Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-02-27


1888. .......-'.'... l,4oo, l4l
In the seventy-seven years which have
| elapsed since our independence as a nation
of the earth was acknowledged by Great
| Britain. the Southern or slave States have
| gained, in territory. 262 1862 square miles,
while the North, or free States, have gained,
since the same period, 1,406, I41 square miles.
! The South has increased the area OF slave
territory about 80 per cent, while the North
| has increased the area of free territory over
| ], 900 per cent. In 1.2lI loo square miles OF
| the territory thus acquired by the North,
slavery existed by law at the time of its ac-
QUESTION by our Government, and from which
| it has been abolished. In the 252 1862 square
miles of territory acquired by the South,
slavery existed at the time OF its acquisition,
and continues yet to exist. Now, sirs, with
| these facts before us-and they are reliable
how can gentlemen say that the powers of
| the Federal Government have been used to
| foster, protect, Or extend slavery at the ex-
| pense of the free States. The statement is
wholly untrue. and cannot be sustained.
| Thus much desire to say, sir, in defence OF
nv section. which has been grossly misrepre-
sented on this subject.
The question now for our immediate action
is. how shall we dispose of the four hundred
and seventy-six thousand five hundred and
five square miles of territory embraced in the
Territories of Utah and New Mexico? l think,
sir, the proposition of the distinguished Sena-
tor from Kentucky Mr.. Crittenden1 disposes
of this question justly. fairly. and honorably
to both sections, and should therefore be
adopted 1t protracts the time honOred Mis-
souri, compromise line through the Territory
of New Mexico; prohibiting slavery on the
north of that line and protecting it on the
south of the line, while it is a Territory;
leaving the people on each side of this line
of partition the option to have slavery or
not. as they may choose, when they form a
constitution preparatory to admission into
the Union. Does this not strike gentlemen
of the North as equitable, as reasonable !?
| You of the North will by this have the lions
| share of that which remains. But l am an
| swered by the gentlemen of the Republican
party that this would be inconsistent with
| the platform of their party as pronounced at
| Chicago last June, and that they cannot con-
sent TO protect slavery anywhere. l would
appeal to gentlemen of that party to sink
the partisan in the patriot, to lift their heads
above the muiky atmosphere of party poll
| tics, and remember that they have country
to serve as well as party to obey. In every
| compromise, each party and each section
must yield some of its claims. 1t was in
| this spirit that our fathers formed our Con-
| stitution and organized our present form oil
government.
Now, let US see what each will gain and
| lose by the adoption of this amendment. You
of the Republican party claim that you have
the constitutional right, and it Is your duty,
to exclude slavery from all the common Ter.
ritories; and you say so in your platform
upon which you have elected Mr.. Lincoln
| This right is denied by all parties at the
South, and by many at the North; but We
are not left in doubt about it, for the Su.
preme Court of the United States has ex
pressly decided that a citizen may go to any
Territory of the United States and take witt
him his slave, and that the General Govern
ment is bound, under the Constitution, Il
protect him in his right of property in ths
slave so carried to the Territory, as long as
its territorial condition remains.
Chief Justice fancy, in the case of Dret
Scott Us. Sanford, thus decides:
"Every citizen of the United States has a
right to take with him into the Territory any
article of property which the Constitution o.
the United States recognizes as property
The Constitution of the United States recog
nizes slaves as property, and pledges th,
Federal Government to protect it. And Con
gress cannot exercise any more authority
over property of that description than i
f may, oonstitutionally, over property of any
. other kind"
Thus we see that slaveowner now has til,
, right, under the Constitution, to go with hi
, slave property to any part of our common
territory and keep his slave there, aud it i
, the duty of the Federal Government to pro
!; tect him in the right of property in his slav
SO carried Now, if the South give up thi
right north of this line, in more than hal
, of the territory now under consideration, j
it too much tor Us of the South to ask yon o
the North TO agree and consent that thi
principle of constitutional law, as expound
| ed nv the highest tribunal known to ou
: laws shall remain in force south of the lin
, of partition? We ask for no new right sout
of this line; but yield to you our right, ju
dicially established by the court of last re
? sort. in more than half the territory, in con
! sideration that you will not abolish our con
stitutional rights south of the line. Surely
| a fair minded man will accede to this propo
, sition.
Bat YOU say this territory was free whel
acquired from Mexico. Granted. But be-
YOU to remember that every other acquisition
of territory was slave, and we have tire
times divided slave territory with you. Cal
, YOU not now, for the sake of peace and qui
et and for the preservation OF our common
Union, divide even free territory with us
; But If it was free when acquired, it is nov
: slave, and we do not even ask you TO chang
: the condition of that portion of the terrific
nv south of the line; but TO take it as we fin
: il, with the laws which the people of Nes
Mexico have chosen to enact for themselves
for slavery has already been established by /.
law of the Territory, which is now IN full
: force. Is this unreasonable? Cannot on
northern friends give to US OF the South TIL
fair, equitable and just demand? If moi
} then fear the days of our Republic ar
numbered; and the greatest. best, and frees
T Government on earth viii be destroyed, an