The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1860-10-11
Mr.. Bon on Tho slavery question.

i
ing him the following questions:
/. Does a Territorial Legislature pos. |
soss the power to inhibit or establish
2. Does Congress possess such powcr2 |
3. Is the owner of slave property in |
the Territories entitled to the same pro
lection by the Federal Government in
the peaceful enjoyment of his slave prop |
erty as the owner Of any other property
TO these interrogatorios Nd Bell re
piled by sending the collection of his
speeches and the summary Of his votes
in Congress, just published by the Ten
nessec Committee Mr. Dawson has now
published the subioined commentary up
on the letter and the speeches:
In this compilation Of his speeches
and votes which he iuclosed to me, aud
by a special reference to the same, made
a part of his answer to my letter, find
that in a speech made by him on the
oath and 25th Of May, 1854, and which
is published in the 29th volume Con-
gressional Globe, pages 9I7-058, he ut
tered the following language, to wit:
GAS to the principles of Squatter
Sovereignty 1 wish further to say that,
in the late contest between Gen. Taylor
and the honorable and distinguished
Senator from Michigan Gen. Cass,) it
was distinctly brought forward as an is
sue before the people of Tennessee.
x = Tn that contest i'm COM
mon with the South generally, they Tthe
people of Tennessee repudiatcd the idea
that a handful, or any number of inhab-
itants, in a Territory Of the United States,
should have the power granted to them
by Congress Of regulating their domos-
tic institutions, and at their discretion
to deny to the citizen of one section Of
the Union the power to enjoy his right
of property in slaves. We were not pre-
pared to reverse and set aside the pre-
viousl y established practice and doctrines
of the Government from 1889 to that
time. We could see no peace, no quiet,
no end of agitation, that was to result
from such course. We thought that
If a Territorial Legislature should, in
y
Slavery, the agitation of the question
of Slavery would still go on. We in
Tennessee, at that time believed we we're
advocating principles and doctrines on
this subject approved in all the South
ern States. The principle then contend
ed for was that the people of a Terrific
ry, when they came to form their State
Constitution, and then only, were quail
fed to establish their domestic institu-
tons"
On the 9Th day of June, 1850, Mr..
Berrien Of Georgia offered in the SEN
ate of the United States the following
amendment to the Compromiso meas
Ures then under consideration.
"But no law shall be passed inter
fering with the primary disposal Of the
soil, nor establishing or prohibiting AT
rican Slavery"
Mr.. Bell voted for the amendment.
III Page l,l34, Cong. Globe, vol. 21.
Here then is an answer to my first
question, which is full, distinct aud en-
phatic.
On the 11th day of December, 1888,
Mr.. Athortou of New Hampshire offer
ed the following resolution in the
House. to wit:
"Rcsolgcd, therefore, That all attempts
on the part of Congress to abolish
Slavery in the District of Columbia or
the Territories, or to prohibit the re-
moval Of Slaves from State to State, or
to discriminate between the institutions
of one portion Of the confedcracy and
another, with the views aforesaid, are
in violation of the Constitution, destruc-
tive of the fundamental principle on
which the Union of these States rests
and beyond the jurisdiction Of Con
gress.
On this occasion Mr.. Bell voted yea,
which amounts to a direct clear and
conclusive answer to my second question
On the 27th day of May, 1850, Mr.
Davis offered the following amendment
in the United States Senate to the then
pending Compromise measures:
"Pr0Uidcd, That nothing herein con,
tained shall be construed so as to pre-
vent said Territorial Legislature from
passing such laws as may be necessary
for the protection of the property of
every kind which may have been or may
be hereafter, conformably to the Consti
tuition and laws of the United States
held in, or introduced into, said Terri
tory" Mr.. Davis also prefaccd this pro
visO with somo remarks, declaring hi,
object to be to assert the duty of thr
Government to protect Slavery.
On this proviso Mr.. Bell voted yea
thus asserting under oath, the duty Of
protection, when necessary.
He has answered, then, with remark
able point, perspicuousness and power
Let those who doubt his devotion 10 th
South read and study his answer, ant
they can never doubt again.
In this some record, which he has re
Gently had republished, and thereby dc
/ clared to be his opinions now, [ find al
elaborate, able and unonswerable defeuo
Of the institution Of Slavery, attributial
as he does, to this much-abused institu
ton the grandeur aad glory to tohich ID
haze attained as a nation. Upon IN
extension Of Slavery he says: "IIumau
p ity to the slave, not less than Justice to N
, master, recommends the policy Of dit,
! sion dHd cEtensiOn into 0Ry ueD tcyTt0y