Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-05-08

Proceedings Of Yesterday Af,erns.,


In THE SENATE, yesterday, after our report
closed, Mr.. Davis proceeded with his m,s,erly
speech on the democratic caucus resolutions on
the slavery question, recently presented bv him.
He remarked that among the MANY blssrinos
which we have inherited from our ancestors one
OF the greatest was that they have tfed TO
us written Constitution fixed standard. to
which. in the progress Of the nation and the
sPringing up Of new questions, everything can be
referred and measured. But for this, the yvise
men who formed our Government would not have
dared TO hope for its perpetuty In order To seure
the great purposes for which 1t was establisbed
the Constitution should be shield for ali r.,rs of
the country, and at all times. This written Con-
stitutlon, which distinguished the formation of
our Confederacy, Is our hope TO-DAY The resolu
tons which were now under discussion yyare hint
little more than announcement of what he he
neved TO be the express declarations of the Con-
stltntlon, which every member Of this body had
sworn TO support-not grudgihgly, but rendering
willing obedience. To that ixed standard Il
was sought at this time, when we were drifting
away rom our moorings, to bring back the Gov.
ernment, and to test our condition TODAY hv the
rules which onr fathers laid down tn y;asr
ences which now exist between the yariops nor
tons OF the country, the rivaries and iealonsies
OF to-day, are precisely the same as those which
existed before the formation of the Consfitntion.
We hear arguments about natural rioh,s. INIT
VINO Is TO define the length and breadth and
depth Of these rights II was not his NM no.s 70
argue the case outside Of the Constitution but to
Tha
stltutlon, and to appeal to those who have .,ror,
TO abide by that Constitution ~
One OF the fruitful sources of error which nre
Vals now IS The theory that this is government
OF one people-that the Government of the limited
states was formed by mass Instead of tbst ~
was compact between the sovereign members
who formed it., The Declaration of Tndenen.
a r was made by the colonies, each for itself
ne states now claim protection from Compress
Tor their rights of property, first because II &c
their right to have IT. second IL Is the duty of the
reuerai government to give IL; and third, we
na lave entered into compact which deprlves each
State OF using those means of self-protection
which II mig at otherwise have employed
He alluded to the breaking up of the Charleston
convention, and said the enemies of the demo-
crazy were waiting TO be invited TO lis funeral.
but he bad faith that the democracy sill lived,
ne mad faith in the patriotism and good sense of
the democracy to assert the truth boldly and meet
lne ISSUE and he believed in the patriotism and
good sense of the people to sustain them The
ueneral government might acquire territory and
nave eminent domain; but the agent OF the Gov
erhrnent cannot do this What the Government
can create IL can control, of course; and it was
only necessary that power should be conferred to
control things which they did not create Con-
gress has power to defend territory to repel inya
sion ana suppress insurrection, to see the laws
SfeGuteu' &c, ana to this end can establish ju-
dietary. The combined give power to establish
temporary government over a Territory suffci
ent perhaps for their wants until they acnnire
population and have resources enough to take
va 'noiHscINes- ne proceeded to review the
history of the Kansas bill and aIluded ia the DO
urine OF non-interventiOn, as having been moro
malleable than gold. He did not seek legislation
now; he did not ask for a slave code or a horse
code; bnt these resolutions were designed as de-
carnations which will speak with restrained
voice 10 tue territorial legislature that they have
20 ilght 10 interfere with any species of property
MIR ID. also referred to the resolutions of his
colleague, (Mr. Brown, } and regarded the second
OF those resolutions as having too near an afilia
ton with the squatter sovereignty doctrines of tho
senator form Illinois, (Mr. Douglas) When he
had concluded '
Mr. Brown briefly replied. He was ready to
strlke from his resolutions ANYTHING that Looked
like squatter sovereignty, against which he had
peen hghting for the last dozen years He was
totally opposed to that doctrine and all he wanted
was 10 nave the fact stated plainly that il had be-
come the DUTY OF Congress TO interpose and pass
snch laws as Will afford to the slave property of
territory that protection which is given TO Other
KINDS OF property He moved to amend the Ann
resolution by striking out all after the word sSrc
solved" and inserting substitute that experience
having already shown that the Constitution and
common law, unaided by statutory enactments,
90 not AFFORD sufficient protection to slave Droper
W, some OF the Territories having failed and
otners having refused, TO pass such enactments II
las become the duty of Congress to interpose &C
Mt. CIlngman approved Of most OF the speerh
OF Mr. Davis, but he was opposed to departinp
Lolh the policy OF non-interventon on which the
democratic party had stood for some wears. With
OUT concluding his remarks, he gave way, and on
motion, the Senate adjourned.
a. IN JHE House, the body being in Committee of
Messrs Sherman, Grow and Blair advocated the
penang tarlf bill, and Mr.. Maynard opposed IL.