Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1856-07-17


gage in no defence Of that gentleman; he
needs none. There are none here from
the South TO dissent from a word he said in
defining his opinions. He assumed broad
national position. conservative Of what he
regarded as Southern rights. He denied
the power Of Congress, and Of the terrific
rial governm ent, TO lcgislate on the subject
Of slavery therein, except to protect per-
sons in their property; and then, amid the
tide of anti-slsvery sentiment in his own
State, that set against him, he went before
his constituents and maintained the same
views with a manliness and boldness that
might challenge the admiration, if it did not
vie with the chivalry of the South. But.
sir, letters have been written from here to
different parts Of the country, in which quo
tations are made from sone old letters and
speeches Of Mr.. Fuller, to prove that heGs
"Wilmot proviso man up to the hub
But in his vindication on this floor, several
weeks ago, he denounced the letters from
which the extracts were made as base for
geries. Yet those gentlemen have neither
had the ability to refu,e what Mr.. Fuller
has said with reference to the fraudulent
letters thus quoted against him, nor the mag
namity to take back publicly what they
had published and sent to the country.
But, sir, how can the Anti-Benton De-
mocracy object 10 my vote for Fuller, when
his position is identical with the 4th resolu.
ton, on the subject of slavery, passed by
the Missouri legislature Of l849, and which
is yet the basis Of their creed. But am
Free Soiler, they say, because l did not
support the gentleman from 1llinois, (Mr.
Richardson,) when he was nominated
Now, sir, wish to show what was the po.
stion Of the gentleman from Illinois. I
wish to show that he was the "Willmot pro-
viso man up to the hub" and not MIR. Full.
ler, and this l shall prove from his record.
In a speech delivered in this House, in
1850, he used this language.
!, THE Missouri compromise also abolish.
"ed slavery north Of 36 deg. 80 min. That
compromise was passed, not to keep the
Territory free north of that latitude, but
"because the Laws of louisiana, when we
"acquired it, recognized slavery, and cara
"ried it, consequently, unless repealed, to
"all the territory. But maintain, sir, that
e "slavery is the creature of municipal law,
land does not and cannot exist one moment
e "wihout it. lfterrtory is free, there is no
4 necessity to pass any law--it will remain
1 "so."
r "The people Of the non-slaveholdins
O estates believe that the territory we acquir-
S "ed from Mexico by the treaty of peace.
G "brought with 1t the laws not inconsistent
r "with our constitution, and that those laws
: excluded slavery. Ii there is any repre-
s sentative from the non-slaveholding States
e 'thut denies either Of these propositions, I
/. "ask him 10 rise in his place and say so.-
S "There are none who can or dare deny it,"
i "This is universal sentiment at the
;, "North, and might refer to all the speeches
: "that have been made at this session Of
Congress and the last TO show that every
zone from the non- -slaveholding States, Fres
"Soilers and all, hold that the territories
: "are now free. If this i, true, what more
d lean you do? They are free now and will
sever remain SO; they are free by the law
f ''of nations, they are free by the laws Of
"nature, they will remain free from causes
"to which have already referred, forever"
u 81 do not, and cannot believe, that our
I "Constitution carries and protects slavery
u "except in States, nor do believe that its
o "framers intended that it should extend this
"institutution. l believe it was formed for
: star higher and nobler purposes"
!, The gentleman from Illinois assumed lhs
f positioa that the laws of Mexico being An
: ti-Slavery and not Inconsistent with the
e Constitution, would, il not repealed. exclude
o slavery from and make the territories free.
He tllen used this remarkable language:
: "There is one thing that wish, in this
/ connection, Mr.. Chairman, to say to the
II gentlemen from the South, and the North.
e "srn Wings: II the bill for territorial gov
!, "ernments, silent upon the subject of slave
> ''ry, shall be defeated, then / am for bills
"with the Wilmot Provisu, in order to give
governments to the people in the terrific
I, ''riss; and speak for four of my colleagues,
y ''assured that they will feel constrained to
d "pursue like course. And if General
h "Taylor shall approve the proviso, then it
twill have passed; and it Is for them TO de-
. "termins what shall or shall not be done,
S "and let the responsibility rest with them.
d 81 believe Congrese has full power to pass
S "such laws as they may think proper for
"the government of the territories. Thers
sis, consequently, no constitutional Difficult.
sites in my road" ..-.-
J 1t is not simply his admitting the power
! of Congress to exclude slavery that made
= his position so Objectionable, Blu. his de-
mandng that slavery shUuld be excluded
s from the territories acquired from Mexico,
= by permitting the anti.slsve laws Of that
It country to remain unrepealed; or, if that
Il should not be allowed, he would vote tesx-
n clude it, in express terms, by the passage of