Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-03-03
Furfous Democratic Fight I'm the
Senate-IrreparableB Breach between
! the Southern and the Northern
Democracy. -

- Democracy. 49,
What brought on the fight amend
ment offered by Mr.. HALE, on the 22d uit.. TO
the general appropriation bill, repeating the
clause in the English Kansas bill which defer
- - red the admission of Kansas into the Union
z. - until its population should equal the ratio of
representation required for members OF the
House OF Representatives-93, 42O. Upon
this proposition debate Immediately arose
in which various Senators participated and
r during which the Senate adjourned on motion
of Mr.. JOHNSON of Arkansas, who remarked
that it had been in the power of single
member of the Opposition to introduce
subject which had set them at loggerheads
until it was apparent that quorum could
pc not be had to vote upon the appropriation
bill.
Upon being told that the mover Of the
amendment had retired. Mr.. JOHNSON replied,
it was because, 'baving thrown the bone, he
r knew there were enough to seize H."
IT There was nothing, however. in what was
slid during the discussion. which foreshadow-
81 ed the storm which burst forth the next day
1.-THE 23d) when the subject again came up
for consideration After few remarks from
Mr.. STEWART of Michigan, and Mr.. SEWARD,
uprises Mr. BRowx of Mississippi, and opens
fire upon Mr.. DOUGLAS and Squatter
Sovereignty in defence of the rights of the
South after the following fashion.
9ya fF MIR. BROWNS FIRE.
Mr.. BRowN had always been opposed to
admitting new States until they possessed
populatiOn enough for at least one representa-
- tive In order to ascertain that, it was
necessary that census should he taken. But
this question had very important bearing
apon the next Presidential contest whether
the Republican party or the Democratic
marty was TO succeed in the election, he
hoped their success would be the vindicatinn
ola principle He would rather settle one
sou d principle than secure all the :poils OF
al I Administration. he wanted IN the com
i o contest neither to cheat nor to be cheat d.
and as this precise question of Kansas was to
have an important bearing upon that cleo
ton. he desired to express his views freely
IT and frankly, and would call upon other
Senator's especially Northern Democrats. to
state where they stand. The Supreme Court
declared in the bred Scott decision that
slaves are properly, that shareholders have
the right to take them to the Territories. and
it is the duty of Government to protect them
after they are there.
A constitution could no more of itself pro-
tect slave property than any other species of
property. What he claimed. and what South
ern statesmen claimed. was adequate pr'tec-
ton for their slave property III the Terrific
ries-protrcton suited TO the species Of
property TO be protected. The constitution
never gave them rights and then denied them
means to protect and defend those rights.
The d. cision of the Supreme Court was there
fore virtually that they had a right to call
upon somebody for the protection of their
slaves in the Territories. Upon whom should
they call Under the doctrine of non-nter-
VENT On they must first call upon the Terrific
rial Legislature, and if that refused ad qnate
protection they must come to Congress. The
Territorial Legislature was the creature OF
Congress and he would say to Congress that
its creature had denied him rights which the
constitution guaranteed him; he therefore
anplied to the master for that protection
which the creature denied. He wished to
know in view of tie coming contest. what
the response of Congress was going to be.
He gave the Senate warning. that If the
- LEGISLATURE of Kansas undertook to abolish
= slavery, the people of his State, and a large
norton of the South, would come to Congress
demanding protection. They demand d JUS
tice and equal rights. This, he repeated, was
An element which must enter into the next
Presid ntial contest, and it was right that
they should know where they stood. He dis
spnied from the position of the Senator from
Illinois, (Mr. DOUGLAS) that the Territories
have the right TO exclude slavery. That was
,,carrying the doctrine of non-lntervenhon too
fur The constitution, unaided by leGisla
ton, gave them only the light to protection,
- but il did not give them protection Itself
that must be accorded by Congress.
The remedy of the South against unfavora-
BILE legislation on the part of Territory
- was by an appeal to Congress. He under
- stood the Senator from Illinois (Mr. DOUGLAS,
that when they made that appeal, as they
certainly would, he would not respond to 1t
He wanted to know whether other Senators
would take the same ground They woult
demand positive action from Congress. liz
s..s understood the doctrine of interventionto b'
- that Congress was not to intervene agains
them, but he never understood that Congress
could not intervene in their favor he wa
- prepared to say what he would do il Con
eress refused to interfere, but he could mo-
saw what the South would do. At the very
q instant when Congress denied to the Souti
rights guaranteed by the constitution, as ex
pound by the Supreme Court, he woult
come to the conclusion that the constitution
ism failure and the Union despot sm and
then he was ready TO advise his people to re-
tire from the Union.
All this trouble about Kansas might have
. been avoided by little fl mness and honesty
at Cincinnati He had offered proposition
th re that no State should be admitted unit
she has population of 93420; but il wa
rej cted, and the meaningless nonsense about
sufficient" population was substituted
which no two could understand alike. lie
wanted no more such platforms.
Plainly spoken. Mr.. BRowN claims for thu
South, as a constitutional right, Compression
al Intervention for the protection of slave
-p-opcrty in a Territory. in such protec
Territory. lie gives the Senate warning, tina
If the Legislature Of Kansas shall undertake
% abolish slavery the people OF his State
: and large portion Of the South will deman'
protection from Congress and II Congress re
fuse II, he will advise his people to retir
r,m the Union.
Well. the Legislature of Kansas hare under
taken to do that very thing. They hare al
ready passed stringent law aboli hing ana
aud prohibiting slavery in the Territory
though, when MFR. b. spoke, there had no
been sufficient time for copy Of the law
officially certified, to reach Washington
Mr.. DOUGLAS sPiRIrgpLY RETURNS THE FIRE OF
r7aas Mr.. BROWN.
Mr.. DOUGLAS felt it incumbent upon him
to reply 20 some OF the points present d
= by the gentleman from Mississippi, aud should
do so with candor and franknesS. He had ne
desire 10 cheat or be cheated To certaiu
extent the Senator and himself agreed; bal
from thar point the divergence grew widei
and wider. Under the decision OF the Su.
preme Court slaves We're property. standing
on an equality with all other property. aud
the owner OF slaves had right 10 take them
with him to the Territories.
The i0t,f of transit was the same with