Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-04-20
Slavery I'm the Territories.


people of New Mexico through their Leg
islature, upon the subject of slavery. A law
was enacted, protecting the right of prop
erty in slaves, and attaching severe penal
ties to the violation thereof. 1t is but just
that the history Of the origin of that law
should be made known, as we have on sew
eral occasions seen the facts in the premises
greatly distorted, and an erroneous phase
given to the circumstances which originated
the Territorial action.
The writer of this article was at the time
Of the passage Of the law, residing in New
Mexico, discharging the duties of a Federal
Office. Immediately after the decision of
the Supreme Court in the bred Scott case,
we received letter from Missouri u. 8.
Senator, and one from the delegate in Con-
gress, and like one was written by Mis-
sissippi U. 8. Senator to tire present Secre-
tary of New Mexico, suggesting the propri-
ETY. Of having passed by the Territorial Lee
gislature a law for the protection of slave
property. 1t was argued that such Terri
| torial action would be simply in accordance
| with the bred Scott decision, and giving
practical application to the principle it ad-
Indicated. After considerable reflection
and consultation, the bill, which passed the
Legislature with but one dissenting voice,
was drawn up, submitted to the assembly,
and became law. =
1t is well known that there are not over
twenty negro slaves in the whole Territory
of New Mexico. The law, then, it is ap-
parent, was created merely to assert the
principle which had been recognised by tie
highest judicial tribunal known to the coun-
try. Its assertion was of no practical ben
eft or pertinency to the people of New Mex
leo, for they never had the question pre-
sented to then. It was simply to show that
the Territorial Legislature had the power
to pass such law and if the power to pass
then, also, to defeat the bill. Hence, if it
was deemed important by Senators to have
law passed by the Territorial Legislature
of New Mexico, conveying the idea Of pro-
lection to slave property, does not this fact
argue that the refusal to pass such law would
be considered tantamount to want of pro-
lection The whole question reasoning
logically and legitimately from the circum-
stances Of the CASEY Of slavery in the Terri
tory, is left to the will of the Territorial Lee
gislature, or the people. We are satisfied
that the idea of the Senator who addressed
US on the subject was in accordance with
this conclusion, and that it was deemed an
essential point, in order to illustrate the
practical effect Of the bred Scott decision,
to have this law prohibiting slavery, passed
by the Legislature Of New Mexico
The converse of the action of the New
Mexican Legislature was seen in the pass
age Of an act both in the Territories of Kan
sas and Nebraska unfriendly to slavery
Here they legislatcd on the subject, exer-
cising the same degree of power, but for a
different purpose than was used in New Mex
leo. In both instances it was a practical
declaration Of "Popuzar Sovereignty'-not
"Squotter Sovereignty-and an illustration
of the doctrine of non Intervention by Con-
gress. We So understood it at the time the
New Mexican law was passed, and it was
so intended we should understand it by the
Senators who interested themselves in the
matter-they seeking to give significance to
the theory embraced in the decision of the
Supreme Court.
We are well aware that with many per-
sons version is given to this question Of
slavery in the Territories, and justified by
process of metaphysical and theoretical
argument at variance with the practical
view of it. It is not difficult or laborious
task to myatify and confuse the mind by
this mode Of discussing the subject. But
this end, when attained, es it must be, soor-
er or later, is narrowed down to one of two
points-the people ola Territory, # they
,oant slavery. aciu hauc 1t, AMI i: they do
not acaalt 1t, they aoiW not have It.. It is
sheer folly to exhaust time and create dis
sension in the ranks of the Democratic par
ty, by discussion Of the abstract right in
volved, for it is plain proposition, if the
owner of slave knows that majority of
the people of a Territory are unfriendly to
slavery, that slave owner will not leopard
his property by placing it in an insecure re-
lation. Wherever slavery is profitable, there
slavery will 60, and where it is not profta-
able, that principle Of self interest which
controls every community, will not let
it 60. We have never given an aboli
ZIONIST the credit of being governed by con-
scientious principle in the advocacy of his
peculiar views on the subject Of slavery
We believe, if it could be demonstrated to
the satisfaction Of the people of New Eng
land, that their manufactures could be OPP
Grated Eve cents on the hand cheaper by en-
ploying negro slave labor, than they can by
white or free labor, there would be no time
lost in introducing this species Of servitude
into their midst. It was only when the
| people of the Notwithstanding as thew did