The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1860-08-09
In tile L ui'ed States Senate, August l2ih.
1s48 (Wo Ks Of Daniel Webster, Vol
umn 6. page 3o4.

So much Tor the psrhamentary question.
Now there are two or thee political ques-
tons arising n this case, which L Wish 10
state dIspas>iouaiely; not to argae. but 10
state. The honorable member from Gseor-
ga Mr.. BerIieu) tor whom L have great
respect. and with whom Il : my delight TO
cultivate personal friendship. has stated.
with great propriety, the importance OF this
question. The exclusion OF Slavery from
the Territories He has said. that it
question Interesting to the South aud TO the
North. and enc which may very well al
tract the attention OF mankind, He has
not stated any part Of this too strongly
IL as such a question. Without doubt, IL is
a question which may we'll attract the atten-
ton Of mankind On The subjects nsoly.d
In this debate, the Whole world Is not nov
asleep. L; Is vice awake: and agree with
the honorable member, that. II what Is
now proposed To be done BY Us who resist
this amendment is, as he supposes, unjust
and injurious to amy portion oil this com :
muuity, or against Its CONSTITUTIONAL rights.
ttat Injustice should be presented To the
civilized world, and We, who concur IN the
proceeding. ought TO submit ourselves 10 Its
rebuke. I am glad that the honor be gen
teman proposes 10 refer the question 10 the
great tfiDuual OF Mc0cIu SifitiAaticH as
we'll as the great tribun.l of the Anne rican
people. Il Is proper. 1t Is question Of
magnitude enough. to all the civilized
tions OF the earh. 10 call from those who
supp ri the one side the other a state
ment OF The grounds upon which they act.
Now l propose to state as briefly as
can the grounds upon which proceed, ms
toiicaI and constitutional. In the first place.
10 view the matter historically. This Con
stiturion founded in 1897, and the govern
ment under it, organized 1889. do recog ME
the existence OF slavery in certain States.
then belonging to the / MON; and paftic-
ula- description OF slavery. l hope that
what | am about I" say may be received
without anv supposidon that | intend the
slightest disrespect But THIS partcula, de-
scrip,ion OF slavery does not, / believe, exist
in EUROPE. MOI ID any Other civilized portion
of the habitable globe. 1t is not predial
slavery. | is not analogous TO he eause OF
the yredial slaves, or slaves alebe abscftpf'
OF Russia, or Hungary. CT other States. 1t
is peculiar sy stem OF PERSONAL slavery, by
which the person WHO Is called a slave Is
transferable as a chatte, from cand 10 hand
I SNEAK o. this as act. And | will say
further. perhaps other gentlemen may re
member the instances, that although slavery
AS a system OF setvitude attached to the
earth. exists in various pats Of EuioPe, |
am not at the present moment aware OF any
Mace on the glote IN which this property oil
man in human being Slave, trausera-
bic as a chaltle, exists except IN America
Now that 1t existed in the form IN Which
ii still exists in ceran STATES, at the lorna
,,on of this Constitution, and that the tram
ers OF that instrument. and hose he
adopted il, agreed that as lar as 1t existed
il should not be disturbed or InteItered with
by the new general government, there is nc
doubt.
The Constitution of the United States re.
cognizes it as existing fact-an exi>ting
relation between ihein hs bitants oi the = h.
ern States. | do no, call it an constitution, u
because that term is not applicable to il; fol
tina, seems to imply voluntary establish
ment. When l first came here, it was a
matter Of frequent reproach to England, the
mother country, that slavery had been en-.
tailed upon the colonies by her. an>t theiI
consent, and that which is now considered
a cherished Constitution was then regards !
as | will not say an evil. but an entaiImen
on he coloni, BY the mother country agains,
their wishes.
Tie Constitution was adopted in 1885
and went Into operation IN 1889, When il
was adopted, the state of the country was
,hi. Slavery existed'in the Southern States
there was large extent OF unoccupied ter
ri,ory, the whole NOKTH-W ESTERN
TERRITORY, which, it was understood
was d, signed TO be formed into States; and
twas en- determine that no slavery should
exist in his territory. ] gather now IRON
the history Of tie time of the debates. ii al
/ y
agreeing TO this Ieco, r.ilion of slavery in
Southern States, and giving representation
10 those States founded in part upon thei.
slaves. rested on the supposition tina; no &C
quis ton of territory would be made 10 form
new States on the Southern frontiers of this
country either by cesslons or conquest
No one looked TO the acquisition OF new ter
rtory on the Southern or South western
| tbs NortnaEsAt> exclusion OF Slavery from
pectise abolition of the foreign sr;lts4a pfIQs
, were generally. the former unaninousl,
agreed 10; and on the basis of these consid
CREATIONS, the South insisted that where slave
y existed il should not be intertered with
AID that It should have a cert in ratio o
representation in Congress. And now. Sir
| am one, who, believing such TO be The IN
derstanding on which the Constitution wa.
framed, mean 20 abide by il II was and
has been. also, a conceded point, ,ha' slave
~ In the States in which il exists, is rat
ter of State regulation exclusively. and thai
Congress has not the least power over II OF
the right to interfere with it. By this prin
clple too. / mean 10 abide.
l have now stated. as I understand it.
the condition of things upon the adoption 81
the Constitution OF the United Sta'es-
hat has = L
pened that above and beyond all eon'enpla
ton or expectation OF the original trainers
Of The Constitution, or the people who
adopted IT. foreign territory has been acquir-
ed y c-ssion, first from France. and ihen
from Spain, on our southern frontier. And
what has been the result? Five sla, e-hold
Ing States have been created and added 10
The Union, bringing ten Senator's into this
BODY. { I include T.xas wLich con sii.r