Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-26
r,,En.NsAS QUESTION.
SPEECH OF non. THOMAS S. BoCOCh'

on tho state "l me tu"h'
Mr. RGCOCk saiG
NJ tu.IrM,N: | prefer always {" a,ir"s-
myself Ia the subject hti"re th' tionst, bal
know the difficulty wnlci gentleman "hr"nh'
iers hero in obtaining the floor, especially on
g, importent ~ proposition 9s the one wihr'i
d.si,.n 10 discuss. therefore resolved come d.ys,
may cay week.. ago, 10 avail myself ni some SUIT
adj. oceasion in tie Committee of the Whole on the
~ ate of the Union, 10 deliver 10 This committee some
views which have presented themselves 10 my mhu
in relation TO question which he's taken up 30 much
of our iime and which has attracted so much oil The
public attention.
Ii was originally my intention, Mr.. Chairman, TO
take but brief glance by way of preface and for the
purpose of completing the view which it was my pur'
pose to submit at the original Kansas Nebraska hi;
hut spee,h delivered by my respected colleague
from Tho Norfolk District, Mr. MILLsos'l a snort
time ago makes il incumbent upon me, IN my luns
msnf, to devote larger portion OF my lime 10 uls
cus.iou of this preliminary question. regret this
very much; because know that III the hour allotted
to bs here should scarcely have been able TO eiaoo
rate and enforce the vewa which design 10 present
upon the great and leading question. AZ the ma,er
now is shall be able TO touch but brlehy the points
expected to make both in reply to the speech vi uy
colleague. aud upon the main question ltsel,' ,o,I
And wish to say here, that feeling c1hhueh' 'un'
shall not be able to get through az unon to interrupt
mo unless saw something which calls Tor personal
explanation from him, individually
Allow me one more word by way OF inlr2aucs'on
In i
colleague, desire 10 rscprocae most cordially lhs
kind and friendly tone in which he Expressed h'se"
in relation 10 his colleagues, with whom he mas Ie,e
tofors differed OH this Kansas quesiion' AN" ani
the rore anxious 10 do co. because hnI S ,.a a
have moi command of that accurate ana precise
h,rs.nIopv winch the gentleman himself commands
and which il necessary 10 give ones precise mean
ing. uoara lilo oil hi,
nsytormsnces and, perhaps, in greater degree than
snv of them heretofore VISA able and ingeninus Inc
onward sweep Of his logic was as regular ana
AZ graceful az the charge OF the light brigade at
Balaklsva but | say WIN all rsspec, ,.su ,"" ~,
in my humble judgment, it led to no more useiul or
valuable result. What, sir, was the great Lesson
taught by the speech of my oolleaguel One might
have supposed for moment that hls design was 10
enforce upon the attention of the House me lac. lnat
IN acceping The Kansas Nebraska DILL III loof' ,ns
Soutb did not get all to which II was entitled Ii
had been satisfied that this was the purpose ara inen
ton of my colleague, should not nave le't c"iea up
On 70 repiy TO it, But in view OF the entire speech
md al, he circumstances which surrounded ii, that
nnnos;t;op cannot be maintained. Then, Mr.. Chair
man could II be that my worthy friend and colleague
felt himself called upon TO e1pend 80 !nuch ingenuity
md ability and to give us so hne display OF daiec
c. for the purpose Of proving that he ioresaw all the
y;'s which have occurred in Kansas, and that they
are the legitimate snd proper results OF The Kansas
Nebraska bill7 Sir, he who claims Tor himself the
character of prophet Of the past, or foreteller OF
woe, sseks reputation which, IN my humble Judg'
III
and thought strongly, and who knew we'll how to
wreak his thought upon expression, has sald
"Of all the horrid hidcous notes OF human woe.
Worse than the owl songs or the midnight blast
la tha, purtcntous phrase i told 50n So
uttered by friends, those prophets OF the past
Who instead of telling what you now should do,
Own that they thought that YOU would isi at last:
And solace your slight lapse gainst ooHos 'n9Tts,
By a long memorandum OF old stories
A prophet of the past Why, cir. it can avail but
little in this case a. any rete for if the evils which
have occurred in Kansas 10 continue; If the stre
which bas occasionally manifested itself there Is to
bresk forth anew, and with increased violence until
tina roar of battle and the fury Of the storm shall I'LL
the land with uproar it will be but poor privileges
to come upon the stage, like the chorus in the ancient
Greek tragedy and In the ul Of Inc tempest ana inc
pause Of the battle, to sing dirge of doom. IT, on
The contrary Kansas is speedily TO be admitted INTO
the Union, and under the benign and genial indu-
epces of State independence end State sovereignty,
ali these evils are to be first localized, and then ban.
ished forever II Jail the clouds that lower Ger our
house." are to be Tin the deep bosom Of the ocean
hurled" then, in the panorama OF contenment and
nrosperty which will follow there will be no place
for this wall OF woe. The memory OF Cassandra has
but the greenness OF the lichens ana IVY that cover
the ruins of Troy. II is mingled in the memory with
the recollection Of falling city and scattered peo
ple. Had Troy not fallen, it you'd long ago have
persisted like ,,.
THE fat weed that rou on Letho's whsf
desire now, Mr.. Chairman, to notice particularly,
in his speech against the original Kansas Ntoraekh
hill They appear to me 10 have been twofod. He
objected to il upon the ground that In ITS legal and
necessary construction il sustained the idea Of tern.
tnria sovereignty and le also objected to 1t on lie
ground that il contained what is called the badger
provso Permit me- TO consider those Objections
ser,attn. A.
mencemeut of the r. marks that shall make upon
,he question of territorial sovereignty that 1t that
hill. in its legitimate and necessary construction did
tolerate the idea Of territorial sovereignty, Should
prefr IT, both being constitutional to The doctrine OF
congressional restriction for under congressional re
sriciion il you have peacs il will be the peace IT ad
mitted inieriori,y Of rgh's the one eide and ad.
mitted superiority Of rights on the other. Undf the
doctrine OF territorial sovereignty you might have
atrife and copfiIot; you would propaoly nave sIue
gle among msn Of cIasbng interests and contihing
views 10 gain the asceudency; but poor IA It would
be- we would stl have our chance, and we would
have the consolation, at any rate, to know, II Inc
question were decided agans. VA, It would be DECIDED
by those who were 10 oe most interesleu III LUG eues
ton at issue.
But sir contend that the legitimate and necessary
construction Of that act does not sustain the ei oil
territorial sovereignty. Ihe clause 10 winch my
colleague alludea is THE
"It being the true intent and meaning OF this act
not to l.gisate slavery into any Territory or State,
nor to exclude it therefrom, but 10 leave the people
thereof perfectly tree to form and regulate their do
mes,ic institutions in their own way, subject onyfo
the Constitution nf the United States.
Now, it will be remembered that my colleague
ridicued the idea that the Congress OF the United
States Intended grnvely TO abnegste the powerto
prohibit slavery in the States Of the Union already e1
isting but whatever this provision does not meani
certainly does mean to do that. That is precisely
what it does mean, most emphaticaly. No oth7r
construction can be given to il; and, perhaps, the
reason for inserting such aprovison in the bill wa,
that in the restriction of 1920 the power was clearly
and Distinctly assumed by the Congress- Of the United
States prohibit slavery in the S:ses Here is thar
restriction
:Snc. 8. And be II further enacted, That in a that
territory ceded by France TO the United States under
the nama Of Louisiana, which lies north ri 36' 50
north latitude not included within the lims of the
State contemplated by this act slavery and involun.
tary servude. otherwise than in the punishment Of
crimes, whereof the parties ehsll have been duly
convicted, shall be, and ia hereby, forever pronbted
And in the Joint resolution for the annexation OF
Texas to the United States, We find this more distinct
and emphatic clause:
"And in such State or States az sball be formed out
of said territory North OF said Missouri compromise
line, slavery or involuntary sesyitade Except for
crime) shall be prohibited"
There is the power distinctly claimed and in
the Kansas and Nebraska bill IT ia distinctly sur
rendered do not contend that the Constitution at.
forded any pretext for such an assertion Of power
Far from it. The claim had been made, however,
and the surrender should follow.
But the gentleman says that the insertion OF the
words TERRITORY or" before the word Stale, makes
that clause applicable to Territories in their territorial
condition. AZ we'll AZ Stsss and that the necessary
construction of il ia that the peopis OF Territories.
as euc shall be left free to regulate 'her domestic
AFFAIR." including the subject Of slavery, in their own
way.
Now. Mr.. Chairman, | do not contend-l would
not be guilty Of the want of candor to confend-that
the language is moi susceptible by possloy OF such
a construction What contend for is, that il s not
the necessary construction Of the clause. Now, air,
You will bear in Mid that the Territories of the
United States often act la somewhat anomalous
manner. Consider il You please, :he case OF the
Territories of Florida, Of Michigan am OF Iowa
You will bear in mind thar, without any enabling act,
without any authority whatsoever from, the Congress
If the United States, those Territories proceeded TO
form State Constitutions, and presented them here,
asking admission into the Union. What WAS their
condition i!,en7 admit the doctrine That this was a
sort of declaration Of Independence on the part OF
these Territories, and that their subsequent admission