Gazette and sentinel., 1860-09-22

N AUlNlllullOIlul ONNlihN hII " 'N~N@
should 60 out of the harbOr of Norfolk for New
Orleans, laden with all kinds of freight, and among
the rest fifteen or twenty slaves on board. These
gentlemen tell you that slavery is local-so local
that it cannot get beyond those limits without
local law to take it there. This ship gets beyond
the one marine league from shore out upon the
open sea. Ii is not within the limits OF any State
it is upon the common highway OF nations.
Could a British cruizcr come and takethese slaves
from the American vessel, and say that they were
free because slavery is local. and are not within
the limits of any State? No. Yet what protects
them ! Nothing but the deck Of an American
vessel. That deck is the common domain OF he
United States, and it protects the property oil the
citizens. for it is on the common domain oil the
Union. 1t has been decided again and again,
practically, in the history Of orr Government
aud if that protection is afforded on the dech OF
the ship, is it not likewise afforded on the land,
which is also the common domain OF tins Union !:
But, fcllow-citizens, one other word on that
point. / see II speech made, the other day, AT
| Petersburg, Virginia, by the Senator from
| Illinois, in which he holds the following Ian
guage to the people of that city: o have
the same right, under the Constitution, To go
and carry your slaves into the territories that
| have mine. You have the same right To
carry your slaves, cattle and horses, that l
have to carry any property that possess anu
Won h,ye it, he saws, under the COnstltu-
lion of the United States. When you get
there. YOU and | stand on the same footing OF
equality under the law. You bring your pro-
pcrty with you subject to the local law, ana l.
bring mine, subject TO the same local law.
He saws you have the right to carry the pro-
perty there under the Constitution of the
United States, and he had said in the Senate
that if the Constitution carried it there no
- - 18th am taEn II away NOW ne
saws YOU have a right to carry it under the
Constitution, but when you get it there 1t Is
subject to what! Protection as every other
right? No. But TO the local law, made by a
subordinate local authority. The moment 1t
gets there under the Constitution, they can
drive it off against the Constitution. Gentle
men, if these positions are not Inconsistent
if they are not trifing with the intelligence Of
IL free people, who want to find out and know
their rights. then | am mistaken.
Mr.. Douglas says:
Congress never yet passed a law for the
protection of any mans property in the terri
tories. Every mai who goes to the territories
with his wife and children and servants is sub
iect to the local law, and relies upon the law
Tor protection"
Let US see if that is So. The Senator from
Illinois says Congress never yet passed II
INV u luc DEolNtllOb " dhN ma = ~
in a territory" l forbear to repeat what the
Supreme Court has decided, but L like to get Il
sound. Constitutional idea into the minds of
my fellow citizens.
.sCongress never" says Mr.. Douglas,
passed a law for the protection of any mans
property in n territory" Gentlemen, 1t has
done so in many instances. l happened to
meet, the other day, with a striking case in
which it did so. In 1884, when great states
men were in the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives, and Andrew Jackson was President
of the United States, the Legislature of the
Territory of Florida, undertook to lay a tax
upon the slaves of non residents higher than
upon the slaves of residents. The non-resi-
dents from Virginia and other States appealed
to Congress to restrain the Legislature OF
Florida from discriminating against their
property.
The committee in their report say:
THE committee are satisfied that tho
memorialists are entitled to relief. 1t Is GER
tainly against the policy of the United States,
rs well as the dictates of common justice, to
allow any Territorial Legislature TO tax the
property of nom residents higher than the
same property of residents.
1.-The committee think that Congress should
always protect the property of citizens OF the
United States when subjected to the operation
f of unjust legislation by Territorial Govern
ments. In the case above referred to, that
; principle of protection is asserted, and main
tanned in practice. The same principle re-
quires the same practice now, and for that pur'
pose the committee herewith report a bill"
Pardon me, the two sections are short, !
, will read them:
"Be it enacted by the Senate and House o
Representatives of the United States o.
America, in Congress assembled, That all such
acts, or parts of acts, passed by the Legisla
f live Council of Florida, as may impose 4
/ higher tax on the slaves, or other property Of
e non resident citizens, be, and the same are
hereby repealed and declared null and void"
! Not content with that, the second section
provides that if any person shall attempt t.
enforce the law he should be liable to punish
: ment. The section reads thus
And be it further enacted, that if any per
e son shall attempt to enforce any of the acts @
o the Territory Of Florida as aforesaid, by de
handing or receiving any tax, imposition OF
assessment authorized or prescribed thereby
: such person shall, on conviction thereof, b
d punished by a fine not exceeding 5000, or by
imprisonment not exceeding six months, OF
e either or both of said punishments."
Oh, gentlemen, would it not be an insul
to your understanding to say that was not al
: interference of Congress TO protect privat'
property from the encroachment of Terrific
c rial legislation? Yet that gentleman say
Congress never yet passed a law for the pro
, lection of any mans property in Territories
, OF course, / do not doubt that he believed tn
Il statement, but l believe him Mt the expense o
0 his intelligence. (Applause.)
Q The principles / have tried feebly to vindi
c cate here, are the principles on which the Con
c stitutional Democracy stand today the onl,
principles upon which any human being Wi
$ $ pretend to charge them with the purpose G
= disunion. If they are the principles of tn
y Constitution and the Union, then We ar
,. Constitutiunalists and Unionists. Yet, fellow
citizens, for two or three months back 20