Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-09

And then the resolution goes On to stat
what may be done:
''The laws for tee rendition of fugitivcs from
labor, and Of fusitives from justice, may b
marie more eliectuai."
What next?
"flia expenditures Of the Government ma,
DC reduced within mo:e moderate limits ant
the abuses that have eutered into the Admin
!stratire departments reformed"
Whist next?
THE State authorities may repeal their un
friendly and unconstitutional legislation, anc
substitute in its stead such as becomes RI.
CONT; and is due to tee rights OF the State;
Of the same Union Bur to restore the Cnior
and preserve confidence, the Federal Constitu
ton sho,ld be amended in those particular.
wherein experience has exhibited defects ant
discovered Epproaches dangerous to the insti
tutIo!ls of some Of the States
Now, propose - amend this by strikinc
ont ell after tho word "Gcvovcrnments, in ths
second line, to lha word Union" in the 10th
llun inclusive, so thst the section will read:
". To remove the existing causes of com
plant much ruay be accomplished by the Fede
raj end State Governments. Bat to rcStor,
the Union and preserve confidence, the Fede
raj Constitution should he amended in those
particulars Wherein experience has exhibited
defects and discovered approaches dangerous
10 the institutions Of some o: the States"
Mr. JOHNSON, Of Rchmond-l propose to
offer an amendment 10 the amendment Of the
gentleman from Princess Anne.
Mr.. EIsE-When am done, the gentleman
vii! have ali opportunity Of offering his amend
nent.
Mr.. Chairman, the etfsc, or the amendment
proposed, will be simply TO stutc the general
proposition which presume is sufficient, thai
much may bc done by the Federal aud State
Governments; but not content with stating the
general proposition that much may be done to
remove existing causes Of complaints, by
Federal and Stale governments, this reso.
Intlnn goes OH To state, and means and
may be understood to IneuII TO state the ina.
tcrlal things that may be done. Sir, if that is
the express or implied understanding of this
resolution, sa; that it has not begun to state
what may be done even independent OF amend.
ments @! tue Constitution. know that the
first part OF the resolution undertakes TO state
merely what may be done by the adminislra
tive department. lnthat point Of view even,
| II Is pitllui statement, rneagre statement Of
the existing causes Of complaint And it is but
meagre statement Of the means Of removing
the existing causes Of complaint.
What is the first?
Why the first complaint is only that about
the glorious privilege Of catching runaway
s!aveS-one of the least, one of the last
| one Of the lowest Of the rights that claim
upon this floor, or claim as a citizen Of
Virginia. or claim as q stakeholder, and that
sir, IS stated only in the permissive sense
WHAT is next? l am sorry TO say that in
the mex: there is seeming Of petty party
spirit, a. time when party spirit ough:
to be Sllenced and rcbnkcd, even as Satan was
rehrked TO silence by the Saviour on the
Mount. Every man ought to say to it: Sect
thee behind me, Satan" Why turn from the
great critical questions Of the hour-why turn
from the great, radical, fundamental, constitu-
tional differences that exist between us-why
depart from tho great social questions that
divide lis and SO into a question paSsee more
than forty years aso- yes lorty.sx years old 2
Thc question Tas started by the Democratic
party against the Adams administration OF
1924. Did our constituents expect that when
We came 10 settle the differences between the
North and The South, that we were to leave
chronic and constitutional discascs-and treat
:he mere party questions Of economy and re-
inrin' Is it meant as an iulputation upon the
last administration? God knows that am not
mere 10 Geiend it. You have wcisht!cr matters
10 attend to-y"! have bigger questions than
this TO settle-5you have nore Important work
10 do than the settling oil the accounts of the
Land office, the Trcasurers Office, the Colec.
n I1.t H. Al
Before you 60 into rn.re administrative inca
surcs. you had better settle the matter Of life
and death. Before you 70 into the matter of
accounts with ,nere ministerial and executive
officers, you had better settle whether you are
to have government with officers, high or
low.
Then tie third clause reads, ''The state
authorities may repeal their unfrendy and TN.
constitutional legislation"
''rhc state authorities may repeaI"-rot in
the imperative sense shall, not in the sense Of
duty and obligation ought, but in the milder
sense, the third degree still, in the permissve
and elective sense, the States that have nuili-
lied the fugitive slave act, "may repeal their un-
friendly and unconstitutional legislation Sir,
when South Carolina in 1928 nulli6cd,
was that the language you used towards her ?
no. You not orly were itnpcriGus towards
her, but you were bclliscrent towards her You
llew 10 your halls Of Legislation and Under the
shield OF the popular Caesar of the day, with
the Senate at his heels, you passed force bill
against her nulliticatio1; and now for nullfca-
ton Of the fugitive slave bll at the North, in
stead Of declaring against their unconstitutional
Legislation in. language imperative or authorita
:iTe, and instead Of claiming obligations Of
dn!y lrpIn them, you want simply to say, softly,
you may repeal Jour unconstitutional acts.
. Sir, their unconstitutionality and their un.
iricndlness toward US may soon come up be.
fore the Supreme Court Of the United States.
Another judge is dead another vacancy is
in the Supreme Court bench. This morning
the papers announce the death of John Nc
Lean OF Ohio. Let the great majority TINT
elected Lncoln, put upon his tomb that thus
far John Mclean was the only man in
Freesoiiisn into the decisions Of o judge upon
majority of the North who are to ill these
two places a: a moment when death has strick.
en- down tho battlements that defend you,
and the parapets of tho Supreme Court
Here the hammer fell.
Mr. WlsE-Right exactly in the middle Of a
sentence. QLaughter.) .IIurrah for the ten
minutes rule.
Mr.. WILsos-1 propose to amend the amend
nent by striking out the word may" in the
-l:h line, and inserting The word shall"
Air. ROBERT +. Sco7T-I beg leave to say to
the gentleman from Princess Anne, that am
sure it vas no part Of the intention of any
member Of the Committee from which this re-
port has c,nanated to incorporate in it one
sentence, one woid or syllable having the
slightest reference to former party divisions.
confess that ain exceedingly at loss,
when | read this resolution, to perceive
anything that can be tortured into such
construction as he has given it. We have
heard compluints from gentlemen Of all parties
against the extravaganza Of the Federal
Government. 1t is one OF the chief causes Of
complaint alleged by Southern politicians, in
justification of their secession movement. They |
complain Of exorbitant tariffs and the rate Of
duties made necessary by extravagant expen- |