Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-23

nv srecognized as existing" &c.-in otasF
words. Il proposes simply to rccosHize OF cslap-
lish hy virtue Of this provision, me insu'nNon
Of African slavery South Of ob:5p.
II proposeg to lenve it TO a mere general
Constitutional recognition, without pro'lcine
sov law for its protection nr The enforcement
nfJ,he rioht. And it is TO this thut / desirs TO
cau the attention Of the Committee Part!cu-
I.rIv, II is a radical objection to the CF'tten'
den propositiou TINT it proposes simply /" re
c~ognise 10y Constitutional provision 1he ~,
istence of African slavery in Z territory "h'ch
may, and probably will De, governed " isr'',
torial authorities adverse 70 the INSTITUTION" Vi
| African slavery for years tn come, ana tp'of
tides no code OF laws for the enforcement o'
these rights. Nav, sir. We know not onLy
that every State in this Union winch nus III.
institution Of African slavery has, an" nius'
nave, a code with minute and particular pro,
visions for the enforcement and protection VI
tlye right, but without such code, the mere
general recognition Of the right would DC o.
! no avail, whatsoever; and aay n" mos' osI
voluntary law, t. protect it in this territory y
Ssv Mexico under the scheme OF inc suos''
tut.-a voluntary la% 10 DC enacted oy 'nSSe
hostile territorial authorities. INT ooes NE
renort OF the COMMITTEE DO! Tic report VI u
Cn,mmit,ec takes the institution hs ltiio" e"'s',
saws il shall reu,ain md shall not DC chan6eu
usi,now exists; and the effect ol That Pfo''-
sim sir. if it is adopted will hs To incorporate
;,,, tho Constitution ofthe United States com
nIrte and parfcct slave c de. 1t will be Iounu tha'
Il,s territorial govern menL Of New Mexico h"fc
already enacted q slave cJdc. We Emo" TIE
fact that slavery now does exist IN TACT there I;
that shares are held there by the adoption ny
The territorial legislature o. the slave co1c Oh
N,ssissip,i, with all tho privileges, remedies,
rights and provisions OF t!:c slave cone oi ,he
StHp,e Of II ssissippi. so that this provision that
slayery rs it now exists shall remain anu not
NJ changed in ,ha, territory Of New Mexico,
which is the whole territory Of tie UNITED
STATES South Of the line Of So deg. 30 min,
tskes the slay. code Ct Mississippi 'ad moor;
morales il into the Constitution OF the Unileu
States inr the protection Of slavery SCUM 0!
that line.
Then, sir, sc have moro than this general!
recognition, and tina, Is the essential feature o'
difference between the substitute tttsred oy
the gentleman, TO Wit: The Criuenden Proptsi
lion and the propositions q! tae Com
mitee. But the gentleman speaks Of the
language being vague. lie supposes
that the langrag: used here hae been
adoptcd To suit tie tastes of tho N"rtterii
people. WHY, sir, if the gentleman will !ooh
Tor i moment at the language OF the report o'
the COMMITTEES. be will lind that the language
has been entirely changed IN that respect, and
that precisely the same phraseology is used III
regard to the prohibition North OF the Inc o,
81 deg 30 ~, as To tho recognition South OF
that line-it is '.invoiuntary serV!tude 0! per
scns held 10 labor" II gentlemen will only
lrol: 10 the force Of that language, they will
iimd thai it il fur r.ore specific and lar tE"re
clear thun the more general use Of the term
african slavery" WIZ, sir, hat Is African
slavery? J; & .usts in every THE Of the South
crn States Of this Union. African slavery is
one thing in Missouri, it il an"lhe: thI;'5 IN
virginia. md another thing in Louisiana; and
YOU Vii! ini that every State has lis peculiar
kind OF African slavery, 80 that The description
by the terms 'invviun;arc srrvitade' OF per
sans held 10 labor, : he 0!iy clear generic
! dcscript;,,n that can ha used to ascertain with
Certainty The iti,ti.u.inn that is catabllSher.
! Some veu;lrmcn lsyu the idea that 1t might be
proper 10 make provision that persons cihiSra'
tinr with their slaves from the slave Suites INTO
! hi, territory would carr with them Tor their
| protection :ir ,aw; of The States from which
! they catuc. Why, sir, i! that was the case,
,on .,p,i ;,.Y. = strange ndatix,ure nf lass
| ii,.ra How could Vol ever erinrce year
! ~riy;,tsf Tn, r~cia;:o1s between these two
classes Of persons are 40, the same, ~ I have
already remarked, in snr two Of The slave
| S,,,es If This Uni1nf Therefore, it. il: neces.
sarv in order 10 give anv effect or fnrcc to this
constitutional amendment that we propose,
,ha, there shonld be, in somc way Indicated
and adJD.cd. sclue particular ElaTe code oil
some .lsveholling State IN the Union; other.
yis. j, would be sn idle and perfectly vague
,m.nIren, If The ,,oo8ljiutiOn. As | said, il
wjll be found unnn exam nation that this pro.
vision. bv il. ;cru,s, .ctusliy adopts and iacor-
rorstps irt. he Constitution of Tie United
State ~. a:,nl. sl4v: co.:c Of :tc ) 20, &c dis
s,ss:,,.,, ;r ~. b.a.il 81 .:trc 1"i:e", IL that
i.r,ii.c,
! Hero ,:.- is,l ..:n.:tt- .Ar.!..l
Mr. RarD-I" !l say a woTin' tH:' sc rr2iy.
Tic pa.,;cuiuf point tie grn':einah f:"';' ! fed'
erick nlihei i, thai II" s-cti'n n Reporter oy
the Co:ainit-e vi T*z"'' ono i'sce.Sariy
adopts the slurs code that has bren adVp.teo
by the Territorial Legislature O. N4" sie*!co.
do not see hov this provision can necessarily
hare the c:iac. OF ed ping and Incorporating
into the Constitution mat code. Il nerc!y re.
isrs. 10 general .crns u slavery AZ II now e1.
its South CT So deg. 80 nlin. q! course 1t
would be necessary 70 refer to that laH, 10 e"'
plain what sort Of Involuntary ssFTltu1s' ms
! section Of the Constitution had reference 10;
The substitute imposes upon the Territorial
Legislature, Upon oil tie departments OF the
Territorial Government, the oblignt!nas 70 pro
| tcct slavery in tEst Territory InaF cannot
repeal any existing lass that may exist after
! this Constitution is adopted, EOr can they,
w,,hou. violating the Constitution, fail TO ADOPT
sui,abie laws for protecting this property. 1t
seems to Inc that one is us obligatory as the
| other. But suppose that construction To ne
/ true, that the laws now existing IN New Mex
icn ior tho nr,,sclion Of slavery are incorp0-a-
ted into that section ol tho tohsitut'o', "nu
that it renders those LAYS HreFss!shle shl IN
e'tefab'e. "ooi" 'ha' W NN'T
Ii it renders them irreptaiab!e fnd uHaitc'soIs,