Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-07-26
John neII on slavery.


of the Kansas and Nebraska Territorial Of 1854 was
historically false When Mr.. Douglas in his opening
speech on the latter bill declared 'that close exami-
nation Of those acts the Compromise aes clearly estab-
Hhes the fact that it was the intent well the legal
e et of the Compromise measures Of 1850 70 suPereede
tie Missouri Compromise aud all geographical and Ter
rtoral lines" he convicted Of self Onadieton on
the spot His other speech made at Chicago, October
aSd 1850, was quoted on him, in which be said The
bills establishing Territorial governments for Utah and
New Mexico silent upon the subject OF slavery, eN
cept the provision that when they should be admitted
into the Union States each should decide the ques
ton of slavery for itself This latter provision
incorporated in my original bills, for the reason that
conceived il to involve a principle clearly deducble
from the Constitution, thAit unnecessary to embody
il in the form Of a legal enactment But whenit was
offered as an amendment TO the bills eheeruly voted
for it, What were those compromise measures They
were lst to admit California State; ID to adjust
the disputed boundary with Texas Sd abrogate the
slave trade in the District Of Columbia 4h amend the
Fugitive Slave Law; 9Th to provide Territorial Govern
ments for Utah and New Mexico. Not one Of these
sures but the last bears all upon the subject and that
with the qualification above meni oned Is silent"
the question Of Slavery. The Compromise consisted in
NOT inserting the WimOt PrOvisO in the bills establishing
Governments for New Mexico and in providing for writs
Of error and appeals the Supreme Court Of the United
States ii all cases involving the title TO slaves without
regaSd the value Of the property and Wrts Of habess
corpus from the tribunal in involving title
TO personal freedom The object to make the ques-
ZION Of slavery in these newly acquired Territories, -
dieiGl and legislative question, and to silence he
citation Of the subject in Congress forever That legi-
l,tiOn applied Mexican Territory, which
subject to the Missouri restriction and to French
Territory which uas The whole subectii was suppos-
ed thus disposed Of forever Mr. Douglas himself de-
elrng in the Senate, on the 23d Of December, 1850;
Il wish to state that have determined make
another speech on the slavery question, and will
add the hope that the necessity fori viii never exist
/ am heartily tired Of the controversy
And then be added
IT viii therefore say to the friends Of those measures
le. agtatng stop the debate and drop the b.
ieeL II We do not We have gained but Little by It's adop
ton"
That these intended TO remove all ey-
irng causes Of dssen,iou was declared BY Mr. Clay in
his opening speech bis Resolutions in the Senate on
the 5tb Of February lS5O-Wbsn he said.
when came to consider this subject there we're two
or three general purposes which seemed desirable
possible 70 accomplish. Inc Que was % settle ar ne
eoatrocertsd qtcft01s on ths subject Of stGUrG and II
seemed 10 be doing very little If We settled ore question
and left other disturbing questions unaijustei lt
esemed but doing little We stopped but leak in
the ship Of Safe and left other leaks caplbe,o produ
cling danger If not destruction the vessel therefore
turned my attention 70 srsry subject connected nth iks
iHstfN0H Of siaVsry and out Of which cOntroverted
questions have sprung 20 il il possible prac
cabe 70 al Just and accommodate the whole Of them"
Let il be observed here that the measures ultimately
adopted based these resolutions Of Mr. Clay, the
avoued principle OF which mutually of concession
between North and South FOR the purpose Of forever
siIeueng slavery agitation. Speaking Of these
Mr.. Webster said July 18th 1850.
"Wel sir, the next enquiry is, what does Massachu-
sets and the North-the antislavery Sates-lose by
this Adjustment / put the question gentleman
here and to every in the country They lose the sp
PcatiOn Of what is called the Wiiot progis0 20 tho
Territories aud that IS all There is nothing else sup
pose that the whole North not willing 70 do, 10
nave dOne They wish to get California into the Union
aud 70 resist New Mexico. They wish terminate the
dispute about the Texas boundary, cost what il may
They make sacrifice in all these. What they sacri
nee "a this: the application Of the WimOt prOvisO 20
the territory Of Utah and New Mexico aad that is aH
Aud in that great speech ofthe 9Th Of March which he
himself is said TO have preferred to all his other eHOrn
Weh be bent al the powers Of his mighty mind TO the
tex Of reeOncing the North TO those measures, he de-
slAred:
EAnd l now say, sir, as the proposition on which
stand this dayand upon the truth and hrmness OF which
htend uutilt is overthroWn-that there not at
this within the United States any Territory OF
the United States single foot Of land the character OF
which in regard 70 its being free territory or slave terri
tory not fixed By some law, and some law beyond the
power Of the Government"
The grounds Of this declaration obviously that the
character Of the territory northwest Of the Ohio east
r e
lTs7-that of the Mississippi and north Of SO deg
50 min was free by the resolution Of lS20-hat com
prsed within the limits Of Texas fixed slave terri
t0ey, BY the terms Of her admission into the Union
that California was 1sd free by the terms Of her con
situdon-snd that Utah and New Mexico were free ter
ri,o7y BY the memorable law ofnaiure.
We have but to add to this Of contemporary evil
denoe the expression Of Mr. Bells opinion the
subject in the territorial legislation Of 1880 in the
organizing the territory of New MeGicOand the no
ton that the Missouri Compromise by that leg
saon repealed proposed to be repealed falls lit lie
short Of legal absardiiy. TIE adjusting the boun
dAry Of Texas contains proyso that nothing therein
contained shall be construed to iplir or guilty any
thing contained in the sd article Of the second section
of the joint resolution for annexing Texas the United
States either regards the number Of the States thai
may hereafter be formed out Of the State Of Texas
Otherwise" Now this second section Of the Sd article Of
the Annexation resolution thus referred provides that
new States than four in number in addition
the said State Of Texas may by the consent Of Texas
be formed out Of the territory thereof and such States
IS may be formed Of that portion Of such territory
lying south Of So 80 north latitude eouuloHiy knon
hs Missouri Compromise, shall be admitted into the
UniOn with or without slavery the people asking ad
mission may desire and in such State States shall
be formed out Of said territory north Of said Missouri
ComProniss line slavery involuntary servitude Tex
cept for erime) shall be prohibited" Well might be
ASKED therefore, uOud Il not be strange phenomenon
10 legislation that subsequent act should be construed
to supercede nufy render imperative and void,
BY any OpeatOn, or in any way or form former act
which it expressly states nothing therein contained shall
qualify or impairy'
There are other considerations to which shall here
after advert which fully vndieate the character of Mr.
Bel for sound craftsmanship in bis rejection of that gilt
ierng bauble-the repeal of the Missouri restriction
which in an evil hour the South was tempted TO seize
useless in point Of practical gOOd-sO pregnant with
Injury 70 the peace and harmony Of the Union
Lst us Have nc.
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