Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-07-15

Daniel Wehster's Opinion-Read it.


der of the constitution. While he lived
he was constantly subjected toslander and
detraetion from the same source. Now,
however, his merits are acknowledged,
and his view of constitutional questions
admitted to be Of great weight. We have,
therefore, been al the trouble of copyinr
ms views on a certain point, now of vital
consequence, and occasioning much dis
cusslon; and hope that they may be care.
fully read.
Inc chief apology, among the nor thern
supporters Of the Pierce Buchanan plat-
form, fer their policy of opening all the
territories to slavery, is that those terrific
rles are the common property of the North
and South; ard that to exclude slavery
therefrom IS injustice TO the South, since
citizens OF the slave states should be equal
~ entitled to remove, with all their prop
erty to those territories with the citizens
of the Free States. They say that to ex-
clude slavery from the territories takes
away the right of the citizens of a slave
state to remove thIther with his property.
Hear what Daniel Webster SAYS on this
subject. and say whether the plain COM
nonsense and justice of his remarks do
not commend them to every sober, think
ing man. The extracts are from his speech
on the bill to organize the territory of Or
egon, made IN the United States Senate.
August II, 1S4S:
9 Gentlemen who advocate the cause
which my honorable friend from G Georgia,
{ Mr.. Berrien,) with so much ability sus-
lalns, declare that we invade their rights,
a Sc
the enjoyment Of territories acquired by
the coamon services and con.mon exer-
ton of all. Is this true2 How deprive?
Of what do we deprive theml Why,
they say we deprive them of the privil-
ege of carrying their slaves, as slaves,
into the new territories. Well, sir, what is
the amount Of thats They say that In
tins way we deprive them Of the opportu-
nity of going into this acquired territory
with their property. Their property g.
" hat do they mean by q property g We
certainly do not deprive them of the priv
ilege of going into these newly acquired
territories With all that, in the general es-
innate of human society, in the general
and common, and universal understanding
of mankind, is esteemed property. Not
at all. The truth is just this They have
III their own states, peculiar laws, which
create property in persons. They have
a system of local legislation on winch sa-
very resa-; while everybody agrees that it
IS agaiGSt natural law, or atleast the COM
mon understanding which prevails among
men as 10 what is natural law.
g The Southern States have peculiar
laws, and by those laws there rs property
in slaves. This is purely local. The re-
al meaning, then, of Southern gentlemen,
IN making this complaint, is, that they
cannot go into the territories of the Uni
ted States CARRYING WITH THEM
THEIR OWN PECULIAR LOCAL
LAW, a law which creates property in.
slaves. This, according to their own
statements, Is all the ground OF complaint
they have. Now here, | think, gentle
men are unjust toward US. How unjust
they are, others viii Judge; generations.
that wild come after US Will Judge. IL will
not be contended that this sort of person
al slavery exists by general law. 1t ex-
lists only by local law. It do not mean to
deny the validity of that local law where
II is established; bat say it is, after all,
local law. 1t IS nothing more. And,
wherever that local law does not extend,
property in persons does not exist. Well,
sir, what is now the demand on the part
OF our southern friends! They say, s'we
will carry our local laws with us wherever
we 90. We insist that Congress does Us
injustice unless it establishes in the terri
tory in which we wish to 90 our own local
law" This demand |, for one, resist and
shall resist. 1t goes upon the idea that
there is an inequality, unless persons un-
der this local law, and holding property
by authority of that law, can go into new
territory and there establish local law,
to the exclusion of the general law.
"The assertion is, that we create an
inequality. Is there nothing to be said on
the other side in relation to Inequahtyl-
Sir, from the date of this Constitution ,and
In the counsels that formed and established
this Constitution, and | suppose IN all
mems judgment since, 1t Is received as
settled truth, that slave labor and free la
hor do not exist well together.
Wherever labor is performed mainly by
slaves, it Is regarded as degrading to free
men. The freemen of the North, there
lore, nave deep interest IN keeping Ia
Dor free, ExcLUsIvELY FREE, IN the new
territories.
90 AS to the power of Congress, have
nothing TO add to what said the other day.
Congress has full power over the subject.
Ii may establish any such government,
and any such laws, in the territories, as
III its discretion it may see lit. 1t is sub
iect, of course, to the rules of justice and
proprietv but it is under no constitutional
restraints.
The Cincinnati platform, which Mr..
Buchanan declares he heartily approves,
and in which he has so merged his per-
sonal Identity as to be no longer g simply
James Buchanan pledges the so-callec
Democratic party TO extend the purely To-
cal laws of the slave states oyer all the
territories, to the exclusion of the genera
law 1t says slave labor shall go thither
although ii does put free white labor IL