Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-03-16
SENATE DEBATE on THE s.b INST.

SE NAI r DE BA L T. On IHE Stb INST.
Mr. Browns (Dem., Miss.) resolutions
relative to the Territories were taken up.
Mr. Collamer sald this discussion had ia
ken a wide range, but he desired to see
practical application. M legislation is val
liable unless for the whole country. We
have seen two conditions of society existing
in tins country-one condition in the Free
States based on the idea that all men were
created free and equal, and that there should
be universal suffrage, and men should be edu-
Gated for the discharge of this duty. When
our fathers formed the Government they dis
carded the old ileas Of primogeniture and
entail, and proceeded on the principle that
every man was to own his land and be his
own servant, when none should rule and
none should serve. This system is really the
actual condition of the great mass of the
Free States The other condition of society
be preferred to describe in the words Of an
other Mr.. c. read from Mr.. Calhoun's
works description of Southern society.
These two conditions of society exist, and are
likely to exist for a long time, and they pre-
sent pr .hlem to be solved as to what is 10
be done with both, and what is the duty of
this body as the representative of both. 1t
is the duty of Congress to endeavor to pro-
mote and advance the prosperity of all parts
of the country. That problem is put into
our hands. 1t is not an easy task to shape
the policy of this Government. At times
the interests of one class may seem to conflict
with the interests f another, But however
difficult, the problem must be taken hold of
After all, is there any reason to suppose that
one party here can induce the other to adopt
its system Probably not. Still it will hard
ly do to say two systems cannot exist in the
same nation, The experience ofseventy years
teaches that X can exist IN the same nation.
The term nation, however, as applied to this
country, means an aggregate of nations, so
that, though these systems may exist in the
same nation, they cannot exist under the
! some municipal Government. 4 State can
not be Free State and Slave State at the
same time, aud the same must be true OF the
Territories. They cannot be Slave Terrific
~ and Free at the same time. How, now,
did our fathers manage this question? Is it
not well, occasionally, to look at the good old
times? Nothing can be more clear than
that they looked on this subject as great
! evil. The old Confederation, when they came
to this question, they declared that in these
Territories Slavery should not exist at all.
The question was transferred to the
| Convention sitting TO form the Cunstitu-
tion. They all felt it to be an evil, and they
thought if they could cut off the African slave
trade, and thus cut of the supplies, the sys
tenn would die out. So they vested in Con-
gress the power to stop this trade. They
supposed then it would die out without any
immediate abolition. He was very much ID
favor of carrying out this principle of re-
striction and limitation. Is there anything
new in this idea of keeping slavery out of the
Territories, and IN cutting of the foreign
trade One to come in here, would think 1t
was entirely new but it was one of the prin-
| cipal elements of the Constitution, and a
leading principle at that day. But we have
acquired further territory since then, and
how did they arrange that That which
they got from Carolina, and also that OBJ
tanned from France. First, what power did
they exercise, and in what manner did they
exercise it? grant Congress did not al
ways prohibit Slavery in the Territories. not
because thoy had not the right, but because
it was not expedient. When Slavery actual
ly did exist, it was permitted to remain but
in other cases it was expressly prohibited. 1t
was never lett TO the people OF the Terrific
riee to settle, for it was considered matter
in which the whole country was interested
In the cession from Carolina she expressly
made provision prob biting the abolition of
Slavery. In the cession from Georgia Con-
gress did make any prohibition, because they
supposed Georgia would make the same pro-
vision. In the acquisition of Louisiana Con
er,ss did not prohibit Slavery because it was
already he C. BIT they prohibit the i'm
portation of slaves. EXCEPT in families, an /
prohibited the taking of slaves in there in
any way that had been imported after 1898.
The slaves in Carolina and other Slave States
imported after that we're owned just as much
.. those imported before, and yet nobody con-