The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-02-06


mong the people of Virginia, Kentucky, Ten
nessse, North Carolina, Maryland, aud Del
aware. do not want any disturbing ques-
tion to take the place Of the existing inquiry,
whether there be anything in the past or IN
the probable future which would Justify al
,1isruption Of this Government. | do not
want the sympathies of the people of the
South excited. AMI tleir passions 6red by a.
resort to unnecessary aud improper force, IL
is for the sake Of nv own State, for the sake
of other States nor in the Union ADD which
NAV remain ia the Union, that protest a.
gainst the application Of force in any form
for the purpose Of reducing 70 subsection a
State that has. in the exercise Of her soye-
reign will. determined 70 withdraw from the
Union. No. Mr., Speaker; call together a
convention Of States, and submit the ques-
tion to thea. Let them meet on equal terms,
a. they met wheo the present Constitution
was framed; and let them, as the authors of
this Government, determine what shall be
done. 1t is not Tor Us, the creatures OF their
power. TO lift up our parioidal hands against
one Of the authors and trainers OF it South
Carolina. misguided as she may be. rash and
reckless OF Inc wishes and interests of others
O. | believe she has heen--and ! regret TO
express this beliefs still one Of the original
authors of the Constitution. We are its
creatures, inferior to South Carolina as oae
of the powers that made as.
Let me say word upon Subjec; which
the gentleman from 0aio Nr. Corwlnl dis
cussed with so uuch ability and 30 much
frankness; and that ia, the idea Of property
in slaves. The gentleman from Ohio has Ia
ken I philosophical view " this question.
Nothing, in my judgment has been more
senseless than the silly controversy which
has been carried on 50 long between northern
and southern men as to whether the Consti-
tuition recognizes the existence Of property
in mar. One uoulJ suppose the phrase
property in man was 10 be found in the
Constitution, and that gentlemen were quar-
relIng a TO the proper Interpretation to be
giyea 20 IL; bat. as there is no such language
there. it % wholly unnecessary 10 inquire
whether lhet description Of domestic seryi-
tude--t.lAt persaaai relation which Is des.
crihei 10 the Constitution IN the word.
g persons he'd TO service or labor under the
laws Of am State can be called property
or not. Southern genliemen sometimes say.
in public debate, that slaves are property,
and n0tblRg 51t property. csnnoi under
stand whF they said 80, except that they sup
passed they were cl1inins most Tor the South,
when they expressed themselves ~ language
which they lhought would be moss offensive
to the North. That the Claim % the master
70 tue save constitutes properly, Is undOubt-
ely true; but ID suppose that there Is moth
ing ID the relation hstaeen them but proper
II. is 10 lower aaa degrade the southern DO-
sltlon. Il i the weakest ground upon wh'ch
the izstitg,ilG e slavery, 10 It's constitution
a relations. can be placed. There is : per-
sonai reistian taat Is @ach higher. the Con-
stliutian Recognizes 0. describes these Ineu
a. persons held 10 service. | have heard II
said by members 81 The Republican parts
thai the trainers az the Constitution refused
10 use aas tsrns that would indicate recog-
milton Of the rigit Of property Ia MANI that
they excluded TIC word slave, or slavery, from
the Constitution, because Of their reluctance
20 disclose the fact tia. tae-e was any such
personal reletion aekaosledgel or establish
ed BY the IaEs Of any e orr States.
Sir. suea an sFgsEent does great injustice
% the trainers & the Constitution. They
were moved 81 no SGch GsntiRentaiism. Il
is reprsacA 10 lheR, 70 say that they we're
% intensely hyp0Sriiical that they we're not
ASHAMED 70 20 shat they we're ashamed 10
talk Absst. Il il AZ SsPer4i0B upol them to
suppose inst they we're - intensely hyp0-
critical Is to consent to the continuance Of
tie slave trade Tor tveHty years, With all lis
attendant horrors and atrocities. and yet
ike timid mlidens. 20 shrak from the words
s4sta sa5A a. -.
petty 10 hsmaa beiag. Ne. ar; they had
stronger And letter reason, for the adoption
Of the language iaey pat ia the Constitution.
They knew- aud The gentleman IRON Ohie
rMr. eorNin kaG relieved nc |. Don mach o.
The discussion b. the able and lacid masne'
in which he has Illustrated this s1bjeei to
day-;hey kssw the word slave 90 slavery
was word q vague and indefinite sisaidea
fiop. having vsfiety q meanings. Had tbey
used the Nord slave, il wOgld have led TO IN.
fiaite easii and dispute a. 20 the precise
meaning intended some A5glitioaist nigh
hare Argued tha. il did not apply q Africans
held il sersitnde gGder The Laws u Virginia
and Marsland; that ! negro servant escap.
IN from his master. sss not sgch slave a,
TIE Constitution required 10 be delivered gp
because the master had not The poser VI vi.
and death over hin. a. Sndsr the Roman law
which authorized tie master 10 take the Ut,
efhs slave. Tbey might have argaed, more
oser, thai the EStd slavery. IN the C0nstitg
ton, vas one. and 10 be taken in one sens
alone, that is. that two different interpreta
tons could not be given to e aud therefore
Il the laus Of domestic seryiiOde 10 Sogti
Carolina differed lrom those 10 Virginia. the
word slavery might be applied 10 one Or th'
other Of them, Dat Il could not be applied 4
both. beeag.e you eOslJ not give different
interpretations 10 the sane Word. The lra.
mers 81 the Constitution then, .ir, wisel,
ssbstltstesl description fsr wsfd. Taes
tald. persons held 70 service Or labor under
the LAYS u sny State Ii embraced eyery
Kind 81 sesitude. /; eomp'ehendei the ssf.
wants II Virginia, X North Carolina. u
South Carolina, 81 Geotgia. and u Ill liz
States. II excluded All cash aud III doubt
mas .bsW ts+.1a 0a.fVa ~ ~. - N ii.