Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-10-06
1lJ,NHI

people may not go into territory which shall be-
subject to the Ordinance of 1887. The only re-
sraint is that they shall not carry slaves thith-
or, and continue that relation. They say this
shuts them altogether out Why, sir, there can
be nothing more inaccurate in point of fact
than this statement | understand that one
half the people who settled Illinois, are people,
or descendants Of people who came from the
Southern States. And suppose that one third
of the people of Ohio, are those, or descendants
Of tho.e, who emigratld from the South and |
venture to say, that in rcspecst to those States,
they are at this dy settled by people of South
ell origin IN IS great Il proportion as they are
ny people OF Northern origin, according to the
general number and proportion Of people, South
ana North. There as many people from the
S|uth, III Proportion TO the whole people Of tho
SJath, IN those States, as there are from the
n rth, in proportion to the whole people of the
North. There is, then, M exclusion of South
ern people: ticse is only exclusion Of a peculiar
local law. Neither Ill principle nor in fact is
there any in qualify.
The QUESTION now h, wlct or it is or not COM
pctcnt To congress, in the exercise vi fair and
Just discretion, considering that there have been
five slave holding states added to this Uuon out
Of foreign acquIsisitions, and as yet only one
free State, to prevent their further increase.
That il the question. | SIC no injustice in it.
A. 70 the power of Congress. have nothing to
,,dd ~ what said the other day. Congress mas
en- nam, orr The subject. 1t may establish
~ such government, and such laws, IN teS
sritorisss . III 'so rules rules q justice and
fpliTfiety; burlt is .undsr no constitutional re-
straints.
have said that | shall consent to no extern
sion Of the area of slavery upon this continent,
nor to any increase of slave representation in
the other house Of Congress. have now stated
my reasons for my conduct and my vote. We
of the North have already gone, in this respect,
far beyond all that any Southern man could
have expected, or did expect, at the time OF the
Constitution. | repeat the statement of tho
fact of the creation Of five new slave holding
States out of newly acquired territory. We
have done that which, if those who framed the
Constitution had foreseen, they never would
have agreed to slave representation. We have
yielded thus far and we have now in the House
Of Representatives twenty persons voting upon
this very question, and upon all other questions,
who are there only in virtue Of the representa-
ton of slaves.
Let me conclude, therefore, by remarking,
that, while am willing to present this us show
ing my own judgement and position, in regard
to this case, and | beg it to be understood that
| am speaking for no other than my self, and
while am willing to offer it to the whole world
as my own justification, rest on these PROPOSE
tions First, That when this Constitution was
adopted nobody looked for any new acquision
Of territory to be formed into slave-holding
States. Secondy-That the principles of the
Constitution prohibited, and intended to pro-
hibit, and should be construed to prohibit, all
interference with the general government with
slavery as it existed and as it still exists in the
States. And then, looking to the operation of
these new acquisitions, which have in this great
degree had the effect of strengthening that in
terest in the Sout tn by the addition Of these five
States, feel that there is nothing unjust, moth
ing of which any honest man can complain, if
he is intelligent, and feel that there is nothing
with which the civilized world, if they take no.
tce of so humble person as myself, will re-
proach me, when say, as said the other day.
that under no circumstances aoN consent to the
further extension of the area of slarery in the
United States, or TO the further increase of sldUe
representation in the House Of Representatives..