Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1860-05-18
SPEECH OF DANIEL WEBSTER,

In the United States SENATE, .1ugaSt II, 1S4S,
on the QUESTION of Organizing the Territory
of Oregon subject TO tie Ordinance Of 1887,
excluding SLauery forever therefroz.
There are two or three political questions
arising in this case which / wish to state dis
passiouately not to argue, but to state. The
honorable gentleman from Georgia, Mr.. Ber-
rien,l for whom l have great respect, and
with whom il is my delight to cultivate personal
friendship, has stated with great propriety the
Importance of this question. He has said that
it is question interesting to the South and to
the North, and one which may very well also
attract the attention of mankind He has not
stated any part of this too strongly. II is
such question. Without doubt, it is O
question which may well attract the attention
of mankind. On the subjects involved in this
debate, tie whole world is not now asleep. 1t
is wide awake and ] agree with the honorable
member, that if what is now proposed to be
done BY rs who resist this amendment is, as he
supposes, unjust and injurious to any portion
of this community, or against its constitutional
rights, that injustice should be presented to the
civilized world, and We, who concur IN the pro-
ceeding, ought to submit ourselves to its re
buke. | am glad that the honorable gentle
great tribunal of modern civilization, as well
as the great tribunal Of the American people.
1t is proper. 1t is question OF magnitude
enough, of interest enough, to all the civilized
nations of the earth, to call from those who
support the one side or the other statement
Of the grounds upon which they act.
Now, propose to state as briefly as can
the grounds upon which | proceed, historical
few words as possible, SO that may relieve the
Senate from hearing me at the earliest possible
moment. In the first place, to view the matter
historically. This Constitution, founded in
1887, and the Government under it, organized
IN 1889, recognized the existence of slavery In
certain States then belonging to the Union, and
particular description of slavery. hope
that what | am about to say may be received
without any 5upposition, that intend the slight
est disrespect. But this particular description
of slavery does not, believe, now exist in
Europe, nor in any other civilized portion of
the habitable globe. 1t is not analogous to the
case of the predial OF stave gleb9 adscripti of
Russia, or Hungary, or other States. 1t is a
peculiar system of personal slavery, by which
&ha person who is called slave is trans ferrable
as chattel, from hand to hand. / speak of
this as fact /; and that is the fact. And 1
will say: further, perhaps other gentlemen may
remember the instances, that although slavery,
as system of serTitude attached to the earth,
exists in various countries of Europe, am not
at the present moment aware of any place ON
the globe in which this property of man in
human being as slage transferable as chat
tie, exists except in America. Now that it
existed, in the form in which it still exists, in
certain States, at the formation of this Con-
stitutiun, and that the trainers of that instru-
ment, and those who adopted it, agreed that as
far as it existed it should not be disturbed or
interfered with by the new General Govern
ment, there is no doubt.
The Constitution of the United States recog~
nizes it as an existing fact an existing relatlcn
Between the inhabitants OF the Southern
States. | do not call it an "institution," be-
cause that term is not applicable to it.; for that
seems TO imply voluntary establishment
When first came here, it was a matter of
frequent reproach to England, the mother
country, that slavery had been entaied upon
the colonies by her against their consent, and
that which is now considered cherished Gin
stitntIon" was then regarded as, | will not say
nfoit, but an entailment on The colonies by
the policy of the mother country, against their
wishes. At any rate, il stands recognized by
the Constitution. The Constitution was adopt
ed IN l7SS, and weEt into operation in 1889.
when u was adopted, the state of the country
was this slavery existed in the Southern
states; there was very large extent of ul-
occupied territory, which, it was understood,