Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-02-03

Proceedings Of Yesterday Afternoon.
IL TIKI SENATE. Yesterday

Mr. Fitch spoke at considerable length, on Mr.
property In the Territories. He said that these
resolutions could not receive his support We
have already departed widely from the policy Of
the fathers Of the Republic and these resolutions
contemplate still further departure. The Sena.
tor from Ohio, (Mr. Pugh, in his speech some
time ago, asked whether the northern democrats
deemed the views of Mr.. Douglas on popular SOW
ereignty a sufficient ground to exclude him from
the chairmanship Of the Committee on Terrftories9
To that question he for one would answer in the
aff rnative. IL any particular question was likely
to become the subject Of action by leoisI,tiv w
body, the well-estshlished custom Is. in constitu
ting the committee to which that subject is to be
referred, to place upon that committee rs chair
man member whose views upon that subject at
least, are known to coincide with those of the ma
jority This Is a custom founded almost upon a
legislative necessity; for the majority in making A
member chairman virtually endorse whatever
views he may hold. There would be manifest
improperly in making Senator in favor of a
high protective tariff chairman Of the Committee
on Finance. The opinions Of Mr. Douglas had
been proclaimed from the stump, in magazines
and newspaper articles, and were Well known
regard for our own opinions precluded the possi-
bilty Of the ma jOrty asserting that Senator en-
tertaining such sentiments should he lonoer CON.
tlnued as the chairman of committee having
Territorial matters in charge. In coming to this
conclusion. the majority did not express any dis.
respect for the former chairman. They took that
action, not because they respected the Senator
from Illinois less but because they respected tbeir
own primo Piles more.
Mr. F. proceeded to defend the northern democ.
racy from the charge of unsoundhess Almost
their entire life is little else than battle for the
constitutional rights of the South; and in that
battle very many have found their political death
II now requires n little courage to he a northern
democrat; for he is defending rights and institu
tons In which his people not personally inter-
ested. On the other hand, Southern Senators. in
defending the same provisions of the same Con-
situtloa, are defending the social status of tLcir
own Pe0Ple-they are defending their own fire.
hf ha6 -.
with the Territories with descending to the enact
ment OF their local laws. 1T was said that unless
Congress gives this protection to slave property
there is source from which 1t can he derived.
but he dissented from that opinion 1t now EXISTS
under the common law
MIR. Hale obtained the floor and the further
Monday next
After the consideration of executive business.
the Senate adjourned until Monday.
The series of resolutions offered by Mr. Davis
mentioned in our report yesterday, was as follows
l. Reso!ref, That, in the adoption Of the Fed
eral constitution, the States adopting the same
acted severally free and independent sovereign
ties, delegating portion of their powers to be
exercised by the Federal Government for the in
creased security Of each against dangers domestic
as well as foreign; and that any intermeddling
oy any one or more States, or by a combination
OF their citizens with the domestic institutions of
the others, on any preteXt whatever, political
moral, or religious, with the view to their dis
n
stltution, insulting to the States so interfered
with, and dangerous to the domestic peace and
tranquility, objects for which the Constitution
was formed and. by necessary co nseCuence serves
10 weaken and destroy tie Union itself.
= RsSoIred, That negro slavery. as il ext SITS i'm
hfteen states of this Union composes important
portion Of their domestic institutions, Inherited
from their ancestors, and existing at the adonton
Of the Constitution. by which it is RECOGNIZED IA
constituting an important element of the appor-
tlohinent OF powers among the States; and that no
change OF opinion or feeling on the part OF the
non-sidveholdlng States of tue Union In relation
10 this Institution justify them or their citi-
zens in open and systematic attacks thereon with
view 10 Its overthrow and that all such attac Ks
are III manifest violation Of the mutual and solemn
pledge to protect and defend each other, given by
the states respectively entering into the con-
stitutional compact which formed the Union and
are manifest breach OF faith, and violation Of
the most solemn obiigat ons
B Resolred, That the Union of these States rests
on the equality Of rights and privileges among it's
members. and that it is especially the duty of the
Senate, which represents the States in their sover
elgn capacity to resist all attempts to discriminate
either IN relation to person PROPERTY so as i'm the
Territories, which are the common property of the
United States to give advantages to the citizens Of
one State which are not equally assured to thos. of
every other State.
A. Resolred, That neither Congress nor a Terri
torlal Legislature. whether by direct legislation
or legislatlon OF an indirect and unfriendly ma
lure. possess the power to annul or impair the
constitutional right of any citizen of the United
states to take his slave property into the common
Territories but it is the duly of the Federal Gov
eminent there to afford for that as for ether spe
cies OF property. the needful protection: and II
experience should at any time prove that the iu-
dietary does not possess power to insure adequate
protection, il will then become the duty Of Con
gress to supply such d. fciencv.
D. ResOtr,d, That the Inhabitants CT an organ
lied Territory Of the United States. when they
rlghtfully form d constitution 10 be admitted as
State into the Union, may then for the first time
DeODlp "A hon form
constitution, decide for thens Ives whether slave
ny, as domestic institution, shall be maintaine
or prohibited within their jurisdiction, and If
Congress shall admit them a State .'they shall
be received into the Union with or without slave
~. as their constitution may prescribe at the time
of their admission
= Resoired, That the provision of the Consitu-
non Tor the rendition of fugitives from service or
labor. without the adoption Of which the Union
could not have betn formed, and that the laws Of
1893 and 1870 which Were enacted to secure It's
execution. and the main features of which, being
similar, bear the impress of nearly seventy years
Of sanction by the highest judicial authority
nave unquestoned claim to the respect and Oh
servance OF ali who enjoy the benefits Of our COM
pact OF MON; and that the acts Of State Legisla-
lures to defeat the purpose or nullify the require
ments OF that provision, and the laws made in
pursuance Of 1t, are hostile In character. subver-
slve of tie Constitution. revolutionary in their
elect ana II perS sisted in must sooner or late. lead
the states injured by such breach Of the compact
10 exercise their Judgment as 20 the proper mode
and measure of redress
MIR. Davis observed on submitting these rssc-
iutions, that 1t was with purpose TO discussion
out simply TO obtain 4 vote upon them separately,
with a hope that, bv an expression of tue DELHI
crate opinion of the Senate, conclusion mig lat
Or reached as to the present condition of the
country In relation to the great prnci pies therein
expressed. The resolutions to some extent, were
not novel in their character The first and second
Were IN substance the same as those affirmed by
the Senate in 1878 by very large majority
and he expressed the hope that the vote in the
present case would be sound as it at the
period named: If it were possible to obtain a
vote without debate, it would be most agreeable
TO him; for to have them affirmed by Ike Senate
without contradiction would be an era in the
history Of our country which would be hailed
with Joy by every one who truly loved it
The resolutions We're then ordered to be printed
and made the special order for Wednesday next,
at O'Clock.