Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1860-05-31
me-. BELLs oPtsIoN os rHE TEsss-
rOatAL q u RsrIon.

The fslloviog is IN extract hes speech
Of the lion. Jobu Bell 10 the Ssssts Of tie
Usitsd States. May a4tb, 1854. and clearly
sssssh states his opiuios 90 the Territorial
qusstiee
"It IL very veil for the honorable Senator
from Georgia Mr. Toombs 20 preclaim nov
that h- 70 not Iegisla'ipg for any section; he
csrta'nly 10 not going for the South I tbiot
no Southern man can show that ths South
has any Pc. tiealar interest 10 this bill be-
esu,e II Is nos like the compromise Of 1850
Toe 70 N,w Mexico aud Utah you Ie, the
Territory stand legally r.str cited or barred
sge,ns' slavery - u vas b. psblis law
Wheo thai Territory vas brought ioto the
Union, Mr. Calhoun and some other honor
able Senators eontended that the Con.,itu.
ton would ope,a'e A. . repeal of thu Mex.
can Law sbeishiug slavery, aud gave protee,
ton e. The slive holder Som. other Sen.
stofs DOUBTED on that point. - The DO or.bls
Senator from Mi,.us,ppi mir. Brow pl can
perhaps explain tn different dscir;re,
vii b then we're held in the South on N ,
sutjsc.. Al all vv-nts. the comprcmi.e acts
az 1880 left the Territory a. :, ga, ,hen
annexed aud allowed tbs people TO iat.rdic,
u.
they shoeid form their State Constitution
That vas the do,,rios Of non ,o,sry.o ton
then. W bat 10 it in THE bill Lem 10 \,
vor u tie p'insipls Of non intervention
sush nen Intervention a. would have given
the South Cuba As . sl.vs Site. should !,
ever 30 snncxed 10 the Unitsd States; such
n"n-interveni'en IS that, IL there hal been
no compact vi regard TO tho admission Of
n ga ~ h..
have secured to us those slave State. inds-
esadeot OF thu eompse' by which the tied
States are bOun1 To admit then. Butunder
Tue state OF ihings nov producsd - uHder
'ne iseiog OF distusi and reseutm ut s...
ueg a. the North against tbs S-s,n-I,,s
d'r.-no, vi 10, Pro!.;.e,, sec.u . i, i, too
serious 'ntjeet--i vii state that il tbi,
,.e VI 'h'-Sss sbslI not change .,sep,iall,
'-e Wiz Gtvsr oome When slave State
S-s " -umt ed out Of Texas
r "Ibe poa intervention Of 1850 vas to ie;
the Territories which come into the U iou
AZ slave territory be e,nsidetsd slAvs terri.
! tory until the inbabiiauts determine. uhSa
they iorm STATE Constitution, that .layery
should DO abolished. AID If il came 10 a,
Tree territory, then the inhabitants TO Isstrio'
or adopt slavery, st their discretion, when
tasy form a State constitution. But by tbi,
OH YOU ihterposs to repeal the Missouri
compounds which would restore he te ri,o
~ to the condition of slave territory % il
vas when annexed; but not C nteut With
thit, you further intefsre to make it FIRE,
territsry You tbsu provide, without limi.
A'iou Of time or numbers, that the iuhabi-
ants shall decide in ihoit Territorial J. .gis-
istuf- to establish or prohibet slavery Nsll
suppose the hr't Legislature stail admit
sla'e'y, may not tse mex; abolish il, aud
mus keep ups perpetual s'rugg c while
congress, at the Same time, may be agitatsd
ag'in BY questions VI further Intervention
it tsls Is . measure Of peace 10 ihe couu
Wy IL Is TO give quiet All sgi;siiou i,
TO cease under it 7"