The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-02-13
SPEECH
HON. JAMES HARLAN
In THE SENATE, January II, 1861.
1CoNCLUDED.

CONCLUDED.
You 60 home, and by letters and speeches to
your constituencies, misrepresenting the prin-
ciples Of the Republican party, stir up insur-
rection and incipient civil war; and in the
midst of the strife which your own hands
have stirred up, you, the vanquished, a small
minority, come to the victors, and propose, as
terms of peace and compromise, that they
shall surrender to you at discretion; that
they shall trample under foot the principles
which the people have approved, and adopt
you platform, and your party dogmas, which
the people have as distinctly condemned!-
Here is the proposition submitted by the
Senator from Mississippi, [Mr. DAvIs,l and
invite the attention Of every Senator to
the character ofthese terms ofpeace:
"ResolDed, That it shall be declared, by
j. amendment of the Constitution, that proper
= ty in slaves, recognized as such by the local
law of any of the States Of the Union, shall
stand on the same footing in all constitu-
tional and Federal relations as any other
species of property so recognized and, like
other property, shall not be subject to be di-
vested or impaired ny the local law of any
other State, eitherin escape thereto or of
transit or sojourn of the owner therein; and
in no case whatever shall such property be
subject to be divested or impaired by any
legislative act of the United States, or any
of the Territories thereof"
The very proposition on which you went
to the country and were vanquished. Here is
the propostin of the Senator from Georgia,
fMr. Toombs ::
"ResoIoed, That declaratorv clauses to
the Constitution of the United States, amply
securing the following propositions, be rec
commended for adoption:
81. That the people of the United States
shall have an equal right to emiSrate to and
setting in the present or any future acquired
Territories, with whatever property they
may possess, (ncluding slaves.) and be Sc
curely protected in its peiceabe enjoyment
until such Territory may be admitted as a
State in the Union, with or without slavery,
as she may determine, on an equality with
all existing States"
That is but different collection of words
demanding the Bieckinridge platform as
the condition of peace. Here is the PROPOSE
ton of the Senator from Tennessee, Nj.
JoHNsoN].
"ResolUe2, That the select committee of
thirteen be instructed to enquire into the
expediency Of establishing, by constitutional
provision
"First. A line running through the terri
, tory of the United States not included with
iu the States, making an equitable and just
division Of said territory, south of which
line slavery shall be recognized and protec-
ted as property, by ample and full constitu-
tional guarantees, and north Of which line it
shall be prohibited"
The proposition submitted by the Senator
from Kentucky, now before me, Mr.. CRIr,
TENDEN, is on this subject little more mod
est 1t, like the last, however, proposes a
congressional slave code for all the Terrific
ries south of 36deg. 50min. north latitude,
and, like all others, proposes to humiliate
the people of the free States by requiring
them to surrender their own principal and
adopt yours; and this proposition is propos-
ed as condition precedent as it would
seem, to the peaceable Inauguration of the
President elect ask the Senator from
Kentucky if he expects the majority thus to
humble themselves at the feet Of the minor
ity?
Mr. CRITTENDEN. hope shall be al
, lowed word. l am surprised to hear the
: gentleman say that propose slave code.
thought had carefully avoided that. l
took things as they were, and say tina. the
laws as they now exist shall continue to ex.
ist, and what protection they give shall be
, extended that neither Congress nor the
territorial government shall legislate on the
subject. This is the congressional code that
propose. The code that exists is not a
congressional one at all; it is territorial
one; and as we have come to the point
where suppose some settlement should take
place, propose that we shall take the status
as it exists. 1t relieves us from all legis-
lation. l propose merely to give what
protection the present laws give-nothing
more.
Mr.. HARLEM. I arm very much gratified
that the Senator has corrected me- do not
desire to misrepresent his position.
Mr.. CRITTENDEN. am sire the gen.
tlcman does not.
Mr.. HARLAN. Here is the language,
however, of the printed bill which have on
my desk:
"In all the Territories south of said line
of latitude, slavery Of the African race is
hereby recognized as existing
Mr.. CRITTENDEN. That is all.
Mr.. HARLAN. tits recognized as exis-
ting.
''and shall not be interfered with by Con-
gress, but shall be protected as property by
all the departments of the territorial govern
ment during its continuance"
Mr.. CRITTENDEN. According to their
own laws.
Mr. HARLAN. / shall be happy, Mr.
President, to find that the proposition sub
mitted is less Objectionable than at frs,
supposed it to be.