood IL. am grathed that the gentleman
who then warred against the principle of Hou-
intervention" has changed his opinion, and now
stauds before the country an advocate OF the
principle OF "non-interyentcn' by the Federal
Government with the territories OF the L ion upon
the subject OF slavery. NV opinion is that the new
States, TO DO carved out of the public Territories,
when they shall be admitted into this Uaion, should
conn. in ,non eouai fpafiuU vii old Statas
under the plain letter Of the Constituton-tha they
should come full-fedged, with all power for deter
miuing their fundamental and constitutional laws,
as is conceded TO the old States OF the Union |
repeat, DO not mean 20 saw that gentlemen who
entertain the opinions | ascrbe TO him are less
patriotic than those who embrace the principle Of
non-interventiou; but | mean to say that such
opinions are more dangerous to the South, ptrIi-
euary when presented by southern gentlemen,
than when presented by open and avowed Abolition.
lists.
Mr.. Stephens. The gentleman is mistaken in
attIbutng TO me any such position or opinions as
he seems, from the record he refers TO inclined to
assign me. l did not then, or ever, advocate the
constitutional power IN Congress TO prohibit slavery
in the Territories; but | maintained that upon the
principle OF compromise | should be satisfied with
noting but fair div isIon of this Territory have
always, and / do now maintain as an original cues.
the common domain, in which the people Of al the
States have an equal interest and that the people
Of the States who choose 20 settle them should
determine their domestic institutions for themselves
rs they please when they come 10 form their State
constitutions But when the North would not
permit the South to enjoy al ia common TO coouize
all ia common and 70 settle all in cou mon without
restriction then only the principle Of division,
as q ate native, would compromise the question
At all. Now sir
Mr.. Zollicoler (interruptng.) Win the gentle
man from from Georgia ALLOW me TO red his
declared opinionsy
hr. Stephens. Not now. | know all about my
declared opinions ! do not wish 70 have nav time
nov taken up by reading.
Nr Zoieoicr Very well, sir.
Mr. stephens II the gentleman has ANYTHING
there in contradiction 10 what say | will, when !
get through, hear him read IL; but do not wish
now to be diverted from other points. The gentle.
uisn stated TO the House when be began thar those
gentlemen who voted Tor the Missouri Hue-the
geographical une-where slavery might exist, aud
where il shoald not we're moro dangerous 10 the
Interests OF the people OF the South THAN the AbO-
htionisis Of the North Does he believe .bat these
men who ia lssO-when the South VAS pressed 70
the wal-when they took that measure Gals as an
dfieraaiire-ahen the North insisted on having
every loot OF tar o0Gutry, aud when, oniy BY small
msjprljy, the South reluetapily TOOK this iine, Ia
lieu OF total prohibition-ioes he believe, | ask,
thai those more dang FoGs 10 lie South
than the Abaii0nist- Of the North wsrts Does be
cav that your Lowndcses and Claws, ~iih msjofiiy
OF the Southern members we're more dangerous 20
tae rights and Interests Of the South and the pcace
Of the country thaR the avf we'd Aooliiionisis
sr Zoieoher Perhaps tie genilrman does uoi
understand me. | again repeat. sud ! wi-h % b'
propeAy understood. thai thi. aearg h,s d a more
damag and i more dapgers a. the ronsti utionai
rights Of the South tea ths open esforts os boz
lilionist.. Msns pstFiosic men ~ tie period to
witch the eendemsf iIodes, cli. a. bs4isve Into
t..e error a. Submitting - chat they regarded as