, 1860-02-21

nan is recognized in the Constitution OF the | 7
United States ns legally ight, and entitled to
he same legal protection as other property,
Ehereser that Constitution is the organic law u
IT tue community; that the Constitution is the
organic law Of the community throughout all
he Federal possessions; that this practical re- d
:ognition Of the legal rectitude Of slavery Is q
even more potent than would be the universal !
Of the right Of property in
1,aa for, ~ things actually are in our 81 stem
walls, except where checked and limited by
State sovereignty. there is titus superadded to
natural right the guarantee of positive Law. l
might reply to this assumption, that the best
expounders Of constitutional law in this country
st;.ution ef he Uhittd States aot. not become q
Part Of TIE territorial lazo until made by aet Of
G ngyess, or by the change from the territorial |
to the Stste condition.
40 PROPERTY REcooS1zKp ~ NAN BY THE coxsr1-
TCr1ox.
The Constitution Of the United States no.
where recognizes any natural right oil property |
in man, and nowhere creates such legal right
The Constitution purposely, carefully, guard |
edty, ignores tue very existence of such prop |
erty. The slare is represented on this floor Is |
npe1son, not as d chattel; the clause for the
rendition offug,siyes does not purpo1t to rtstort
"N'ese"|'"*'e ~ 80 ~tste'r ~'.S N%"SS' =" '+~
creditor; representation and direct taxation
nre to be appott1'ned among tue several STATES
not aseoEd'nE to an enEo!!ment Of property.
AL that the Const'tntlon OF the United STATES
does IN reference 10 tats species OF
property IN Tue States whete N e1IsE.
it enjoys from Federal interference is the
protection OF otate soTerelgn1y, aua n9'
ofthe Constitution; andlts assurance OF the ETH
elencS OF that pro'eeuon Is 1ound n tae pso,ls'
loa that "the poEefs not oe!ega1ea 70 tae oon.
stsntaon' nor Ptonin.ea os IL 70 sne osa.e Is s1, s
feserFea 70 O. Tue otates 1especuses, Ut 10 tus
people The Constitution =, nowhere 5 nnasr-
! t"Ses to designate what snal4 De fega1oeo as
cpcfty; u dots fos dsHne PFtTtFiy u w.
That which TIE local sovereignty treats Is prop
erty within Us }ufiso'et,on. - lust SO tI Hea'
ed as propertPpy the Constitution ! etaimeu
to be property. outside Of that jurisdiction, It
must possess the natural generic cnaraeter'stles
| OF property, which hare shown slavery ooes
not. IL 49, IN my Judgment, .t,t1 epom 'Ae
Io':. 20 say t.t- S@ss'9 s@H's ""y@*Se'e
" rtFf"e Q! sts sPFoe'ssoas.
THE CONSTITUTION AN ASrt-sLAvEnT 1xsrRr-
| 1feyer there WIS an instrument of ooyern-
| 7oent in &hf. ,xnrb that breafben the refy sDir-
Il nj freedom" Il n he Coustitution Of he Uni
I'D States. # was made 80 establish Justice
and to secure the BLESSINGS Of Iberty.",t de-
clares thar ..the nr;SiIerE Of the writ of ha5*qs
to-uut shall not be suspeuded." except in cases
nf rrhel;on or inyas;on: that "no bill Of attain
der or tr raost facto law shall be passed." that
sno title Of nobility shall be granted by The Uni
ted States" II sul;ects lie chiet EXECUTIVE Mag.
istrate to impeachment; it provides that ''the
rr;aI of nil crmes. exce,,t in cases Of impeach-
ment' shall he bv iury." Of the ricinpce: it
,-uarantees ITO eyery Slate in his Upion ! rc-
nnuhlican form of roytrnment:"it forb;ds the
euarin,eut Of any l.w by the Federal Leyisla.
| ture Prospecting the establishment Of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, OF
ahr!d-;nr the 1reedom Of speech or Of The press
Of ths ri.ht Of he peoule peaeeahtr to Assem-
he and 10 petition 1he Government for re
dress nj ,rr;eyeances" it declares that "tht
riyl,t Of tue people TO keep Ind bear arms shal
uor he infrjneed: that Tho right Of the people tt
. effects. against unreasonabTc searches and seiz
, | urrs shall not be violated" that no perso,
. shall he denrired Of life. liberty. or property
, without due process Of law" and then, to COZ
: CT utl possible contingencies Of Danger 10 III
!. liberties Of individuals, it declares that 18th
:: shall not be construed to deny or disparase oil
!. era retained by the people," nnd there is n
l., | srord in that Instrument which. e.en indircct}
a imnlies Tint tue meaning md application {
T. / the,e general terms are to be retricted By an
II considerations Of race or lineage. No, sir, nj
= friction. are compelled to rtsort to imd;rsetie
auIouzs;de inferpr<tation to accomplish the
II nuTno.e. Every mage Of tie CONSTITUTION Of Il
d United States Is tad<af 9th t1< I;ydt If IA
i ptrsalli1trty. lie who would find there pretc;
is or excuse for bondage. must turn his back npe
:: ows Of distorted and doubtful construc.iop.
!; Hayin- now showuthat Tue Democratic part
n ~ an organization. is committed to the print
e Ole that slavery is in accordance with natus
N r;rhts. and ia SO expressly recognized and gus
ic antied. to use the Phrase Of he day, By t
/ %t.on
\. thereby superadded to tie obligations Of n,
:. urnl ri,,tt. the authority of positive law for
RI | evnnnsinu everywhere in the Federal terri
ii. rics: that, in nddltion to the sanctions IF n4t
it. raj right and positive law, 4 true espedicn
:. ! ;ns1,tics such expansiou: and having furtt
n s,ten,nteI tn sLo,g that ali these doctrines .
n unsnund in theory. wFopg in morals, and yico
- in tent]ercy. I am next led to CONSIDER the I
sit;on Of that portion Of the Democratic orr,
Ed izatiou yh.ch stands without the pale Of +
narty communion upon these topics. 1suppt
III | tbut NAV. with propriety. look to the opiuic
br most rsceutly ayowed by Mr. Douglas, for
ie. | nr;ncinles winch are embraced by this class
ot | no,;,icians- md. il trul, understand th,
NJ een;n;ons. they are. to nv mind, more detesta
or IN morals and worse in logic than the doctril
c1' | which | have already considered. ! hare 8
ip. | that The starting point ot divergence betwt
., tHc creat uar.iss. is found in the question,
res il ri1ht or wrong to tsta5lisA s,ayery:" I
nd Dcmocrat in full communion asserts the form
in, and re,sons nrouerly enough upon Iistheory
si- moralty: I aver the LITTER, and ende
Of or to reason in like manner.
j. ~ III I,,rrt,s r;,ht and 1rronc in
in an:,;w no .osttars ~ nrofnnnd in7ifferer
yrr H. ;,nnres ,ro-al;,r ol,or.t'er III ron ftss
/ j. ~ E751 :, ~oi;J;9,i oia<;s,n lie .,u.es
tvr G,sst;on ~ arnaJ;encv n like manner.
c.. stararv tba hIsss;nn thst its friends claim Il
ito he or c,,rse a. ia enemies assert: How
are to affect the prosperity Of the future State
etn the confederacy, tue happiness - Of !hG com
w. Fenel.one ~ .oe peof - ~ asxor.s :