Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-05-19
CONGRESS.
REPORTED FOR THE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
Senate, Friday, May Is

o'clock. Laid aside.
Mr.. Mason, from the Committee on For
eign Relations, reported a bill to carry INTO
effect the treaties made with China, Japan,
Siam, Persia, &c,-whch was ordered TO be
printed
The message of the President relative to
the Mountain Meadow Massacre, was taken
up and ordered to be printed.
Reports of private nature were here re-
ported.
Mr.. Hemphll introduced bill to provide
for the examination and payment or the
claims of citizens OF Texas, for spollations
committed by the Indians; referred.
4 bill to authorize the payment OF certain
contracts made by Government agents, was
taken up and postponed.
The bill for the relief of Arson Dart was
taken up, and laid over.
The Senate then took up Mr. Davis's reso-
lutons.
Mr.. Mason advocated their adoption. He
said that he had listened with much atten-
ton to the speech OF Mr. Douglas. lie could
not concur with him in his views for he be-
liered that the resolutions before the Senate
were Il true exposition of the principles OF the
government. They were not distractions, but
practical principles TO be applied TO leglsla-
la.ion Like the frogs OF the fable, this mat
might be sport to others, but 1t was OF
vital interest to the South.
lie believed that in The common terrific
ries Of the Union, all the states had equal
rights. He reviewed the legislation OF Con-
gress upon the subject Of slavery since 1911 ;
as showing that the proposition 10 enSr;'t
the Wiimot proviso ON the territorial policy
of the government, had been rejected, and
that in the compromise Of 1880, and the
Kansas Nebraska bill, it had been agreed 10
remit the question of slavery along with all
other questions, to the people of the Terrific
res to settle for themselves, with the under
standing that the courts were to decide the
extent oi the power granted.
The resolutions asserted that the sover-
eighty resided in States only; that although
the law of the Federal Government was su-
prcme it was only supreme because the
slajc-sovercigntics had made it So Thus,
in acquiring territory from France. the Ming
OF France, the sovereign over Louisiana,
transferred that sovereignty, not only the
land, but the dominion (lmperlum.) TO
whom was it transferred? Not to the Fed
eral Governments: because that government
not being II sovereignty, was not competent
to take the Imperum. The dominion, there
fore, vested in the>stateS
He declared that the idea OF any sovereign
~ in the territories was constitutional I'M
possibility. The law Of Congress was the
only power from which they could derive
any power whatever, and Congress not pos
essins sovereignty. could not confer it,
TWAS said that this was IA Judicial ques-
ton, and that it must be left to the cuurts.-
But the courts had decided it, and the Leg
islaturc Of Kansas had exercised the power
since it was disaiIirincd by the court. Now,
it was said again, refer 1t to the courts. ii
the territories possessed any OF the sovereignty
attributed to them, they might lawfully set
the courts mt defiance. He did not contend
that the constitution established slavery IN
the territories. Slavery bad never except III
the case of the Jewish thcocracy, been cS-
tablished BY written law III any country
In Virginia, it existed upon the lntroduc-
ZION of the first negro IN 1920, when the colo
ny had no statutes, and no law but the COM
mon law The slave status OF the negro IN
Africa, was recognised everywhere, under
the general law, that WAS property III one
country was property the world over, except
where prohibited by local law. Thus a
slave being carried to Kansas, his status
could not be altered, because the ieglsla-
turc could make no law imparing the right
OF property.
In conclusion, he made an earnest appeal
on behalf Of the Union, ~ our fathers made
it, and declared that the constitution was the
u,ln hand nt' the Union and that when that