Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-01-23

thority no longer involves question Of enforc-
ing the laws in country within our possession;
but does involve the question whether We VII
make war on State which has Withdrawn her
allegiance and expelled our authorities, With
view to subjecting her 70 our possession i3r the
purpose of enforcing our laws within Der limits.
We are bound, by the usages of nations, by the
laws Of civilization, by the uniform practise Of
our own Government, 70 acknowledge the exist
ence OF Government de facfO. 50 long - Il
maintains its undivided authority When Louis
Philippe retired from the throne Of France. sld
Lamartne suddenly one morning found himself
the head of provisional Government believe
il was but three DAYS until the American minister
recognized the Government de factO Texas VAS
Government de taetO, not recognizedby Mexico,
when We annexed her; and Mexico was a Govc-I.
ment de factO not recognized by Spain, when
Texas revOlted. The laws of nations recceui1e
Governments de faofO where they exercise and
maintain undivided sway, leaving the question OF
their authority de jare to be determined bv The
people interested in the Government. Now, as q
who loves the Union and desires 10 see Il
maintained forever, and TO see the laws enforced,
and rebellion put down, and insurrection sup
pressed, and order maintained / desire 70 know
of my Union loving friends on the other SIDE OF
the Chamber how they intend to enforce the laws
in the seeding States, except by making war
conquering them first and administering the laws
in them afterwards.
In my opinion. we have reached point where
disunion IS inevitable, unless some compromise,
founded upon mutual concession, can be made
prefer compromise TO war. prefer CONCESSION to
a dissolution of the Union. When ayow myself
in favor of compromise, do not mean that one
side should give up all that i has claimed nor
that the other side should give up everyth;ng ftr
what il has eontended. Nor DO ] ask anF n.n 10
come to my Standard but simply say that pi.l
meet every one half way who is wiling g. pre-
serve the peace of the country, and save the
Union from disruption upon principles Of eompro-
mise and concession.
In my judgment. no system Of compromise can
be efectual and permanent which does not banish
the slavery question from the Halls of COu-ros
and the arena of Federal politics, by rrepealable
constitutional provision. We have tried conplo-
mises by law, compromises by act of Conerezs:
and now we are engaged in the small business Of
elimination and recIimnation, as 70 Who is re-
spOnsible for not having lived up 10 them Ia eaCd
faith, and for having broken faith. want what
ever compromise is agreed 10, placed beyond tie
reach party politics and partisan policy, by be-
ing made irrevocable in the Constitution itself SO
that every man that holds Office viii be bound By
his oath TO support IL.
There are several modes in which this irritating
question may be withdrawn from Congress, peace
restored, the rights Of the States maintained and
the Union rendered secure. One of them-one 10
which can cordially assent-has been presented
by the venerable Senstor from Kentucky Alr
Criuenden.l The journal Of the Commstioe Of
Thirteen shows that voted for il IL committee
/ am prepared 10 vote for il again. / shall not
occupy time now In discussing the question
whether my vOts to make a partition between the
two sections instead of referring the question O.
the people, will be consistent with my r4eyionS
record or not. The country has no very cselt
interest IN my consistency. The preseIi alion ci
this Union. the integrity OF this Republic 5 ~
more Importance than party platforms or ii.d
ridual recoris. HeRee / have no hesitaticr IN
saving TO Senator's on AZ sides Of this eiambe~.
that am prepared TO act on this question F-i-a
reference TO the present exieencies Uf tie cfse
If l had never given vote, or uttered Nci-i. or
had AN opinion us,on tsic subject.
Why can not You Republicans acccleto there
establishment and extension OF the Missouri 81 m
promise liney You have sung pelns enoush IN
its praise, and uttered impresati0ns auG crfsei
enough cn my head for its repeal, one uolid
think 10 justify YOU IN claiming a triumph
| by its ne establishment. III you are willing 10
! give up your party feeings-to sink the n.si san
IN the patriot-..rd help me 10 se-estabiii. snc
extend that line, perpetual bond of Pc ~ ie
tween the North and the South. viii pfog.se
You never to remind YOU in the future OF 1ui te-
nunciatious of the Missouri compromise 81 ioEg
as ! was supporting IL, and of your praise o the
same measure when removed il from tae -tgt-
ute book. after You had caused il to be en.il-
doned, by rendering Il impossible for Us to earrs
! il out. | seek no partisan advantage: ! de..e no
personal triumph. | am willing 10 let by cones
be by cones with every man who, IN tl,s exi-
gency, will show by his vote that he loves hs
country more than his party.
presented to the Committee Of Thirteea. ani
also introduced into the Senate, another plan BY
which the slavery question NAV be taken 0ut Oi
Congress and the peace Of the county nlai, isned.
Ii Is that Congress shall make 10 law on the SUBJ
ject of slavery in the Territories, aid That fhe
existing status Of each Territory on Tia. subject
as it now stands by law, shall remain unchar se
until il has ffty thousand inhabitants, when :.
shall have the right Of self. government ~ 10 Z.
domestic policy; but with only Delegate 10 caet
House Of Congress until Il has the pg9ui3.on
required by the Federal ratio for Repre- enta
tive in Congress when il shall be admit.ei il
the Union on an equal footing with the ori-iEl
States. put the number Of inhabitants az fif
thousand before the people OF the Territory zha
change the status in respect to slavery n iaii
compromise between the conflicting opinions upon
this subject Thetwo extremes North ard South
unite in condemning the doctrine of popular -ov-
ereignty in the Territories upon the ground thai
the first few settlers ought nor 10 be permitted {.
decide so important question for those who are
70 come after them. Ihave never considered thai
objection well taken, Cor the reason that 10 Ter.
ritory should be organized with the right q elec
Legislature and make is own laws upon al
rightiuI subjects of legislation, until Il contained
sufficient population to constitute political com
munity; and whenever Congress should decide
that there was sufficient population. capable ol
self lf-govenment, by organizing the Teritory, d
govern themselves upon all other subjects. could
never perceive any good reason why the 81 nls
political community should not be permitted q
decide the slavery question for themselves.
our difficulties upon the basis of mutual conces
sions. propose 20 NEE. both extremes half way
by fixing the number az fifty thousand. TIN
number, certainly, ought 20 be satisfactory 3,
those States which have been admitted into III.
Union with less than fifty thousand inhabitan.s
Oregon Florida, Arkansas. Mississippi, Alabama
Ohio Indiana and Illinois. were each atnitte.
into the Union. believe with less than that ucn
Der of inhabitants Surely the Senators AZ,
Representatives from those States do not doub
that fifty thousand people were enough 20 consti
tute a political community capable Of decidin;
the slavery question for themselves I now Ia
vite attention TO the next proposition.
In order to allay all apprehension. North O
South, that territory would be acquired in th'
future for sectional partisan purposes, by addDl
large number of free States on the North, o
slave States on the South, with the view Of eyin
! the one section or the other dangerous pytica
ascendency have inserted the provision TIA
mo more territory shall be acquired by The Unite
States, except by treaty OF the concurrent vote o
two thirds in each House of Congress. ] thi
provision should be Incorporated into he C9usi
tuition il would be impossible for either section O
! annex any TERRITORY without the concurrence @!
! large portion of the other section; and heno
there need be no apprehension that any teiritor.
would hereafter be acquired for any Other tl.ai
, such national considerations a. would corimen
the subject Of the appreciation Of both sections.
] have also inserted provision confiilirg th
the right Of suffrage and ofholding Office ~ wht
men. excluding the African race. have as
E inserted provision for the colonization 81 ffe
: negroes from such States NAV desire a. hav
/ them removed, 20 districts Of country 10 Pc eC
quiredn Africa and South America. In hddito
to these. i have adopted the various provision
contained in the proposition Of the Senator frcI
Kentucky, in reference 90 fugitive slavrs, t.i
i abolition of slavery in the forts, arsensis, az
dock yards in the slave States and in the Bistri,
|, of Columbia, and the other provisions for ia
' safety ofthe South. believe this 20 be 4 e.