Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-04-08
Tbirty-Fourth Go1gress---Ftrsf SessSOn.
WhsliINoroS, April 3.
Il - III


The bill for The relief Of the widows and orph-
ms of the officers and seaman and marines Of
the sloop of war Albany, and the joint resolution
declaring the manner in which the pension laws
for tina benefit Of the Cherokee Indinns shall be
executed were passed
Mr. Collamer proceeded TO show by the practi-
cal oontemporaGeons construction of the power
of Congress relative Ia slavery Ia the territories
of the United States. that Congress have never
submitted the question of freedom slavery to
the people Of the territories in any form to the
operated upon while they were territories. The
people Of territory, in forming State, govern
inent must Of course have power to form that gov
eminent like any other State in the Union as
they please, so it be republican form of gov
crninrnt in order TO be on equality with the 9th.
or States. No body denied That's il required no
argument to prove it. but that was not the point.
Tho question WINS how the subject Of slavery
the existence or regulation OF slavery--should
be arranged while it remained II territory.
Eks question, he sad had never been agita
ted by discussion or Legislation about any Of the
territories themselves; aud therefore he insisted
that the present attempt to introduce that qupo-
ton was new experiment. and tho very fact
that il was n new experiment was almost enough
TO condemn it in his estimation lie went on to
show. IN the next place. that Congress had exrr
c>ed the power which they possessed in the
any considerable extent, Congress by general or
particular laws for that territory or Tint country
had prohibited it from time 10 time. all the why
along but in the terri cries where slavery ex-
isting, Congress (aiihout doing anything which
would justify Us in saying that it rcpudinled the
exercise Of power in the premises suffered il to
remain there regarding the fact that il Ia been
introduced by thrpeople who hid gone there n
fair indication of the ndapiedness of the terrific
ry Of the institution.
Congress, he said in many eases did exercise
power over slavery; and from that he conoladol
that they had this power. This conclusion was
based upon the cnnemporaneon- construction of
their own nets. Whatever new views Of the con-
sitution might he got up nn,g, and however p'au
sibe they might b. yet they had the effect So
to construe the powers Of Congress over the ter
ritories aS to derive the power from amy such
source as TO oviscerate it, those views were new,
and consequently uniounded. being Inconsistent
with contemporaneous construction.
lie also defended the cmigrant mid societies,
and read from Charleston, $. C., pnpers to show
that the South had adopted similar measures.
lIo regarded this competition as perfectly prop.
er.
Mr. Collnmer did not conclude his remarks.
Being somewhat lndisposed, he gave way to u
motion to postpone the subject until tomorrow
Adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
Various reports. Of no general interest FROM
standing committees were presented.
The amendments of the Senate 10 the Peason
bill were conourred in, and several 10 the W est
Point Academy bills were rejected.
The House in committee of tho whole on the
state of the Union. discussed the Senate amen
dments to the deficiency appropriation bill, but
came Ia no conclusion thereon.
Several gentlemen introduced bills which were
appropriately referred.
The House then adjourned.