Washington sentinel., 1856-05-20

ginning to excite, / believed ii q solemn duty
fully to make known my sentiments in regard
to II; aud now, when every motive for misrep-
resentation has passed away, trust that they
will be candidly weighed and understood. AT
least, they will be my standard of conduct in the
path before me. | then declared that, if the
desire of those of my countrymen who we're ia
vorabe to my election, was gratihed, i must
gointo the Presidential chair the inaexible and
uncompromising opponent of every attempt, on
the part of Congress, to abolish slavery IN the
District of Columbia, against the wishes OF the
slaveholding States and also with q determin-
alton equally decided to resist the slightest
interference with it in the States where IT ex-
ists' | submitted also to my fellow. citizens,
with fullness and frankness, the reasons which
led me to this determination. The result au-
thorizes me to believe that they have been
approved and are confded in by majority of
the people Of the United States, including those
whom they most Immediately affect. 1t now
only remains to addS that no bill conflicting
with these views can ever receive my constitu-
tional sanction. These opinions have been
adopted in the firm belief that they are in
accordance with the spirit that actuated the
venerated fathers of the Republic, and that
succeeding experience has proved them to be
humane, patriotic, expedient, honorable, and
jnst. If the agitation of this subject was in
tended to reach the stability of our institutions,
enough has occurred to show that it has sig.
nally failed, and that in this, as in every other
instance, the apprehensions Of the timid and
the hopes Of the wicked for the destruction of
our Government, are again destined to be dis
appointed. Here and there, indeed, scenes of
dangerous excitement have occurred; terrify-
ing instances of local violence have been wit
messed; and reckless disregard Of the conse-
quences of their conduct has exposed indi
viduals to popular Indignation but neither
masses of the people nor sections of the country
have been swerved from their devotion to the
bond of the Union and the principles it has
made sacred. 1t will be ever thus. Such at
tempts at agitation may periodically return,
bnt with each the object will be better under
stood. That predominating affection for our
political system which prevails throughout our
territorial limits that calm and enlightened
judgment which ultimately governs our people
as one vast body, will always be at hand to
resist and control every effort, foreign or do
mestic, which aims or would lead to overthrow
our institutions"
Now, if the reader will turn to the fifth reso-
luton offered by Mr.. Calhoun, as above quoted,
and compare it with this declaration of Mr.
Van Buren, which Mr.. Buchanan endorsed, he
will perceive that Van Buren's argument
against the abolition Of slavery in the District
of Columbia, is even more conclusion than the
resolution of Mr.. Calhoun, for this resolution
did not declare the abolition of slavery in the
District of Columbia to be unconstitutional; 1T
did not even declare it to be violation OF the
implied faith pledged to Maryland and Vir-
gnia, but simply that ''it would be direct and
dangerous attack upon the institutions of the
slave-holding States"
When, therefore, the fifth resolution came
up, Mr.. Clay of Kentucky offered to amend the
same By striking out all after the word RE
solved" and inserting in lieu thereof the fol-
lowing:
"That the interference by the citizens of any
of the States with the abolition of slavery in this
District, is endangering the rights and secu-
rity of the people of the District; and that any
act or measure of Congress designed to abolish
slavery in this District, would be violation of
the faith implied in the cessions by the States
of Virginia and Maryland; a just cause of
alarm to the people Of the slaveholding States,
and have a direct and inevitable tendency to
disturb and endanger the Union.
And, Resoiped, That it would be highly mex
pedient 10 abolish slavery within any district or
country set apart for the Indian tribes, where II
now exists. in Florida the onlv territory OF the
United States in wi sich II now exists, because OF
the serious alarm and just apprehensions which
wonld be thereby excited in the States sustaining
that domestic institution because the people OF
that Territory have not asked IL TO be done, and,
when admitted into he Union, will be exclusively
entitled 10 decide that question for them yes
because il would be in vic alton ofthe stipuatons
of the treaty between the United States and
Spain of The 22d Of Febru ry, 1919, and also be-
cause il would be in violation of solemn COM
promise made at a memorable and critical period
IN the history of this country, by which, whilst
slavery was prohibited North, II was admitted
South OF the line of thirty-six degrees and thirty
minutes North latitude"
And Il determined in the afirmatlve--Yeas
l9, Nays Is.
Among the Southern men who voted with Mr..
Buchanan in the affirm alive. were Clay OF Alabama,
Cuthbert Of Georl ia, Fulton of Arkansas, King of
Alabama, p eston OF SouIh Carolina, Strange Of
North Carolina and White ofTenne see. So Mr..
Cahouns resolution was amended. The question
recurring az reeng 10 theresoluiion as amended,
Mr.. Buchanan meved 10 further amend IL by
striking out the sec md clause thereof as above
quo ed and. upon that motion, the yeas were
"a nsys l3 Mr.. Buchanan voting with Southern
men, among " hon were Brown OF North Carolina,
Cuthbert of Georgia, Fulton OF Arkansa., King OF
Ala anna, Franklin Pierce OF New Hampshire,
Preston Of South Carolina and White Of Tennes-
see So The second clause was stricken out,
Mr.. Buchansn's motion, and Mr.. Clay's amend.
ment, as amended, was concurred in by a vote of
80 yeas 10 ) nays; Mr.. Calhoun voting with Mr..
Buchanan.
On the 1llh Of January, 1898 Mr.. Buchanan
having agreed pro forma 10 offer be second part
OF Mr.. Clay's amendment, as a separate resolu-
ton, Il was amended and passed by vote of
Ihi ty~fve yeas TO nine nays, Mr.. Buchanan and
Mr. Calhoun voting together. This additional
ame M led resolution is follows:
"A,id resoived, That any attempt OF Congress to
abolish slavery in any territory of the Uniteo
States, in which il exists, would create serious
alarm and just apprehension in the States sus.
tanning that domestic institution, would be a
violation OF good faith towards the inhabitants OF
any such territory, who have been permitted TO
settle with and hold slaves therein; because the
people Of any such territory have not asked for
the abolition of slavery therein, and because when
any such Territory shall be admitted into the
Union as a State, the people thereof will be
entitled to decide that question exclusively for
themselves"
On the 18th of January, 1888, Mr.. Calhoun's
sixth and last resolution was laid on the table by
vote Of thirty. five yeas 10 nine nays, Mr.
Buchanan voting in the Affirmative, in company
with Brown Of North Carolina Cuthbert of