The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-01-09
B1DDEFoRD, MAINE, FRIDAY, JANUARY Q, 1857.

lUA [, J A IN U "A II l
} msnt in tho Territories there shall be pro
hibition against the introduction of alavery
That Is the tenet OF the party, believe.
Mr.. Fesscnden. Yes, sir.
4 Mr.. Mason. Then If Congress pass Law
prohibiting the introduction Of slaves, Their
q denied 70 tho institution what l claim :,
DO It's just susceptibility OF expansion
Now, what was the issue presented IN th'
last canvass in the State so ably Represented
BY the honorable Sanator on this floor, OF
anywhere else, know not; but I do know
what was the issue on this subject which
was presented in the political platform
adopted ut Cincinnati by the Democratic
party. That issue was the doctrine of the
kanas- Nebraska bill. What was that p
The territorial government was 30 organized
there % to admit citizens of all the States,
whether free or slave, to take their property
INTO tho Territories and when they or .an-
iIod themselves, or were organized under
(he law, into legislative body, then
10 determine for themselves whether this In
stitution should exist among them or not
ThA specified difference is, that under the
Kansas law citizens from the. slave States
might 20 into the Territory with their
property citizens from FREQ States might
20 there holding no such property, and
when they got there and met in common
council as legislative body, they should
determine whether tho institution should
prevail; whereas the party which the hon
orable Senator is now representing here de-
clares that, in the organic law creating tho
government in the Territory there shall DO
u prohibition in Hnine, that no slaves shall
90 there. That was the issue presented by
tho platform adopted ut Cincinnati. What
collateral issues may have been presented in
different States by their orators and papers |
know not.
Mr.. Fessenden. so understand it but
what was speaking of was, that the pre-
else proposition now contended for by the
Senator from Virginia was presented no.
where in that form, or substantially like 1t.
Certainly, in the free States it WIS not
claimed, that portion Of the constitutional
rights Of those who hold slaves is the right
Of expansion over free territory outside OF
State limits. IL the Senator had said they
had right to the natural expansion of po-
litical power within the States, arising from
those provisions, rs, for instance, from the
increase of the number of slaves, certainly
should agree with him-there is no disput-
ing that; but when he claims, Us part of
the contract, by necessary implication, that
they have right to such expansion as might
arise from transporting those slaves into free
territory, and thus establishing political in
stitutions of the same character, say that
is no part of the contract. When the Con- |
stitution was formed, that was concession
to the slave power, the slave interest. lift
was intended that they should have ncccssa-
rily right, without the consent of Con.
gress, or contrary to the laws of Congress,
to spread the institution uncontrolled over
free territory, and thus form new States and
acquire new power, in my Judgment, the
Constitution, in that form, would never
have been adopted Asmy honorable friend
from Ohio has said, the contemporaneous
exposition of the Constitution by those who
made it, shows the contrary. So much po-
litical power was granted; 1t was granted
to the States where the institution existed,
70 long rs they chose to keep IL in operation. |
IL was not assumed that it might necessarily |
bo extended over free torritory-free from
the control of Congress Ii is a part Of our
creed that Congress ought, in all cases, TO
provide against the extension Of the instit-
tuition Of Slavery over the free territories of
the United States. We claim that there Is
no right on the part of the Slave States to
carry it there. We argue it here, as my
friend from Ohio has said, not on the
ground of humanity, not on the question,
whether slavery is right or wrong in itself
with that, here, l do not chose to deal
but on the question of political power.
Tho honorable Senator from Texas will
not undertake again, think, to assert, that
when slaves are transported from any State
into Territory, and that Territory becomes
q State with Slave institutions, the political
power of Slavery is not thereby increased.
The object avowed by the section to which
the honorable Senator belongs-thc object
syowed by the Senator from South Carolina,
I think upon this floor, certainly elsewhere,
is to enable the Slave States to procure ci-
ther an equality or majority in number OF
Senator's here, in order that they may be
able to control legislation in regard to that
institution, as in regard to other particu-
lars.
Mr.. Butler. l do not put 1t IN that way.
/ do not think the question, whether one Sec
ton or tho other should have the asccndency,
ever entered into tho conception of those
who made the Constitution. l will inform
the Senator that have never maintained
that we should contend for IN ascend
ency in tho Slave States, with view to
control tho -Slaveholding States. dis
ayow any such idea. think, however.
that the most fortunate thing for both would
be to have an equilibrium.
Mr.. Rusk. The Senator from Maine
will find that ! have not contended for any
such thing in regard to my own State. She
is entitled to have three additional States
formed within her limits, but We have not
asked to bring them in. |
Mr.. Fes,cnden. In due course of time
expect to sec them apply for admission
Mr.. Rusk. Will you vote for their ad.
mission?
Mr.. Fcssenden. That depends upon cir
cumstanccs.
Mr.. Rusk. Isupposed so.
Mr.. Fcssenden. If be here when the
time comes, l shall probably vote one way
or another upon that subject.
Mr.. Rusk. No doubt of 1t.
Mr.. Fessendcn. You say our desire is to
obtain the control Of tho Government, by
means ofour greater population. and OF our
necessarily greater increase of mum bers.-
You say that this increase will cOntinue.--I
Probably 50, ifyou give us room to expand
But If you shut US up within tho compara..
lively limited territory We now have, and
you appropriate all the territories OF the
United States. las think you would be glad
to do, for tho purpose ofmaking slave States,
I do not know where in the process OF time
wo may be; for it Is observable that people
of the North who 60 into slave States, are
very apt to become as enamored Of tho in
stitution as those born and bred there.
Mr.. Butler. And like negroes just as
we'll?
Mr.. Fessendon. dare say, and perhaps
little more. Very likely they make
Il /, r-a,,cr,I y,lo than thnsa