The Washington union., 1858-02-05


act 10 admit Missouri into the Union and for other pur-
poses there was clause that slavery, involuntary
vtudc except crimes should never exist IN this Terri
tory We said Repeal that because 1t is unconstitution-
al We came 10 the legislative forum we went to the
executive forum we went To the judicial forum
went to the popular forum and everywhere have
oeived the verdict in favor by the fair judgment of
honest North and South. That all we demand
ed The clause which TO be bone of contention,
and have created trouble and to have been banded
about between politicians about popular sovereignty,
part parcel Of the demand of the object Of
the bill We we've not then TO be taught popular soyer
eighty. We did not want lessons popular soyer-
eighty in 1854 We had theory that subject
We said "IIerc is law excluding from the Terrific
ries; repeal it" After consultation, the democratic
party with large body OF the wings, said 'sWe will
repeal it, because it is unjust 1t repealed by gen
tlemen of the North and the South constituting large
majority of this house. and majority of the other, and
maintained, have said subsequently, by the judca
ry and the people The effect of that repeal would have
been to leave the people, when they might to make
their State constitution free to make to suit
themselves and in the time it would admit every
body and protect everybody while it was, under the
| ernmcnt of the United States common property We
declared that when they to ask admission into the
Union and cothe themselves with tho attributes of
ereignty they should be protected in making govern
ment to suit themselves and coming into this Union,
with without slavery their constitution might pre-
scribe
This all we wanted but it said by gentlemen
from the northern States that this would be the subject
of misrepresentation that this simple repeal might pos
sbly revive the prosavery laws of Louisiana and wheth
it did not it would be SO charged by the adversa
ries who raising clamor throughout the whole
North and therefore they asked to let the bill inter-
pre itself upon this point That the sole for
the introduction of the sentence which to be
made in many quarters the chief of the 1t
legislative Interpretation of the effect of repeating the
eighth section of the act of 1920 We desired nothing
than that repeal and this legislative Interpretation
was intended to prevent Misrepresentation in the coun
try 1t said it will be charged that by repeating
tnf
gentlemen supposed that might be the effect That how
ever, not object Holding the principle which
did, and the great body of the gentlemen with whom
acted that slavery lawful wherever it not pro-
hibted content to unite with those who held the
contrary doctrine that it lawful nowhere except where
| it was expressly allowed by statute Being willing TO
stand on my own principles, and legislate on my
principles, and take the consequences of standing
on them j said, /" all / ask of you is abuia rasa
therefore, if this can be construed as having the
effect you fear ii it be nuriousy construed against
you in the nonslaychoding States of the Union if it
will tend to raise prejudice against you on this ques
ton and stand in the way your carrying out this great
principle of constitutional law, put the fair ntepet
ton in the bill and let it speak for itself Hence
injected what distinguished member of the other House
and for long time distinguished member of this body
said stump Speech into the bowels of the bill 1t
to prevent Misrepresentation of it, had
cason to say to the honorable senator from New York.
| [Mr SEWARD. That was the sole motive. That clause
was that it
"Thc meaning eg slavery
Territory exclude theefom,
people perfectly form regulate
institutions in their subject only tho constitution of the
United States. y
They were tperecty free make their institutions
without interference from Congress- which had assumed in
1920 the right to prescribe to them that they should
In 1920 Congress said no matter if every in Kan
if every in Minnesota desires make his nst
utons to suit himself the subject of slavery he shall
not be allowed to do so, but we will do it for them
Congress assumed, matter of conscience that it
its duty to do this for the people To that objected
We denied the power and the policy Upon the question
of power have been maintained by the courts the ex
Founders of the laws about whom the senator from Hi
nos MR. TRUMEuLI seems to think little. On the
policy of the measure we have been defended by the
highest tribunal known to this country--the people
Who the people Those who enftancised by the
tbirty-one sovereign States who have right to speak
| in the government. do not whether they are
white black do not care whether they rich or
poor do not for what any class may be ex
cuded-I say it belongs to these thirtyone sovereign
tics to judge for themselves into whose hands they will
commit civil power, into whose hands they will place
the elective franchise. We have appealed to them as
"the people,, the only people known TO the laws the
only people known to the constitution perfecty free
free to execute this right according to law and in no
other manner.
The idea of the Topekaites, that under the Kansas
Nebraska act persons to be allowed to vote at the
ballobox whenever they thought proper and that those
who did not like the territorial government might make
rebellion against it for themselves, is perfect free
dom that discovered by the enemies of the BILL not
by its friends. 10 this day none of the friends of the
measure of its legitimate expounders have ever
held any such ''perfcct freedom that That is
'periect freedom claimed by its enemies They could
not get their views endorsed here in the other house
nor before the courts before the people and they
have attempted to stnngle great measure, to which
they are opposed, by Interpretation The question is a
plain one The law written il easily interpreted Who
are sthe people p and how do they speak, We know
of people in this country except those recognised
such by law. In the formation of this government
believe Connecticut and Massachusetts recognised as
republican States, but they put limitations the right
of suffrage; they excluded from voting they were
not frecmen of n town My State excluded some
because of their color and did many Of the non slave
holding States Rhode Island and Virginia excluded men
because they did not own land North Carolina excluded
them for some purpose because they did not have land
and granted the franchise to the ac-landes for other
purposes She divided it between land holders and lack
anders Other States excluded from the right suffrage
those who would not perform military duty IL con-
ceded that it was for the governing power to determine
those who should share at the ballot box in its exercise
and when they have spoken this government has never
inquired into its rightfulness or its rcpublcanism
Sir, this government could have been formed on
modern wisdom 1t was formed very simple plan
by those who met in 1887 at Philadelphia They found
these various provisions to the qualifications of
In the thirteen sovereignes which met there to make
constitution Massachusetts, might have wanted her own
rule Rhode Island hers Virginia hers. My own State
more liberal in her franchise She had but one dis
inction. She gave political power to every man that
bore on his face white skin We chose to make that
test know some gentlemen think IL is unjust but we
do not When we came into the Union the same test
was made by two thirds Of the States that the voters
ghf f,rlA la rrI:A Co.,.