Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-03-02
~THIRTY-SIXTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON. Monday Feb. z
FIRs 5 S $50 y

WASHINGTON, Monday Feb. 20.
SENATE.-Mr. Browns resolution was taken up.
Mr.. Clark said be should speak on the fourth
resolution. He called attention to the speech Of
Mr.. Breckenridge, who said it is the aim of
every good citizen to keep the slavery ques-
ton out Of Congress, where it only did
harm. No southern Senator or Representative
attempted to legIslate upon it. lie read the ex-
tract, not to blame the Senator for introducing the
resolution, but to call attention to the modern his
tory of slavery agitation. Since 1850 what has
been done? In 1852 the Democrats resolved it
should be kept out of Congress, but in 1854 that
party commenced agitation. In 1856 the same
party resolved again that there should be no more
slavery agitation in Congress, but in 1857 they
brought in the Lecompton Constitution. And so
they agitate, year after year, and resolve that they
will not.
In 1920 slavery was timid. They did not say
slavery should go into the Territories, but that it
was governed by climate and geography; but now
slavery goes in spite of climate and everything
else. 1t has grown bOiGer and seeks to appropri-
ate all the Territory. In the Kansas bill the doc
trine was advocated that the question of slavery
be left to the people. If the people have the pow
er, where do they get it? 1t is denied that Con-
gress has the power, and it is also claimed that the
Constitution has power to protect slavery. If this
be true, where do the people get the power to over
ride the Constitution The resolution says they
have the right to go into a Territory with their
II pt HlOltClth. III uNtbIlue Is alarming.
Next, slavery will claim protection in the States
against the will of the people. 1t will claim pro-
lection in the old states under the Constitution,
and the time may come when the Senator from
Georgia may, in his own words, call the roll of his
slaves on Bunker Hill.
Mr.. Toombs wanted to know his authority.
MIR. Clark could not tell where he had seen
Mr.. Toombs said he might have seen it contra
dicted. 1t had been contradicted in New Eng
land and New York but that seems to be the
policy Of his party.
Mr.. Clark denied that he had ever seen the con-
tradiction. He could not tell where he saw the
remark.
Mr.. Toombs-You might have seen it in the
New York Tribune, which is the general recep-
tacle of all falsehood.
Mr.. Clark was very glad to hear a contradiction
from the Senator. When the Constitution was
formed, Virginia did not recognize the doctrine
that slavery ennobled both races. She did not
recognize the doctrine of squatter sovereignty.-
Congress repeated the doctrine of free territory,
for sixty years, yet it is now claimed that the
constitution carries slavery into the territories
and protects it. On the acquisition of Southern
territories slavery was admitted by special pro-
viso on the superstition that the constitution
would exclude it. Otherwise, except in a few
cases, there was no p%roviso but nobody claimed
that the constitution protected it.
He warned the Northern Democracy not to
make the doctrine of protection of slavery an is
sue, or put it in their platform. If they should,
the history and end of the party would be as
short and rapid as that of the Chaldean,- "i in that
night was Belshazzar, King of the Chaldeans
slain" He denied that there was any power I'M
der the Constitution to take slavery into the ter
ritories. Slaves were held by state law. When the
constitution was formed, the trainers of it made no
provision for the carrying of slaves to other
states. Since this session commenced these halls
have rung with disunion, and threats of secession
if slavery is not protected. He referred to the
Senator from Virginia's remarks, who said the
cap stone of the arch of the Union was a black
stone-Slavery. This was not true. 1t was not
the cap stone, but a cobble stone in the arch,
making it tremble and shake, but the arch would
net fall if it were taken out.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 81.
SENATE.-Mr. Seward, IF N. Y, introduced a
bill for the admis ion of Kansas into the Union,
and it was made the special order for Wednesday
of next week.
Mr.. Doolittle of Wis, presented a memorial from
the Legislature of Wisconsin in regard to the Men
omonee Indians, who arc beset by a gang of thieves I,
and scoundrels that rob them of all their substance
and perpetrate pom them outrages for which a par
allel can hardly be found in the history of a Chris
tan nation. The memorial asks for an investiga-
ton into their unhappy condition, aud for the pas
sage of a law to protect them.
Mr.. Hsun Of Cal, offered a resolution that the
on military affairs inquire into the ex-
Of granting the proceeds Of the New Al