Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-02-29
M. Peck. I ask YOU Due question as

J
a matter of history. s
Mr.. Garlic. AS matter of history
will answer it in this way There was
members in Congress representing the
AboliIionists and agitators of the North
to lock and pNralyze one branch of Con-
gress AMI there was. think. a sufficient
number Of national men in both branches
of Congress TO have passed these bills as
the gentleman from Michigan Mr.. Peck
says they were originally reported ;,but.
sir, it is to bc. regretted-and it but veri :
6es the remark that 1 first made-tha
my old Democratic friends are treading
on very dangerous ground when they
place themselves under the lead ership OF
the Wings whom they fought so long -
recollect the history of the Senate's pro-
ceedings on those bills to be. that the
bills we're not originally reported contain
ing a provision to repeal the Missouri
compromise but that Wing Senator
offered an amendment to that. effect, and
the Democrats followed in his wakes
Mr.. Peck. referred the gentleman
to the point, in order to show, from the
history of the question, that the reagita-
ton of the subject of slavery at the North,
which he alludes 10 as being the lneVlta-
BILE consequence and direct result OF the
repeal of the Missouri compromise in the
Kansas and Nebraska bills, did not result
from the introduction of that clause in the
bills, but originated before that aud that
the appeals had gone forth, prior to that,
from the Senate, under which the three
thousand Protestant clergymeu at the
North sent their protest from their pull
pits. That was the origin and state of
the reagitation.
Mr.. Carlile I feel authorized and JUS
tilted in giving it as my opinion-and |
doubt very much if there is o member Of
Congress here who was member Of the
last Congress during its first session, but
will express it as his opinion-that bills
for the organization of Kansas and Ne
braska, similar to those for the organiza.
ton of Utah and New Mexico, could have
passed without stimulating this agitation,
which know has existed to a certain de-
gree, but to a very small extent compared
with the present time. | am warranted
in expressing that opinion. from the fact
that a bill organizing the Territories, but
not embracing this clause for the repeal
of the Missouri compromise, passed this
House by more than q two~thirds vote,
and was only lost in the Senate for want
Of time.
Mr.. Harris, of Alabama. Judge. Mr.
Clerk, from what the gentleman from Vir-
giuia says, that if he had been here in the
last Congress, or in the Congress in which
the compromise measures of 1850 were
adopted, he would have voted against
them all.
Mr. Garlic. No, sir, do not think
that have so expressed myself At the
time that the compromise measures Of
1850 were pending l was honored with a
seat in the Legislature of my own State ;
and my position, l think, was clearly
known to my constituents while | was
there. regarded the passage of some
of those bills with great disfavor and had
been in Congress in 1850, l should not
have been inclined to vote for them all.
Mr.. Cobb. OF Georgia. Against all
Of them ?
Mr. C0rliIe. No sir, not against all of
them.
Mr. Harris. 1 ask the gentleman from
Virginia whether these Utah and New
Mexico bills which the gentleman had no
objection to, did not contain the very
same principle Of squatter sovereignty as
the Kansas and Nebraska bills did
Mr.. Cobb. And the principle of alien
suffrage ?
Mr.. Harris. Yes did they not contain
both these principles
Mr.. Garlic. l propose, with the per-
mission of the House, this morning TO con-
clude the remarks l commenced on yes
tcrday. When was interrupted, was
about to reply to my friend from Alabama
Mr.. Harris who sits before me. l was
about to reply to the question which had
been propounded to me, and which was
this Had been member of Congress
in 1850 would have voted for the bills
Establishing the Territories of Utah and
New Mexico l am not prepared to say
sir, how 1 would have voted but de-
| sire to correct an erroneous impression
which prevails in the country, that the
same principle of alien suffrage is TO be
found IN the bills establishing the Terri
tories of New Mexico and Utah which is
contained in the bill organizing Kansas
and Nebraska. will here read the sixth
section of the act establishing the Terrific.
tory OF New Mexico the same provision
is in the Utah bill:
"SEc. 6. Ind be it further enacted,
That every FREQ white male iuhabitant,
above the age of twenty-one years, who
shall have been resident Of said Territory
at the time of the passage Of this act.
shall be entitled to vote at the first cleo
ton, and shall be eligible to any Office
within the said Territory but the quail
fcation of voters and of holding Office at all
subsequent elections shall be such as shall
be prescribed by the Legislative Assem-
bly,, provided that the right ofsuffrage and