Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-02-21
MORNING, FEBRUARY 2l, 1861.
might be pent up, and made dangerous and .unproftahle.

turn fugitive slaves; and at last 1t was pro- claimed here in these halls that there was q law higher than the constitution, which nullifed it's obligations and it's provisions. Practicing upon this preaching, the ma jority of the non-slaveholding States, as was shown by my friend from Georgia { Mir. Toombs ) in his able argument on this subject, passed personal liberty bills, the effect of which was to nullify the fugitive slave law. which was passed ia pur- suance of the constitution of the United States.
 It is but year since there was an armed invasion of my State for the purpose of creating servile insurrection; and yet not a State-and 1t is with the States alone that effectual remedies can be applied- has interfered, to make any such combi- nations penal in time to come. We have heard it pronounced, sir, by distinguished leader of that party, that there was to be an "irrepressible conh;ct' between the two social systems, until one or the other was destroyed. A President has been nom mated and elected by sectional majority, who was known to have avowed and to entertain such opinions; and party has come into power, with full possession of SS sn slfe51f M5 Has a
 such declarations in regard to the rights of the South.
 Is it surprising, then, that the southern States should say: cit is not safe for us to remain longer in government which may be directed as an instrument of hostility against us; it is not safe for us to remain longer under the rule of a government whose President may misuse his patronage for the very purpose of stirring up civil strife among us, and also for the purpose of crea- ting civil war in our midst?" For it is known that large portion-and that was but year ago-of the republican leaders and members in the House of Representa- lives in1orsed and recommended a book which proposed the extinction of slavery by such means. Under such circumstap- ces, 1 ask, is it surprising that the southern States should say: cit is unsafe for us to remain under government which, instead of protecting us, may be directed against Us, as an instrument of attack, unless we can be protected by some new constitution al guarantees, which will save our social system from such warfare as this!''
 Mr. President, the southern people nun Der some thirteen millions, and cover be- tween eight hundred thousand and nine hundred thousand square miles of territory. They have within themselves all the capaci. ties of empire. Is it to be supposed that when they are threatened in the common government with an attack upon their social system. upon which their very being de-. pends, they will not withdraw from that government-unless they can be secured within the Union--for the purpose of estab- fishing another, which they know can and will protect them? Why, sir, what people IS 1t that can stand a constant warfare upon their social system, waged for the purpose of dwarfing and suppressing and destroy ing 1t? The social system of people is it's moral being; and the government which would dwarf or suppress it is like the parent who would consign his child to vice and ignorance. know of instances in which nations have thriven under bad laws; I know of instances in which nations have prospercd when their allegiance was trans ferred by force from one country to another: know of none which survived the sudden and total prostration of it's social system. To destroy that is to ruauce them to an- archy, which is the death of nation or n
 I say, therefore. sir, that the South is bound to take this course unless it can get some guarantees which will protect it in the Union, some constitutional guarau tees which will serve that end; and I now ask, what should be the nature of the guar antees that would elfectually prevent the social system from such assaults as these? l say, they must be guarantees of kind that will stop up all the avenues through which they have threatened to assail the social system of the South There must be constitutional amendments which shall provide: first, that Congress shall have no power to abolish slavery in the States, in the district of Columbia, in the dock yards, forts, and arsenals of the United States; second, that it shall not abolish, tax, or obstruct the slave trade between the States; third, that it shall be the duty of each of the States to suppress combinations within their jurisdiction for armed invasions of another; fourth, that States shall be ad- mitted with or without slavery, according to the election of the people; fifth, that it shall be the dutyNof the States to restore fugitive slaves when within their bodcrs, or to pay the value of the same; sixth. that fugitives from justice shall be deemed to be those who have offended against the laws of State within its jurisdiction, and who have escaped therefrom; seventh, that Con. gross shall recognize and protect as pro- perty whateveris held to be such by the laws or prescriptions of any State within the territories, dock yards, forts and arse. nals of the United States, and wherever the United States has exclusive jurisdiction with the following exceptions: First, il may leave the subject of slavery or invol untary scrvitude to the people of the terri tories when a law shall be passed to tha effect with the usual sanction, and also witl the assent of majority of the Senator from the slaveholding States, and a major ity of the Senators from the non- -slavehold ing States. That exception is designed t, provide for the case where we might anne, territory almost fully peopled, and who's peopla-a.ssLt to have the right of self-gov ernment, and yet might not be ready to b.
 admitted as Slate into the Union.
 The next exception is, that (" Congres may divide the territories to the enect Una
 slavery or involuntary scrvitude shall b.
 prohibited in one portion of the territory
 and recognized and protected in another
 provided the law has the sanction of
 majority from each of the sections as atore
 said." and that exception is designed t
 provide for the case where an unpeople,
 territory is annexed, and it is fair sub
 feet of division between the two sections
 Such, Mr. President, are the guarantee
 of principle, which, it seems to me, ough
 to be established by amendments to tn
 constitutions; but do not believe that thes
 guarantees alone would protect the socic
 system of the South against attack, an
 perhaps overthrow, from the superior pow
 CT of the North. I believe that, in addito l +o +baea ,rna ran nteeS of nrincinle thnre OuCh