Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-04-06
Remarks of Hon. NJ. L. Bonham.

HAM, WAS ready to address his constituents Oh tho
political matters of the day; and in short time
the Court House was thronged.
General BuxHAM said that he found pleasure in
being able thus early to comply with IL Gull that
had been mu'ie upon him to address the people.
lle responded readily and checrfully. The events
of the past Session of Congress were Of great mo-
ment to the country, and he deeply regretted that
the indications were of that inauspicous character
which prevented his replying with hopSfuncss to
the inquiry addressed to him rs one OF their sentl-
aels-" Watchman, what ufthe night?" lie could
not saw, with the sentry on his lonely round, "AHS
reU!" DUTY compelled him to declare that it wns
not time of security with u.s. but that to the reverse
Tho rights and interests Of the South have never
been in more peril or in greater danger Nine
years ago Mr.. CALHOUN predicted with his accus-
toned forecast, that il this slavery agitation were
not arrested m its mad progress, it would end III
dissolution of the Uniou. Wore he now alive, he
would find but too much cause to realize the foreo
Of his predictionto be convinced in fact that the
events he foresaw in the distance were almost i'm
mediately at hand.
There were many matters Of interest before Con-
sre,s ut its recent Session. but that wkich lowered
in magnitude above the rest was still this ceasclcss
question Of slavery. Reference to the later de-
bates of the Session will indicate with sufficient
cloarucss what we arc to expect in this connection
from the Federal Congress.
General DoSnAM then reviewed the progress Of
the anti:slavcry agitation and its repeated Gu
croac!lmen,s upon the South. He spoke of the
legislation Of Congress begun as far back as l1S4
| Of the famous ordinance of 1857, by which Slave
| States ceded to tho anti-savcry demand extensive
aad invaluable territory; Of the Compromise OF
| 1920 ani its adverse effects upon the power and
Sell-beins of the Slave States; of the California
.wiudle, by which territory purchased largely by
Southern treasure and Southern blood was yielded
10 the craving appetite of Is rapacious anti-savery
majority. 1t had beon said that, to compensate
for these frauds, q repeal of tue odious Missouri
| Compromise had been effected. But what will be
the value of that repeal if the dangerous positions
| Of Senator DOUGLAS aro to exercise controlling
influence in tho direction Of affairs? 1t will prove
to be but phantom to ailay Southern indignation
and instead of resulting in her benefit its adran-
cages will rather accrue to the North, opening to
her citizens yet more available means Of occupying
even the Southern territories and Of banishing
slavery from their borders.
The speaker next proceeded to combat the daE-
,crous views of tho Illinois Senator. Tho mischief
p,ler-t lipo NJ
| the Kansas Nebraska Act
Br tee intervention Of Congress, no omoIen nor
less was ever msSnt than this, that Congress should
not Lcsislate slavery into or out of 3 Territory.
Abolitionis.s said Congress had that right. Both
wings Of the Democratic party denied this. The
Southern wing maintaincd that the question OF
slsrcrv or no slavery, is to Re decided by the Con-
,cution called (whcncvcr ;hc number of tho i'll
labitant. justified i;) to form tho Constitution Of
he new STATE, preparatory TO admission into the
| 'vnfcLeracy Of States, aud not before SqGat;rr
Sovereignty, whilst it admits the right uf the
,las ehulder to 80 with his slaves uto the Terrific
:ics, says, thut the power to determine whether
slavery shall or slnll not exist i'll the Territories.
slsturc, Rs has been done in Kansas. suy slavery
shall not exist in the Territory, although it admits
tho action of TINT Legislature must bc subordinate
to tho Constitution and the Supreme Court, still it
further says, Congress not Interfere to enforce
the rights of the slave holder in the Territory. II
this doctrine be true it is us bad rs tie Wilmot
| Proriso, and renders the repeal Of tie Missouri
Compromise IL dead letter. 1t is the idcst lnockc-
ry to tell the STAKEHOLDER, YOU have as much right
| to take your slaves into the Territories, the
northern man his horse, but if the Territorial Leg
| slature, backed by Il handful of Squattcrs, say
| slavery shall not exist, that there is remedy.
Wherever there is right there is n remedy.
The Kansas Territorial Legislature has under
taken to prohibit slavery. This sets at naught the
Constitution ard the decision of the supreme Court Of
The United States and whenever case arises Of IL
slave holder being deprived Of the enjoyment Of
mis- property by such Legislation, it will be the du
y of Congress to pass such laws as will carry in
to effect the true intent and meaning Of the Con-
.titutou. Any other doctrine will prove dcsruc-
tive of the rights Of the Southern ppape in the
| common Territories. The creature can not be
greater than the creator. Congress has no right
10 Lcsslate slavery into or out Of il Territory.
| Can its mere creatures do it? But Congress has
passed fugitive slave law to carry out the pr,'-
visions of the Constitution even in Sovereign
States. How much more then is it competent for
Congress-ay, its duty, to pass necessary Laws to
protect tho rights of the citizen in the Territories
when the mere creatures Of Congress not orly re-
use that protcction hut lesislaie adversely.
No. tl,er view than this WAS entertained any.
where or al lcas not l,rlarrl Gn.ii Mr. DnrGiASS.
illii:: il necessary to secure MS scat ia The United
State. Senate. rromulgc,l hi. crr"nc"is views Of
.Squlttrr Surrcicnty.-vicwS at once antason>lic
10 the Kansas Nebraska Act AMI ut variaare with
The democratic platform announced by the c;ncn-
ltti Convention, which Mr.. DOUGLASS is understood
tu have cordially approved. But he has gone
against us, as tho declarations Of his Frecport
speech Enthusiastically provo. His ncw-Acdgcd
principle is dangerous to our republican system,
and especially detrimental to the interests Of the
Southern people. 1t prepares in our territories an
imviti.g resort for the lucks Of cnlgrants daily
arriving at Northern ports, and for tho surplus
population of tn. Northern States, many of them
irawa from the vilest purl:cus Of tLeir cities. In
its operation, ii presents the startling spectacle Of
few thousand such settlers gifted with the extra
ordinary power Of excluding eight millions Of
rreemcn from the common property Of the people Of
these States. In the late Congressional debate,
Seniors, MASON, DAVIS, BRowS, and othors, met
this view Of the Illinois Senator with the dcclara-
ton that his doctrine is not, ,eas not, and cannot
be the doctrine Of the South. But for this danger
Gus developement by ono who has occupied SO
prominent position in the democratic ranks there
was ground for hope that our territorial organiza-
lions might have proceeded peacefully in the fu-
;urc but now that Kansas has undertaken to
abolish slavery in her borders, now tha, this doe-
trine Of squatter sovereignty is heing embraced
openly by the North, and 1T least ny the DOUGLAS
faction of the democracy, the question is upon us