The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-12-18
THE NATIONAL WASHINGTON D. c. DECEMBER 49,

the terms of the treaty with France, conveying
as it did the Louisiana Territory foreUeT and
IN full sovereignty to the United StatesF"
| This principle of the Republican party, which
prompted their opposition to the extension OF
Slavery, had been ratified by the uniform course
of Congressional legislation with respect to the
Territories, until within the last decade of our
political history. 1t was confirmed by Congress
IN 1888 by re-enacting the Ordinance of 1887
1t was confirmed in the Territorial organization
of Tennessee and of Mississippi, Congress in
each case exercising "a right of control" over
the introduction of Slavery into those Terrific
RES 1t was confirmed in 1900 by the legisla
ton of Congress with respect to Indiana, in
1913 with respect to Louisiana in the organiza
ton OF Orleans Territory, in 1905 with respect
to Illinois, and SO likewise with regard to Mis-
souri,, (by the prohibition of Slavery north OF
360 30>,) Wisconsin, Iowa, Oregon, &c. Such
uniformity of procedure would seem to settle
the question respecting the po,oer of Congress
to prohibit Slavery in the Territories
MIR. Collamer then proceeded to argue the
motives which had prompted the fathers to
check the extension of Slavery, which he mainly
found in the incompatibiity of that institution
with the general diffusion of intelligence and
promotion of industry and enterprise among the
produce favored class, remarkable for all the
qualities engendered by the gifts of hereditary
fortune; but what, he asked, is its general
effect on the great mass of the free white pop
ulation? That this latter was eloquent in the
condemnation of Slavery, he verify believed,
but preferred to cite the authority of slavehold-
ers in confirmation of this view. The speaker
then read quotations this point from the
writings of Washington, Jefferson, Madison,
George Mason of Virginia, Gov. Mcdowell,
Hon. G. j. Faulkner, Jefferson Randolph, Gov.
ernor Hammond of South Carolina, and others.
To the Presidents charge, that the people of
the North had INDUCED in series Of aggres-
sions on the South, the speaker replied by re-
versing the terms Of the statement, and cited.
among the aggressions of the South, the annex
alton of Texas, by procedure of questionable
constitutionality, but avowedly TO perpetuate
and protect the institution of Slavery The
next aggression was the abrogation of the Mis-
souri, Compromise, which he regarded as a
violation Of high political morality.
The speaker then commented on the political
concessions eXacted by Slavery from Presiden-
tial aspirants, as seen in repeated Presidential
elections. These aggressions and this political
compliance of the Democracy with all the de-
mands of Slavery had begotten the Republican
party, and it would last as long as the evils
lasted which it sought to cure.
The speaker concluded by criticising certain
popular catch-words of Democratic politicians,
such as popular sovereignty" equality of the
States" &c. and, in allusion to the frequent
threats of the South to dissolve the Union,
(which he thought had nearly ceased to alarm
the North he drew an imaginary "Declara-
ton of Independence" to be uttered by the
South as their manifesto to the civilized world
In the House of Representatives, upon the
motion to refer the Presidents Annual Message,
Mr.. Smith, of Tennessee, spoke an hour in re-
ply to Messrs. Campbell and Sherman, of Ohio
embracing topics involved in the late political
canvass. The question upon the admission of
Mr.. Whitfield as Delegate from Kansas was
further considered, and resulted in allowing the
claimant to take the oath of office. This was
done by vote Of III to l08. Mr. Campbell,
of Ohio, with commendabe promptitude, re-
ported, from the Committee of Ways and Means,
two of the annual appropriation bills /: one for
the support of the Military Academy, and one
for the payment of invalid and other pensions.
The Annual Report of the Secretary of the
Treasury on the state Of the finances was laid
before the House, and twenty thousand copies
ordered to be printed. Communications were
also received from the State Department, trans
hitting information from the Statistical Bureau
and estimates for certain expenses of the De-
partment.
The vote on the admission of Whit ED was
as follows:
YEAs-Messrs. Aiken, Akers, Allen, Banks.
dale, Bell, Bennett Of Miss, Bocock, Bowie,
Boyce, Branch, Brooks, Broom, Burnett, Cad
walader, Campbell of Kentucky, Garlic, Ca
ruthers, Caskie, Clingman, Cobb of Alabama,
Cox, Crawford, Cullen, Davidson, Davis of Ma
ryland, Davis of Illinois, Denver, Dowdell, Ed.
mundson, Elliot, English, Etheridge, Eusts,
Evans, Faulkner, Florence, Foster, Fuller of
Maine, Garnett, Goode, Greenwood, Hall of
Iowa, Harris of Maryland, Harris of Alabama,
Harris of illinois, Harrison, Herbert, Hickman,
Hoffman, Houston, Jewett, Jones of Tennessee,
Jones of Pennsylvania, keitt, Kelly Kennett,
Kidwell, Lake, Letcher, Lindley, Lumpkin. A.
X. Marshall of Kentucky, II. Marshall of Ken
lucky, Marshall of Illinois, Maxwell, McMullin.
Mcqueen, Miller of Indiana, Millson, Moore,
Morrison, Oliver of Missouri, Orr Packer,
Paine. Peck, Phelps, Porter Powell. Pur,
year, Quitman, Ready, Ricaud, Rivers, Ruffin,
Rust Sandidge, Savage, Shorter, Smith of Ten
nessee, Smith of Virginia, Smith of Alabama,
Sneed, Stephens, Swope Talbot, Taylor, Trippe,
Tyson, Underwood, Vail, Walk, Walker, War
ner, Watkins, Wells, Wheeler Whitney Will
liams, Winslow, Wright of Tennessee, and FOL
licoffer-ll2.
Nays Messrs. Albright, Allison, Ball, Bar.
bour, Barclay, Bennett of New York, Benson,
Billinghurst, Bingham, Bishop, Bliss, Bradshaw,
Brenton, Buffinton, Burlingame, Campbell of
Penn, Campbell of Ohio, Chaffee, Clarke of
New York, Clark of Connecticut, Clawson, Col
fax, Comins, Covode, Cragin, Cumback, Dam
rell, Davis of Massachusetts, Day, Dean, De
Witt, Dick, Dodd, Durfee, Eide, Edwards, EN-
RE, Flagler, Galloway, Giddings, Gilbert, Gran.
ger, Grow, Hall of Massachusetts,, Harlan Ha-
ven, Hodges Holloway Horton of New York,
Horton of Ohio, Howard, Hughston, Kelsey,
King, Knapp, knight, Knowlton, Knox, Kun
KEEL, Letter, Mace, Matteson, McCarty, Miller of
New York, Millward Morgan, Morrill,, Mott,
Murray, Nichols, Norton, Oliver of New York,
Parker, Pearce, Pelton, Pennington, Perry,
Petit, Pike, Pringle, Purviance, Richie, Rob
bins, Roberts, Robson, Sabin, Sapp, Scott, Sher-
man, Simmons, Spinner, Stanton, Stranahan.
Tappan, ThOrington, Thurston, Todd, Trafton,
Wade, Wakeman, Walbridge, Waldron, Wash
burne of Wisconsin, Washburne of illinois.
Washburn of Maine, Welch, Woodruff, and
Woodworth-l08.
SENATE.
Wednesday, December 10, 1856.
Mr.. Mason presented memorial from John
II. Wheeler, late Minister to Nicaragua, asking
to be reimbursed for moueys advanced for the
4 E I