The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1857-02-24

HON. EDMUND u. FAIRFIELD,

W. ~ fAo'<-t$. % ~ 49, 80 n :
HON. EDMUND ID. FAIRFIELD,
OF HILLsDALE.
In the Senate OF Michigan the Joint Resolutions
Slavery the Territories and Of Instructions TO the Sen
ators and Representative n Congress from Michigan
Delivered January Gath, 1857.
tcoNCLUDED.l
Is not that we'll said But how long die
the honorable gentleman's 'NEvER" extend
From 40 to '54-fve years and three months
For, on the SOth of May, 1854, he voted
precisely as the slave holders had asked hin
to in ls49. All that they demanded in either
case was that Congress should not interfere
to prohibit slavery by positive enactment
They asked that the National Legislature
should thus open the door to this blighting
curse. To this what did the honorable gen
tleman reply? We have it here-"FoR ONE
l NEVER wILLw Would that this broken
pledge might haunt the Senator as the ghost
of the murdered victim is said to haunt the
bloody man that has done the murderous
deed If then. there be any power to leg
islate whatever, that power must extend to
the prohibition of slavery. Nay more
Such an exercise Of it is pre-eminently de-
manded TO secure the true end of govern
ment, which is for the protection of rights.
But slavery is the annihiation of all right.
The right to my property is only an out
growth of the right to myself. have a
right to the earnings of my hands, and my
body, and my mind, because the hands and
body and mind with which I earn, arc MY
OWN. THE right Of seJ:o,cnership is the
foundation of all other rights. at is the
post in the middle to which all other rights
are attached" This right slavery denies
And if there is any legitimate object under
the heavens for which government exists, it is
for the protection and defence Of this right
against the utterly prepostcrous claim which
slavery makes. Hear what it says; it is like
voice from Tophet:
''Slaves shall be deemed, sold, taken, re-
puted, and adjudged in law, to be chattels
personal in their hands Of the owners and pos
SCISSORS, and their executors, administrators
and assigns, to all intentS, constructions and
purposes whatsoerer." 2Brevards Dtgest, ,229.
"a slave is one who is in the power of his
master to- whom he belongs: The master
may sell him, dispose of bis person, his in
dustry, and his labor. He can do nothing,
POSSESS NOTHING, NOR ACQUIRE anything,
but what must belong TO his master. ."--Loui-
siana Civa Code, art. 35.
This is not merely statute law which may
be reversed by the courts. 1t is common law
practice-slavcry in fact as we'll as in theory.
looked in the library to-day for volume
Of reports which could not find. The de-
cison to which l wished to refer was made in
Tennessee, in 1884. The facts werc briefly
these: l give them from memory:
Frederick, the slave of Col. Patton, Of the
North Carolina regiment, had, with the con-
sent of his MASTER enlisted in the Revolutiona-
ry War, and continued in service until'peacc
was declared. twenty-five years ago Fredc
rick was still living, and his name being found
on the roll with the rest, warrant was is
sued to him by the Uni,ed States for a thou
sand acres of land. At this time Frederick
was the slave of another man, and living in
Tennessee. Issue was joined between this
man and tho heirs of Col. Patton-both
claiming tho land In 1884, the Supreme
Court of Tennessee decided the question,
Judge Catron pronouncing the opinion of the
Court The land went to the then present
owner of the slave Frederick, and not foot of il
to the aged veteran, He had passed through
the perils of a long and doubtful contest for
the LIBERTIES of the Nation; Just and gen.
erous Government had written down opposite
his namc thousand acres of land. And
then there begins scrabble between tWo 9TH
er men as to which of them shall have it
and one of the two is successful in the strife.
Not an acre Of this generous bounty can 60
to Frederick nay, not so much as two feet
by six in which he could bury his bones when
ho came to die! Such is the inexorable law
Of slavery-itself the abrogation of all right,
and tho humiliation Of the very foundation
on which all rights must stand. And this is
slavery-not Roman-not Spartan-not Al
american!
"oh, shall we SCOT at Europs's kings
While Freedoms fires dim with usi
And round our Country's altar clings
The damning shade Of Slavery's cursel
Col ask the naughty Constantine,
~ To loose his hold on Posnd's throat,
Or beg the Lord of Mahmouds line
To spare the struggling suliote.
viii not the scorchine answer come
From Turbsned Turk and fiery Russl
Col loose your fettered slaves at home,
Then come and ask the like Of US.
G. Thus far / have presented the direct ar
yument in favor Of the right Of Congress TO
establish governments for tho territories, and |
o prohibit slavery by the organic law. But
hero is another and direct argument, based
ipon the difficulties and absurditics, involved
n tho denial of this right, which is not less
convincing than the one already presented.-
Over against tho views which / have advoca-
ed, there are three theories:
(l.) The first is that which maintains that
he citizens Of tho territories have oil the
u - r |
ntents, purposes, and constructions whdtso-
ver." That they, and they only have tho
light at all times, from the very beginning of
heir residence in the territories, to make
heir own laws, establish their own institu-
ions and administer their own government,
without let or hindrance; and that they, and
hoy alone, may introduce or exclude slavery
Is they may choose. This is par excellence