Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-25

hereafter to be acquired by the United State
lis colleague, Mr.. Powell, Of Kentucky. oifere
an amendment applying the line 80 deg. q
min. Is division line between the two system,
Of slave and free labor to future as we'll As
present territory. The amendment of tn
Constitution, rs submitted by the Conference
does not extend to future territory, and in thi
it differs from the Crittendcn propositions a
modified by Mr. puwell'S amendment.
Without gong into particulars as to Tha
occurred IN The Conference, it may he stated il
genera! terms that objections were made 10 th
feature embracing future territory, IN tn
ground that it was ineXpedent and ilnpoIiti
to implant, in tho Constitution itself, the see,
Of policy, locking to future ACCOMPLISHMENTS
4 fllibustering spirit as some termed it-lha
It would have the appearance Of a partition il
advance Of our neighbors lands, and might TN
necessarily subject our national character All,
faith to criticism and caiumny.
1t waS urged that the future With its nn
}known eyentualitics, should be left TO take car
Of itself 1t was argued that if we could salts
lec,orlly divide among ourselves what We nov
possess, that We might well leave 10 Our chi!
drcn the power aud duty of disposing ot villa
they may hereafter add TO tho public domain
But, Mr. President, in my judgment, "h;.
the lrst and second sections OF the Conference
proposition are taken together, they ccnsltut,
q better arrangement as to future Territories
than the plan Of Mr.. Crittenden
Let it be borne in mind that the d.uisioa 0
future Territory by the lins OF 36 deg. 30 min.
ii no! the acquisition Of future Territory
You may provide in the Constitution that al
future Territory shall be divided by that line
but such future Territory remains 10 be &C
qured; you may never ger it. 1t is only i
division in advance, provided you do acquire ii
Now, Mr. President. i; will be readii iY seer
that if you divide before you acquire, by the
line Of ~ deg. ~ min, und declare that lnvo
lun!ury seryiluie is not 10 exist North Of the
line, and that slavery shall exist South of it.
that We enhance tcnlold, if We do not render
wholly inpraciicable, the acquisition Of Terri.
tory South Of the line With slavery cstab.
lisned before hsud in all Territory to be &C.
QIIred South OF the line, when We shall come
to the question Of acquisition, in any given
case, under the present mode OF acquiring ter.
rIlory, what prospect would exist Of making
tue acquisition!
Let It be borne in mind that Mr.. Crlttenden's s
proposition contains no change whatever
Of the present pau OF acquiring territory. 1t
contains no provisions on that head. /. leaves
future territory to oe acquired in the modes
heretofore practiced, which have been by treaty
and by JOINT resolution. These are the only
two modes heretofore resorted TO for the acqu.
siton Of territory. Louisiana and Florida were
acquired by treaty So wcro California, New
Mexico and Arizona Texas Was acquired and
annexed by joint resolution Of the two HOUSES
Of Congress. Taking either OF these plans O!
acquisition, in connection with Mr.. CrtLrndeIi'S
scticme, declaring future territory 10 be diyi-
ded iii advance by the line of $500; and what
hope nave you that any territory South Of the
line could DC brought in Z
When it Snail have been settled in the Uonsti.
tuition that Southern territory, when it comes,
is to be slave territory, will it ever come at al
OF what value Is the present partition oi future
territory if we arc to have none? Suppose il
be attempted by joint resolution, where is the
majority Why, with all the Southern States
restored TO US and in harmony again, the nom
slaveholding States, upon JOINT resolution, are
vastly in tie minority, with that majority in
creasing continually. Suppose you Try 1t by
treaty how are you 10 gel the two-thirds in..
joriLy required for the ratification Of i treaty,
unless YOU obtain the votes Of II very large pro-
portion Of the Northern Senators! The ulYi-
cd-on one side it Is ~ bc free, on the ether
slayenolding. Power is in the hands Of those
opposed to slavery. They will Use it to acquire
Oh the North side and 10 eject acquisition on
the South side. Leaving the mode OF acquisition
untouched, ard dividing future territory, as Mr.
Critsenden's proposition proposes TO divide it,
fixing slavery on ore side and non.Slavery on
the other III my judgment renders it next TO
impossible that we cali ever acquire anything
either by treaty or by joint resolution, South
Of the division line.
Again, sir--this state Of things might arise
under the Crittenlen proposition. by that
proposition you divide both present and future
territory by the line Of $3.50. You say slave
rs shall exist OIL one side, and that It shall
be excluded from the other The existence os
slavery South Of the line, is guaranteed only
during its territorial condiliun. When the
people Of tue Territories come 10 forui State
Constitution, they are 10 decide for themselves
whether or not they shall have slavery, and
arc to bs admitted us States with or without
that system, us may be determined by their
own Constitution. Now there are very valua.
ble aud desirable portions Of Mexico und Cen
trail America, South Of the line $3.50. These
is not permitted by the law Of the country.
They cannot be acquired as territories, either
uudcr treaty Or by j3int resolution, ior tue rca'
son, that being made slave country IN ud'
vance tue requisite minority could noL bc OBJ
taned.
But, suppose The North, with its power
Of numbers, with its preponderatlng popu
lation, and with greater aptitude OF 1t;
people for emigration settles its colonle;
before acquisition, in some Of the rich Mexican
provinces, Of which they may obtain control ii
the changing fortunes OF that ill.govcrneo
country. Having obtained = number equal 10
the population required for representative in
Congress, suppose them TO frame constitution
for State Government, Republican III form,
end apply to the Northern minority for un in
| troductlon into lhis American IH'niiy, either by
Joint resolution or by treaty. ley might be
Instantly annexed aud come wi;li State lnstltu
lions fully formed, thus esca.Ins the TeStFlc
tons or impress Of territoria. .:.iiditlon aito
pe,her. They would come Wit constitution
prohibiting slavery. Ia Sr+h case, "ha
| benefit would we derive ?I"u' present diIi
Zion OF future territoriesI We can only DIX i'll
condition during the time it remains terrific
ry. Ii is not claimed by a:y one, that ".
can control the character Of L State constitu
ton.
Tho same difficulty might irise in another
form. Sonora, Tamaulipas, VI other Mexican
States, might themselves apply to be annexed
TO tho American Union, as States In ihs
event, the proposed division oi future Terrific
~, would mol avail US Even New Mexico
and Arizona are only secured 10 slave labor
,r,u1
ton. Even US TO them, The right TO decide fJ
themselves, when forming Stale Constitutions
whether they will adop, or reject slavery, !:
acknowledged and reserved. Ii could hot b.
otherwise. 1t is the uncomfortable right of ;
sovereign State, to construct and shape It's owl
domestic institutions. In the case supposed
the Mexican State, annexed to, Or received IL
the Union, if annexed or received ut all, woul'
come with its own Constitution rs State, an'
with, or without slavery, as such Const!1uuoI
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