Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1859-07-15
VIEWS OF A RETIRED POLL
TICIAN.

The augusta Constitutionalist con-
tains an account of speech recently
delivered in that city by the Hon. A. II .
STEPHENS, of Georgia. The report is
evidently very imperfect and loose, but
yet enables us to form some notion,
though inadequate, of the views of the
retired statesman on several important
topics. We make few extracts, hoping
soon to receive the Grafton at length,
and in form worthy of the position he
held in the councils Of the nation. Mr.
Stephens made the following interesting
reference to the story of
TEXAS ANNEXATION.
The secret history of the subject ha'
never been written The annexation o.
Texas secured four slave States to the
Union. Without claiming any honor
for himself, he stated that the resolutions
that passed the Senate were drawn uT
by himself and Mr.. Brown, of Tennes-
see, and that Mr.. Calhoun and Mr.. Tyler
never saw them until they were in print.
In 1850, Mr.. Hale asked Daniel Web
ster, the great constitutional expounder,
whether he thought it was constitutional
to admit territory, with a guarantee of
four slave States, into the Union? Mr..
Webster replied, II dor This was one
of the most gratifying events of his
life. In six years, Notwithstanding, the
disagreement and difficulties through
which he passed, he lived to see the
ablest expounder admitting, in the face
of the world, that the act Of admission
was constitutional and now men of all
parties and creeds agree that it was
right.
Mr.. Stephens next took up the ques-
ton of
THE POWER OF CONGRESS OVER THE TER
RIToRIEs.
He believed truth would triumph all
the South wants is decision, union, pa
triotism. He believed in the power and
omnipotence of truth, and would ask for
nothing wrong. The great principle to
be carried out is expansion--thc right
of the people of the South to go to the Ter
ritories with their slave property, pro-
tected by the Constitution, on platform
Of equal rights.
The question was fully settled as a
principle that Congress should make no
discrimination in regard to sectional
rights in the Territories, but that the
people of each Territory, ~hem abom 70
form a constitution as O State, should
decide for themselves whether they should
come into the Union as free or slave
State.
The Neutrality-suspicious. doctrine,
the Texas doctrine, the Territorial doc
trine of Rufus King, in l847, have all
been abandoned. In the admission Of
this principle, it was not a triumph Of
the south, hut triumph OF justice.
truth, and right. THE settlement mas
fully up 10 ne demands Of The South
She never asks but for what IL right.
The principle is noD settled that Con-
gress shall abstain from all legislation on
the subject of slavery in the Territories,
whether MS TO tho North or the South (;
and the Territories arc now open to all
sections, and have the privilege Of adopt
ing slavery or not, as the people may
choose plen they come 10 form con-
stitution. These measures, however,
did not 90 as far as he wished; he would
have Congress to give protection TO sla'e
IN the public domain as fong
as II remained In a territorial condi-
ton.
A majority at che South differed with
him--not moro than twenty-five men in
Congress agreed with him--but he finally
yielded to the doctrine Of noa-inferuen-
lion, because it was not aggressive and
because IL secured far oil practical pur-
poses what VIC wanted. II climate and
soil do not favor slavery, IL will not 80
into the Territories.