Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-03-08
CEDAR FALLS IOWA. FRIDAY MARCH 8, 1851

appeal to his fairness and candor to sa,
whether he has done US justice. ..,, e.
Mr.. Vandever. say, in reply to the gen
tlcman from Tennessee, that truth is no re
spccter Of persons. Ihavc no desire to do in
justice to him or his political friends in tho
border States, for am ready to say that
whatever may be the Judgment of posterity
upon the acts Of those Of us who have been
participators in tho scenes Of this day, the
names Of those who upon this floor and al
home among their constituents in the slave.
holding States, have heroicly fought the bat
tic of the Union and Constitution against IA.
naticism and treason in their own section
these names, say, will be cherished in great.
ful remembrance, whether the Union cndurcs
or not.
Mr.. Maynard I concur with the gentle.
man, that truth is no respcctor of persons
but persons ought to be rcspcctors Of truth
and it is for that reason that put the oucs.
ton, whether the gentleman from Iowa had
done justice to us Union men of the South
in respect to the proposition submitted bv the
distinguished Senator from Kentuckys a
Mr.. Vandcver. am indcavoring to serve
the cause OF truth when show that for good
reasons, under the circumstances now exist.
ing, cannot concur in the proposition Of the
Senator from Kentucky, which provides for
the protection and guarantee Of slavery in
the Territories OF the Union, or in any prop
osition which shall, in effect, set aside the
verdict pronounced in the late election ~
Mr.. Maynard. Still the gentleman docs
not answer my question. ...s.ar o. .e.r
Mr.. Vandever. Now, Mr. Speaker, the
Crittenden proposition recognizes and pro.
tccts slavery south Of the line 36 deg. 80 min.
in oil the Territories of the Union. The Dor.
del. State proyostion does the thing, not in
such definite and specific language, but lust
as cifcctually protects and maintains slavery
south of that line, by saying that there shall
be no power in Congress, or in the Territorial
Legislature, or in the people Of Territory,
however much they may desire it. to prohibit
slavery in such Territory. The proposition
OF the committee of thirty. three is less obiec
tionable in form than either of the Others I:
but it goes to the same extent in effect.
Mr.. Maynard. The gentleman from Iowa
will remember that the Crittcnden proposi.
ton comes not from the supporters OF Breck.
inridge, but from the Union men of the South
Now | ask him, whether it is quite fair to i'm.
pute to the Union men Of the South the re-
sponsbility for the sentiments Of Breckin.
ridge and his supporters? #&
Mr.. Vandevcr Tho gentleman and his
friends, some of them in this emergency, have
regarded it as their duty to support principles
which they have heretofore repudiated, cs.
tablishing new guarantees for the protection
Of slavery in the Territories south Of 36 deg
80 min. Now, sir, for myself, / say that
there is principle in this matter, and that
will never yield one iota in guarantying the
protection Of this Government for slavery
anywhere. That is the difference between
the gentleman and myself .s.. ......s
But Mr.. Speaker, desire to offer another
consideration in respect to the report of the
committees of thirty three, though by the way
there is another popularity both in the Crit
tenden and in the Border States proposition,
to which wish to allude mean that Dor.
ton OF the plan which proposes to protect the
domestic slave trade. do not rccolcct the
precise terms in which it is expressed
shall not, on this occasion, undertake to in.
quire into, or discuss, the power of this Gov
crnmcnt over the interstate slave trade |
shall not, on this occasion, ask whether there
is any power in the Congress of the United
States or anywhere in this Government. to
abolish that slave trade, But, sir, in the
Crittenden proposition is distinct rccoeni-
tion OF the right Of transit with slaves from
one slave State to another; and what I fear
IL, that when it shall once be adopted, when
that proposition shall once be Incorporated
into the Constitution, the claim will be set
up and maintained that the slave trader has
the right to carry his slaves from Virginia,
or any other Border State, to Texas, or any
one Of the Cotton States, by the way Of New
York or some port of the North, for shipment.
And further, think there is reason to fear
that when that provision shall become a part
Of the organic law Of the land, it will give the
slave trader the right to traffic in his proper
ty wherever he shall sec proper; that il will
re-establish the slave pens in this city, which
were abolished as an abomination by the
compromise Legislation Of 1850; or, perhaps,
what is worse yet. transfer them to New
York and other northern ports to first out.
rage, and then debauch and demoralizc pub.
lie sentiment, and vastly infiamc the slavery
agitation under which we now groan.
But, in regard to the report Of the commit.
tee OF thirty-three, must confess that ap-
proach the subject xith great reluctance. =
Certainly, no man upon this floor entcrtains
"SuSa VPuion W tue IEtlIiOuC SERVICES OIL
the gentleman from Ohio, [Mr. Corwin,
chairman Of the select committee than do.
None will more sincerely accord to him tho
full need Of praise for his anxious desire to
allay the existing excitement in the country,
and to restore peace and harmony once more
III all sections throughout the length and
breadth Of the land. But, sir, I submit that
the committee have fallen into grave error,
in the resolutions which they offer. These
resolutions recognize the existence of person.
al liberty law upon the statute books Of the
north, which are supposed to infringe the
Constitution Of the United States. These re.
solutions denounce the invasion of one State
by the citizens Of another State with hostile
intent; they deplore the practice SO preya-
lent in some States Of failing to protect the
citizens Of other States travelling or Temporal
rily sojourning therein. All such evils are
to be deplored by good citizens Of whatever
section. The committee, however, propose
nothing to remedy the evil The resolutions
propose to neither prohibit or command any
thing in reference to personal liberty laws or
other evils complained Of. The report only
advises tho States to revise their legislation
in these particulars.
In my humble judgement Mr.. Speaker, at
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