Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1860-05-18

e&i5t IN this territory. 4 gatner now, as
matter of inference from the history of the
debates, that the prevailing motives with the
North for agreeing to this recognition Of the
existence of slavery in the Southern States,
and giving representation to those States found
ed in part upon their slaves, rested ON the sup
position that no acquisition of territory would
be made to form new States on the southern
frontier of this country, either by cession or
| conquest. No one looked to any acquisition
of new territory on the southern or southwest
ern frontier. The exclusion of slavery from
the Northwestern Territory, and the prospective
abolition Of the foreign slave trade, we're gen
orally, the former unanimously, agreed to and
on the basis of these considerations, the South
insisted that where slavery existed it should not
be interfered with, and that it should have q
certain ration of representation in Congress-
And now, sir, am one who, believing such
to be the understanding on which the Con-
stitution was framed, mean to abide by it.
There is another principle, equally clear, by
which mean to abide, and that is, that in the
Convention, and in the first Congress, when ap-
pealed to the subject by petitions, and all along
in the history of this Government, it was, and
has been, conceded point, that slavery in the
States in which it exists is matter of State
regulation exclusively, and that Congress has
not the least power over it, or right to interfere
with it. Therefore, | say that all agitarions
and attempts to disturb the relations between
master and slave b. persons not living in the
slave States, are unconstitutional in their spirit,
and are, ia my opinion, productive of nothing
but evil and mischief. | countenance none of
them The manner in which tho Government
OF those States where slavery exists are to reg
ulate II, is for their own consideration, under
their responsibility TO their constituents, to tho
general laws of propriety, humanity, and JUS
tlce, AND to God. Associations formed else
where, springing from feeling of humanity, or
any other cause have nothing whatever to do
With it, nor right to interfere in il. They have
never received any encouragement from me,
aud they never will. In my opinion, they have
done nothing but delay and defeat their own
professed objects.
lhave now stated, us understand ii, the con-
ditlon of things upon the adoption of the Con-
stltution Of the United States. What has hap
pened since? Sir, it has happened that above
and beyond all contemplation or expectation of
the original trainers Of the Constitution, or the
people who adopted it, foreign territory has been
acquired by cesslon, first from France, and then
from Spain, on our southern frontier. And
what has been the resultl Five slaveholding
States have been created and added to the
Union, bringing ten Senators into this body, Il
include Texas, which | consider in the light of
foreign acquisition also, and up to this hour
In which | address you, not one free State has
been admitted to the Union from all this acqur
ed territory!
Mr. Berricn, lin his seat.) Yes, Iowa.
Iowa is not yet in the Union. Her Senators
are not here. When she comes in, there will
be one TO fve-one free State to five slave States
formed out Of new Territories. Now, it seems
strange to me that there should be any COM
plant of injustice exercised by the North to-
ward the South. Northern votes have been
necessary, they have been ready, and they have
been given, to aid in the admission of these Eve
new slaveholding States. These are facts: and,
as The gentleman from Georgia has very proper
ly put it as case in which we are to present
ourselves before the world for its Judgment, let
us see how we stand. do not represent the
North. | state my own case, and present the
matter in that light in which am willing. as
an individual member of Congress, to be judged
by civilized humanity. | say then, that, sc-
cording TO true history, the slaveholding inter-
ests in this country has not been dis-favored
by the North. The North has concurred to
bring in these five slaveholding States out of
newl y acquired territory, which acquisitions
were not at all in the contemplation of the Con-
vention which formed the Constitution, or of
the people when they agreed that there should
be representation Of thrce-ffths OF the slaves
in the then existing States.
Mr.. President, what is the result of thisl-
We stand here DOW, at least / do, for one, to
say that, considering there have been already
five new slaveholding States formed out of new
ly-acquired territory, and only ono non-slave-
holding State, at most, do not feel that am
called on to go further; / do not feel the obll-
cations to yield more. But our friends of the
South say, "You deprive us of all our rights.
We have fought for this Territory, and you deny
US participation in it." Let Us consider this
question as it really is; and since the honorable
gentleman from Georgia proposes to leave the
case to the enlightened and impartial Judgment
OF mankind-and as agree with him that it is
case proper to be considered By the enlight-
ened part of mankind-let us see how the mat
ter In truth stands. Gentlemen who advocate
the cause which my honorable friend from
Georgia, with 30 much ability, sastaips, declare
that We invade their rights, that we deprive them
OF participation in the enjoyment Of terrific
ries acquired BY the common services and COM
mon exertions of all. Is this trueq How de-
priVe2 Of what DO we deprive them? Why
they say that we deprive them of the privilege
of carrying their slaves, as slaves, into the new
territories. Well, sir, what is the amount of
thata They say that in this way we deprive
them of tho opportunity of going into their az
quirei Territories with their property. Their
'sprcperty." What do they mean by tsproper-
typ We certainly do not deprive them OF the
privilege Of going into these newly-acquired
Territories NTH all that, in !he general estsma-
tton Of human society, IN the general, and com