Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-01-25
MIR. Stewards speech.

ator Stewards speech entire out we make
room for the passage which our readers will
be most anxious to see and to preserve
that which relates TO the existing crisis -
Therefore, sir, so far the abstract ques-
ton whether by the Constitution OF the
United States, the bondsman, who is made
such by the laws of State, is still a man or
only property. answer that, within that
State, its laws on that subject are supreme
that when he has escaped from that State
into another, the Constitution regards him
as bondsman who may not, by any law or
regulation of that State, be discharged from
bis service. but shall be delivered up, on
claim, to the party to whom his service is
due
While prudence and justice would COM
bine in persuading you to modify the acts OF
Congress on that subject, SO as not to oblige
private persons to assist in their execution,
and to protect freemen from being, by abuse
of the laws, carried into slavery, | agree
that all laws of the States, whether free
States or slave States, which relate to this
class of persons, or any others recently
coming from, or resident in other States,
and wi ere laws contravne the Constitution
of the United States, or any law of Con-
gress passed in conformity thereto, ought TO
be repealed.
Secondly, Experience in public affairs
has confirmed my opinion, that domestic
slavery, existing in any State, is wisely left
by the Constitution OF the United States ex-
clusively TO the care, management and dis
position Of that State and if it were in my
power | would not alter the Constitution in
that respect. Ii misapprehension of my
position needs so strong a remedy, | am
willing to vote for an amendment to the
Constitution, declaring that il shall not, by
any future amendment, be so altered As to
confer on Congress power to abolish or in
terfere with slavery in any State.
Thirdly. While | think that Congress
has sovereign and exclusive authority to
legislate on all subjects whatever, in the
common territories of the United States
and while | certainly shall never, directly
or indirectly, give my vote to establish or
sanction slavery in such territories, or any
where else in the world, yet the question
what constitutional laws shall at any fine
be passed in regard to the territories. is, like
every other question, TO be determined on
acts in the eases of Oregon, Minnesota, and
Kansas, without being able to secure in them
such provisions as | would have preferred
and yet | voted wisely.
SO now, am well satisfied that, under
existing circumstances, happy and salts
factory solution of the difficulties in the re-
naming territories would be obtained BY
similar laws, providing for their organiza-
ton if otherwise practicable. If, there
fore, Kansas were admitted as State. un-
der the Wyandotte constitution, as think
she ought to be, and if the organic laws of
all the other territories could be repealed,
could vote to authorize the organization and
admission Of two new States which should
include them, reserving the right to effect
subdivisions of them, whenever necessary,
into several convenient States but do not
find that such resery atoms could be constitu-
tionally made.
Without them, the Interior embarrass-
ments which would result from the haSty in
corporation of States of such vast extent
and various interests and character, would
outweigh all the immediate advantages of
such a measure. But, il the measure we're
practicable, | should prefer different
course, namely when the eccentric move
ments of secession and disunion shall have
ended, in whatever form that end may come,
and the angry excitements of the hour shall
have subsidized, and calmuess once more shall
have resumed its accustomed sway over the
public mind, then, and not till then,-one,
two or three years hence,--l should cheer
fully advise a convention Of the people, to
be assembled in pursuance Of the Consiitu-
ton, to consider and decide whether any
and what amendments Of the organic nation
al law ought to be made
Republican now,-as have heretofore
been member of other parties existing in
my day,-I nevertheless hold and cherish,
as have always done, the principle that
this government exists in its present form
only by the consent Of the governed, and
that it is necessary, as il is wise, TO resort to
the people for revisions Of the organic law,
when the troubles and dangers of the State
certainly transcend the powers delegated by
it TO the public authorities. Nor ought the
suggestion to excite surprise. Government
in any form is a machine this is the most
complex one that the mind Of man has ever
framed. Perfect as it is, it ought to be ex-
pected thai it will, at least as often as once
in century, require some modification TO
adapt II to the changes of society and alter
nations ofempire.
Foulthly, hold myself ready now, as
always heretofore, TO vote for any properly
guarded laws which shall be deemed neces
sary to prevent mutual invasions of States
by citizens of other States, and punish those
who shall aid and abet them.
Filthy. Notwithstanding the arguments
of the gallant Senator from Oregon (Gen.
Lane) | remain of the opinion that physi-
cal bonds, such as highways, railroads,
rivers and canals, are vastly more powerful
Tor holding civil communities together than
any mere covenants, though written on
parchment or engraved upon iron. re-
main, therefore, constant to my purpose to
secure, it possible, the construction of two
Pacific railways, one Of which shall connect
the ports around the mouths of the Missis-
sippi. and the other the towns on the Mis-
souri, and the lakes, with the harbors on our
| Western coast.
If, in the expression of these views. /
have not proposed what is desired or ex-
peeted by many others, they viii do me the
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