Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-12-26


when the Territory is open TO settlemen'' sna I,.
holder. 20 there to protect slave property hu,
| Ir,pe n pa.. such la,7s, what IL ma r"'heuy -
None sir II the majority Of the people ar Gpiue
TO the institution, and ii they do not des'le . ,ni,
ed upon their Territory, a.! lnsS nave 80 ~ o;,a,nr
IN d.iipe 10 pass laws in the Territorial 'ts."
for il. protection and ;ien il is as well rxciJa u,
the t,ower wac invested in the Territorial ~
aud exercised by thcm to prohinis IL .,,,,o =,
the gentleman what is the practical go
r.sut from the agitation and discussion q, tH -
t,n os IN yhether snuatter sovereignty does W w.
no, .xis.! Practically it is matter VI ."''e A''
ment." .o ,l;s . tbs
public opinion is paramount 10 Jaw iI", shnni 70
occasions when public opinion does ana snou.i 10
strun the palties of the law, is reahi'y a"n.'' q
+, el,o i, that laws passed by the Represeh'al:es
the people are usually the reflex OF puohy opsn.o"
nave already remarked that no specimen a..
rsonle are requisite for territorial government an'
ntery repuGiste the idea that the hr'' 'e" huIa.e,
,rragaIers who may enter upon TtfltorJ sho',u &C
nm 70 Ina The manufacturers of public OPINION W "
Law which NAV conflict with the rights oi c','H'n
under the Constitution; and 80 do unhers'ahu ny
friend hi, posiion H. thut if Territorial L-gisia
tur. fails to On - laws protecting and re1uins PiG
perty in slaves, there IS no power to co'Ipe' -
an. and that in the absence OF such police
our slaves would not only be vaueie;S nv nal
tbe community; ard il i. in this TINT think my col
League errs As citizen OF asovercish ota'e nav
the right to pass with my property INFO any '2'I
Territory where the national dag IS recoghi%.i II
take my slave into State where pubic
agniust the institution, may DO robbed oi my pro
pery and although my right OF property IS intact
am powerless il tho local law IS avos:c 10 my CO
tanning him. But here am in sovereign state a"i
though the State may be- III open oetsnee VI a 'J W
stitutiona enactuent of Congress, l have MOI the
nowsr TO enforce it, uUr do know where Tho power
As citizen of South Carolina, 70 into Terrific
nv, however, with goods, wares, and mercGnhaiee'
and, anterior to the passage by the Territorial
s;ure of Law regulating the distribution OF estates
die intestate. What becomes Of my properly! X !.
certainly subject to the statutes Of hs State OF which
am resident. So if take my property w SLAYER
into Territory, which do under the Federal Consti
tu,on aud the Territorial Legislature have ia LED TO
pass any law to regulate, dispose Of or protect such
property, then the local law OF the State oil which l
AIN citizen will apply TO such PROPERTY provided 1t
does not conflict with the Constitution aud the laws OF
Congress made under H.
presume that M colleague and myself will coin.
eide in the opinion that the Territorial Legislature has
no authority TO pass laws prohibiting tbs introduction
of slaves the Of them II In the Terri
tory. and any laws to that effect would be void The
point Of difference between as is I'd 70 the effect OF
failure 10 make police regulations. lie gives virtue 10
public opinion at too early period, and his position
would as etfrctuay exclude tue save owner with h's
property As that of those gentlemen who adm. the
RICH; ola Territorial Legislature 10 exclude He makes
tho general opinion of few srarglers more etiicn-
cious than lerri,oripl law. In tho nsme of public
OPINION ho prohibits the freq exercise OF opinion; il
TRUTH his position is tho squner Sovereignty u opin-
ion.
When Kansas comes 10 ia in the nsjea:y OF So
vereign, will regard her opnon-not before Bur
It has been suggested that the quatier sovereign COG
;rine will work as well for this South as fur the
North, and that the time may coma when II will be
TO our interest that the doctrine should prevail! And
thus Csolrd into making this If II has not al
ready becoms so) d Government Of expectancy. For
my OWN part prefer the Government OF tie Constl'
tuition.
have alluded, cir, to these differences Of opinion
and construction which exist between Democrats, he
elements of weakness in the party organization. NJ
good result from coDcealng he'n or harm from
alluiin. to them The differences are notorious ard
1t is the part OF wisdom and Of patriotism to recoGcie
them at oucs, aud tor Us all to occupy common
ground, which may be clearly defined and Clear ~ an
derstood both at tie North and the South. Il The
advocates Of sqIGtter sovereignty persist IL the:r
construction Of the Kansas Nebraska ac., they w
inevitably drive oG many Of US from tho Soaih, who
desire 10 act in concert with them. Cau they do
without us' No. Nor can We do without them, and
retain any party strength. We heieve that squairr
sovereignty is as fatal to Us a. the Nlmot provlso
and So believing, il would DO suicide TO wink att
With them ;is not matter Of life and death Many
distinguished Northern gentlemen give adhesion 10
the Southern construction Ut tEe act. WEy. then
should not all agree that tbs Territory OF Kansas
shall be free and open 10 every citizen Ut in5 lnltec
States with every kind of properly, slaves incuded
aud NAMED, until the peopu Of the Territory sh.l
have formed State Constitution. which act OF sove
retSnty they may perform whenever they nunbe
population of nirety-hree thousand four hundred
nd twenty, and not before; aud when admitted NJ
State States, the SAID Territory or any portion o.
rhn same, shall be received into the Union with or
without slavery, as their Constitution may prescribe
at the time of their admission"
My individual opinion, Mr.: Speaker, and give 1t
for whatever 1t is worth, is hat tho principle OF lie
Kansas BILL generally understood al ID. South, l.
worth more 10 the South than the Territory itself and
for my own part, would willingly give up tie Tern!
tory to secure the principle, but for the uct tnt Tue
equilibrium of tn, great sections would thereby De
upsless!y Destroyed in the Senate mud that The per-
m.ueut majority would afterwards laugh at tie pfn-
ciple.
talk" hS fol- wing extract from the thi'y'sconn
That tho Constitution ana i-... of tba I-,i,ed
STATE, which are NOT locally irsppiics%,. Inc Tu.,eu
the same force and effect Within the said T"rrilo'y Of
Kansas as elsewhere in the United States except the
Of Missouri into the Union, approved March SKID
eighteen hundred and twenty, which being lncons'S
tent with the principle OF non Intervention oy ooh
yress with slavery 10 the States Had lerrore'' as re-
covnized by the Legislation OF eighteen hunorea ara
Cf y, commonly called tho compromise measures, Is
hereby declared imperative and void; 1t being int
true iuteut and meaning Of this act not 70 IeSisiate
slavery into any Territory or State, nor 10 exclude
therefrom, but TO leave the people thereof perfectly
free TO form aud regulate their domestic Institutions
in their own way, subject only 10 the Constitution oil
the United Suites Provided, That nothing herein
contained shall he construed 10 revive or put IN iorc-
any law regulation which may have existed PRIOR
to the act OF sxh March, eighteen hundred ana TWEEN
ty either protecting establishing, prohlbh'hs' OF
obolishing slavery"
This paragraph, seems to be declaratory o. the IN
tentos of the and supporters OF the ec. HOW
Understood il ha= already been expressed lis Inean
Ing appeared clear 10 me lheni it seems SD nov III
voting for the bill hoped end believed that my III
Huencv was being contributed towards transferring
tile agitation OF slavery in Territories from these Halls
TO The Territories Themselves. fancied thai inc bill
embodied principles just. and right III themseve: aud
IN strict conformity with the pr:ncp pies ot States
Rights and tie Constitution. The inUrp sausuiuc oil
u. cherished both thu hope and belet!hat nn easy go
luton ui sectional difficulties had been discovered and
that our national area would indefinitely expand
each Stue aud Territory revolving In liz own orbit
the whole system warmed and enlightened by the Gun
Of the Constitution, und The dangers OF cenrH Sation
be corrected by the extent Of our national domain aoa
the remote separation of ls sovereign propretor'
Ii is yet within the power OF the members OF NE
Democratic party to to be realized :ais dream
OF patriots. VIII they do IL
THAcKERAY ON THE REIGN OF ENG
GEORGE III.
(Fror, .hs EdIubure "Scot5man."