Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-12-31
RICHMOND WHIG.
THIRrY.SIxTH COEGRESS-secondd Session.
wAsurSoroS, Dec 27.

&c and taken up. .I--.
Mr.. Green explained the BILL He said it in usual
form, and there nothing Objectionable IN it, twas
A necessity for the territorial government there.
Mr. Brown moved TO add section; that the act OF the
Legislature OF New Nee for the protection Of slave
property be in force in this Territory. .,l. ,.
Mr. Trumbull, of Ill.,, (iep.,) moved TO amend that
the Law which was in force in the said Territory at the
time of the annextion remain in force till Il becomes
State.
H. Mr. DooIlrrLE on THE CRISIS.
Mr. DOoltte, OF Wis., (Rsp,) said We had lived to-
geher for eighty years in peace. Peace was based on
two idessone that the Federal Goyernment nor citizens
of the nonsAvehOdng States should make no aggression
on slavery in the States and the other that neither tho
Federal Government the citizens Of savcholding
States should make any asgresons or undertake TO over
throw freedom in the Territories II these conditions
we're broken there cannot be peace He said the Con-
sution was the supreme law Of the land and Of every
State aud the Constitution contains any language which
would abolish slavery in Territory It would abolish II
in State lie then referred TO the Died Scott decision
and caimel that there nothing in that decision TO
lead any one to infer that the Constitution establishes
slavery in any TerritOry nothing that jusies men 10
saving that the Constitution the Territory acquired
from Mtx'eo. and Aboshes Mexican law and establishes
law guaranteeing the right TO take and hold slaves IN
this Territory He argued that il should ann Can
ada the Constitution had no power OF its own iOrte TO
repeal the law there in regard slavery, which had
been in force hundred years He sad the Senator from
Tennessee Nicholson had said there great alarm at
the South from the free States aud said he appehended
the time would come when the free States would attempt
20 amend the Constitution to 11unguish slavery.
Why did not the Senator from Tennessee if he wished
10 aay the alarm quote IN his speech part OF the Re
publican platform which declares essential principle
TO be the maintenance OF State rights in order 10 nain
tain the balance of power aud denounced the Invasion
Of any State on whatever pretex Why did the Sen
aor quote from the speeches cf the President elect
when he he had declared over aud over again that he
did not intend wish 10 interfere with slavery in the
States.
Mr. Nicholson (Tenn.) said he had stated that the Re
publican party had expressed deerm nation To regard
the rights of the Southern in the States but be laid
down general principle outside Of the States, which, If
carried out would destroy their rights in the States.
Mr. Dootte said he understood the Senator to say he
spprehended that the Republican plry would so Increase
10 power that last il would ameud the Constitution
as u destroy the rights Of the South and Cmanepalo the
slaves
Mr. Nicholson said the power ard principles Of the Re-
publican party, if carried out woud rxtugush slavery
and he hsd expressed til apprehension that if III pow
Of the Free States increased and they intended TO
carry out their purposes il would lead to the ultimate
extinction Of slavery.
Mr. Doolittle said the Republican parry as he under
stood it. stood to protect and miintaiu the rights Of
States 10 all powers not expr, SLY egated
~ carry into eif,c the powers delegated. II was fun
dameual with them maintain the sovereignty OF the
several Stats and the right control all domestic iu
stitutons. lie would undertake to say that Republ
can expressed the desire wish that the General Gov
ernment hsve power to interfere with slavery in the
States. He knew there book published by an IT,
diyidual named Sp0Oner, which took ground that the
Constitution Of itself abolished slavery; but il found
supporters of any weight It precisely like that 9TH
natcal idea, that the Constitution by it force
/ establishes slavery anywhere on earth.
The Constitution was f rmed by men who knew the
meaning Of the words they employed. They recognized
the right OF savehodng States persons held 10 SER
vice and made il the duty Of the free States deliver
such persons bnt le each State perfectly sovereign
/ its own laws The law of slave States makes slaves
prop rty. The law Of the free States does not make
/ them property. The Constitution does neither. Upon
the idea that the & and %e may a.
well know il first last. The people Of the United
States will never that the Constitution be alter
ed to become, by its own force, slavery extending
Constitution. But they do not ask a construction put
upon which will make it abolish slavery IN any State
Territory We simply ask let the Constitution stand
fathers made it. neither affirming denying it, then
We eau have peace
| lie said he desired to speak a few moments on what
alleged 10 be the Of the existing agtatiOn.
One intrOducedby the Senator from Kentucky which
he very much regretted TO brought up It only
recently that he had heard of it ia connection with this
controversy. Il is that some OF the nonsaveholdiug
States refuse to surrender criminals be said had gen
orally been admitted rule that Il crime committed
was crime within the law Of the State 10 which the
criminal fed then he should be surrendered not other
some negroes early day in the history Of the coun-
try and the case Of the Governor Of Kentucky. He
said lay aside the excitement the negro question: and
he did not think ten on the floor would advocate
the doctrine that State could by its own Law make what
il cOnceiFes TO be a crime and by ite indictment
tabsh Of necessity the evidence Of guilt well as Of
escape. The Hon Senator from Kentucky
| said il was annoying He knew il was
nOyiug to have negroes kidnapped from Ohio
aud Indiana and annoying to Shareholders that their
slaves may be enticed 10 away but there u
higher principle involved Another cause OF trouble
said be the non-renditon Of fugitive slaves. He ad
mitted the validity Of the clause in the Constitution
quiring rendition He admitted that that of the
clauses in the Constitution he had TO support but
be must say questions had arisen the construction
Of this clause He believed that the Constitution should
be srcty construed aud he thought il the duty OF the
States to make provisions 10 faithfully carry into effect
this clause OF the Constitution but he admitted with
equs ankness that majority Of the people Of the Uni
ted States thought Congress possess the power to legs
late 10 carry this into effect lie said Mr.. Lincoln
in favor OF giving the South the Fugitive Slave law and
rad speeches to support assertion. The South
plain that they lose great deal by iugives and few
reclaimed This ARISES from the fact that they possess
species Of property with will Of its Osn and desire
oits own 10 get away This is no fault OF ours and the
North are not responsible for that The Senator from
Virginia Mr.. Mason told that a few years ago Vir
gnia lost annually 100000 and he believed she lost the
same now He would eOncede that for the sake
| Of argument. Virginia had about 100000 slaves
worth at average $500, lat least, before the PAN
| is,l making $iOOO(OO0O. The loss of 100000
Is only One-iortelh Of one per nt or about
quarter Of mill dollar This is less than the
risk incurred in any other species Of property in the Un
ted States Suppose the people OF the border states should
resolve themselves into insurance company how sma
would be the premium TO the loss. This special
property has special advantages il has advantages Of
presentation aud h is strange that such property shoul
be subjected 10 peculiar risks. What will these gentle
men by seyeying the bond of the Union III they
run this slight risk now what risk will they then
when the Northern States will be under obligations
to their propertyy Would p cent the
loss Of the SAte Let the bond OF Union be broken
slave property would Of necessity retire from the bOrer
He said the abotonits Of the North stand Today look
ing with anxiety and praying that the Union nay be
broken up that the North shall longer be compelled
to return ugitves They knoW what the effect would
be- and desire dissolution. They know the time is
ing Wheu the slave population of Of these States
will peponderate that the ply steal power Of the State
will longer keep them in subecon and they the
Union broken up that they may the Federal Gov
ernment and not be called upon TO put down insurrec
ton. They anxious for dissolution a. the
lists in the Gulf States He said there other mat
ter he wished to refer to- The Constitution the
preme law Of the land, and Of every Sate any State
Law to the contrary notwithstanding. Every citizen Of
the United States therefore, double allegiance to
the Federal Government also to The State, aud may be
guilty OF treason against either against both If
Congress goes beyond the COnstu uon in euacting law
the law is null and void and if a State makes a law
against the Constitution Of the UniIed States il is also
null and void.
Mr. Benjamin. Of Louisiana asked If a citizen could
be placed in eonhic between these two, he must Of
necessity be guilty Of treason to the other and be
hanged any way.
Mr. Dooli,tle said he could not There was no act of
ted States Constitution II does not make treasoh though
| the State declare