Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-14
w A Tariety Of Reading Matter ,eill be
foxnd on srery Page Of this paper.
The Peace Conference s,vindIe.

ern sisters under similar grievances had resumed the
powers granted 20 the Federal Government and es-
,ablishcd new ConIede.aey, aud under the hope
Of obtaining redress Of her grievances, and obtain
ing such guarantees would be satisfactory to the
Southern States sic recommended the assembling OF
Commissioners from all the States 10 consult together
to preserve the peace, and obtain such al adjust
ment of the pending difficulties would ro-establish
confidence and put end to these ncessant distur-
bnnce, for Ill time This meeting was held, aad
after intermnuble wrauslirg with closed doors, that
tho people may not know the outragcs which were
daily proposed, this Congress brought forth their
grand scheme Tor continuing excitement upon the
slavery question for a time 20 come, and for de-
stroying present guarantees and cheating the people
into tho belief that something has been suined
When they speak, the language they utter is TINT
OF q compromise, ore-sided compromise! When
the North is to obtain what it desires plainer Ian
eusgs canno: be used. When the South is to &c
protected every subicruge il rcsorted to- to render
The passages obscure, vague and uncertain.
Section provides, ''ln all the present territory
of the United States North OF the parallel of sc deg
50 min North latitude, involuntary scESitude, sS-
eect in punishment Of crimes, is proEibited''-
Every body understands this.
Wo nigh, suppose that when they came to reverse
the proposition, it would have been inequaly clear
and strong language, to the following effect: In oil
the present territory, South Of that line involuntary
serritude except in punishment Of crme is author
lied. But instead Of this, which every man could
understand hoy insert the words "the status OF per-
sons held to service labor, it now exists, shu
not be changed" II there ere then, rs has been MS
serted twenty four slaves III all tue territory South
OF that line, and any citizen OF Southern State shall
carry slave tia: territory, The status Is II 1otr
srists will be changed, the South again becomes the
azsressor and the North in.eposcs and holds up the
compromise adopted, and declares you shall not
change the status OF the persons held to service or
labor. What is the meaning OF the word status 1t
IS Latin word; why did they rot use our own IAN
euage2 The best photographers give the definition
Of tie word % be :he State, circumstance or cond-
,oa.' Therefore, the state, circumstance or condi-
ion Of persons held TO service labor it now eS
lists, shall not be changed. 1t is that slavery
i, exists in such territory shall not be changed but
the condition OF persons there held TO service
shall no. be changed. You cannot alter the state,
circumstance or condition OF the persons
now existing in the territory. Another definition Of
the word s.aus is that the condition 10 set, appoint
6O, SSktcO, ASVN, SSiseiHi .t'Ns 80 ~ sNyi SSNf
pointed, settled, liked AMI certain condition Of per-
Sons, held to service, i. now exists shall not be
changed. You cannot alter tie settled, fixed, ap
pointed certain condition Of these twentysour per-
sons-nei,her North c: South eau DO il. But if you
carry any slaves there the status OF the terri
tory Is changed iastanter ana you may be and will
be restrained by the Courts. The report proceeds
Nor shall any law be passed by Congress or the
Territorial Legislature to hinder or prevent the ia
king Of any saeh persons from any Of the States OF
The Union TO said territory, nor TO impair the rights
arising from sold relation" There will BE- no neces-
sty for an- such law, because the clause preceding
these words overrides all law aad prohibits you from
changing the status. You consented 70 the prosioi-
ton in the alternative Of the compromise, and it
would be an net Of supererogation for Congress or
the Territorial Legislature to pass any such law-the
Fclrul Courts in the territory will told you TO the
INTERPRETATION Of the status US it now exists.
The report proceeds: ''But the same shall be sub
iect e judicial cogu;zancc in the Federal Courts, NC
co.dne 10 the course Of the comrlou law" Who ap-
points the Federal Judges? When the applicant seeks
his appointment Mr. Lincoln asks him how do you
ccnsruc the compromise relative to the status Of per-
SOUS held to service in the territory South Of $3.50
must know this before make the appointment and
the appointment depends upon proper construction
Of this clause. Tho answer Of the applicant, whose
knees have the best adjusted putent pregnant
hinses"is why, tho status Of the twentyfour slaves
who were in the territory is 70 be preserved, all other
involuntary seIvitude Las been abolished in this ter
ritory. When such answer comes, the commits
sion fcllows-without il never.
But tho decision is to be subject to the common
law. Common law OF WHIT Common law Of Eng
land Is that in,cndedl Here is fruitful theme
for argument What says The Common law Of Eng
land!
Blackstone srys: SIN discussing the relation Of
master and servant shall first consider the several
sorts of servants, and how this relation IS created
and DESTROYED; secondly, the efec. of this relation
with regard to the parties themselves and lastly,
its effects with regard to other PERSONS"
IL. As 10 the several sorts of servants lthat is,
persons held to service or labor.l have formerly
observed that pure and proper slavery does not nay
cannot, subsist in England-such, mean, whereby
an absolute aud unlimited power is given to the mas
;er over the life and fortune Of the slave. And, in
deed it is re1mSnan: TO and the principles Of
natural law, that such state should subsist any
where. The three orig ins OF tue right OF slavery,
assigned by Jussinian, all Of then. built upon
false foundations. As rst slavery is held to arise
'.,urs gtn.ium," from state Of captivity in wnr,
whence slaves called nane pia, Quati manu- copt.
The conqucror says the civilians, had right to
the life OF his captive, @d having spared that, has
right to deal with him III he plcases But it is an
untrue position, when taken generally that by The
law Of nature or nations, man may kill his enemy;
he hes only right kill hin, in particular cases in
cases of absolute necessity for self deiencs: and it
Ii plain this absolute necessity did not subsst, snoe
he victor did not actually kill him, but made him
prisoner. War il itself justifable only on princ Piles
Of self preservation, and therefore it gves other
right over prisoners but merely to disable them from
doing liurm TO US, by combining their persons; much
less can j. give right TO KILL torture abuse plumber
or even to ensave an enemy, when the war is over
Since therefore, the right Of making slaves by cap
tivity depends on supposed right OF slaughter, that
foundation :gug, the consequence drawn from II
must fail likewise"
But secondly, it Ia said that slavery may begin
sure Girls" when one sells himself to another.
This if only meant Of contracts to work for
anothe-, IS very just; but when applied to strict
slavery, in the sense Of tho laws Of old Rome, or
modern Barbary, is also impossible. Every .slo i'm
plies price, quid pro gao, M equivalent given to
the seller in lieu Of what he transfers to the buyer
but what equivalent can DO given for life md libcrty
both of which lin absolute slavery are held to he
in the masters dispossli His property also, the very
price he seems to receive, devolres pso aeto to his
nas.e, the instant he becomes hi. slave In this cgse
therefore, the buyer gives nothing and the seller
ceves nothing; of what validity then can sale be-
which destroys the very principles upon which all
sales are founded, Lastly, We are told, that besides
these two ways by which slaves '.JEua'' orare .c-
quired, they may also DO hereditary; ssTe' na'esn-
children Of acquired slaves arejurs naturtds
by negative kind Of birth-risht, slaves also. But
this being built on the two former rights, must fall
together with Them II neither captivity, the sale