Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-02-14

the states; but II becomes an important one in .t
South, because if that power were exercised bv Cue e
gress our people take it for granted that tb OOn-
step would be to attack slavery in the Stars next
1t, as gentlemen propose, they will give ne u'
gresslonal pledge upon these subjects, and then n'
us, as they propose, perpetual guarantee .n.s give
the interference of Congress with slavery :; e8,St
States-the great area field where it exist Tue
all time to come, by constitutional amendmoN1f
never to be altered or disturbed except bv tbaeht
sent of all the States Of this Union. fyor con-
this, then conceive the apprehensions of m "n 10
pie will, in great degree be removed as to eO-
dlmlnutive localities. When the people of tb suSe
States have given them guarantee for the ME, hee
ual enjoyment of their institutions in these
fifteen States having nine hundred and tiffr I
sand square miles of territory the best rivers nu
world, the most valuable productions of tbo ~ me
and the most desirable climate, and also give tba'
reasonable chance in the Territories where's ia
mate, SOIL and productions will invite their Sa s
ment then would address my people, and saw tSt.
they should stay in the Union With this :,s uiat
tutional, perpetual guarantee as to slavery in t
States, and congressional pledge as to the D;t: :e
arsenals, and dOckysrds, | should consider oil ~
ducements to interfere with slavery in tboso IN. iil
small localities removed.
Gentlemen say that this is altogether unnooo,,.
ry that you never intend to interfere with s""
in the States; and that you have no power non.
abolish it i'll the States. l have repeatedly b" 70
that said here. l do not gainsay it. But tell von
gentlemen from the North that the item of Istto,
which have read to you today sent by the Sem.
tor to the capital of my State is only Specino e.
what is preached all over the South in ever noaS
borhood ana the Southern people do, whether ;Sa.
ly or not honestly believe that the Republican No.
ty-a great and powerful party at the Morrill,
intend to interfere with slavery where if ox;t.:
the States; and if the North will come up in This
solemn manner, and put this perpetual guarantee in
the Constitution against the power of CONGRESS
then the men who distract the South with this d.
will be contradicted by you into most positive snS
indubitabe manner for all time to come And bera
let me make remark to Northern gentlemen in
all kindness, and without meaning any ofFensa tn
any one. You say you have elected your Presdent
constitut;onally admit it. You EXPRESS woncor
and surprise that the South should be alarmed a.
this. Now, let me reason with you. The presen.
tatiOn of the converse of a proposition sometimoO
puts the question itself in different light SIM
pose the position of the two sections of the Union
was reversed; suppose the slave States were eiob.
teen, and the free States fifteen; suppose the slave
States had majority in this House. majority in
the Senate and majority in the electoral COLLEGE.
suppose the slave States were to hold convention
and appoint the place of meeting as far South az
they could, say at Mobile; that there should b. M
delegates in that convention from the free States.
that they should nominate two candidates one from
Florida and the other from Texas and should wind
up their proceedings by the adoption of a resolution
intimating that it is in the power of Congress- as
well the duty of Congress- to provide that no more
free States shall be admitted into the Union and
should elect their candidates nominated by the slave
States alone suppose all these things were to ham,
pen, and then speeches. assurances, and kilograms
should be freely circulated through your country,
that the South intend to make all the States slave
holding States; | submit to you, my Northern
friends, would you not be very much warmed I'D
against that Southern movement, and begin to feel
that you were but small folks in this Government
Would you not feel like looking out for yourselves,
at least to the extent OF asking for guaranteed
l throw out this idea by way of some excuse or ex-
tenuation of these rawlings and threatenings to the
peace and quiet of this country.
1t is my honest opinion-and in that agree with
the gentleman from Virginia Mr. Millson- that our
present territorial question is substantially settled
and that is rather an excuse for agitation incline
to the opinion that in the future heretofore, SOIL
climate, and productions would settle this question
of slavery in the Territories if peace and quiet were
restored. After all that has been said and done,
Congress has never made free State out of any
Territory that nature intended for slave State and
has made slave State out of territory where
free labor could be proitably employed You can
not, by your Wimot proviso, prevent the establish
ment of slavery in any territory where the people
can use compulsory labor better and with more
profit than any other and where they can cultivate
rice, tobacco, cotton indigo, and sugar. better than
anything else When such territory has got a
population large enough for the establishment of
government, and you tender them territorial gov
eminent, with the Wilmot proviso in it. they will
throw it back in your faces; and when they have
sufficient population for State, they will organize
government of their OVID, republican in FORM and
apply for admission, and according to your own
principle, you will be bound to admit them lam
only showing you what very little thing it is that
have got this country much by the ears about,
and if we get in proper humor, how easy it would
be for sensible gentlemen to get together and set
tie it.
Why, gentlemen, pray what is this territorial
question? 1t is one that has only assumed its i'm
portance within a short time because ultra parti-
sans have magnfed and misrepresented it for the
purpose of in8arning the public mind North and
South. In this they have succeeded to most fear
full and alarming extent This is the true complaint
with which we are afflicted This is the disease
which has brought US to the verge of the grave.
Why. sir, find in the newspapers of the day that
our northern friends say we have got the bred Scott
decison that that decision makes slavery the nor
NAL condition of the Territories; and that the
principle there established if carried out would
ry slavery into the free States. Who can wonder
that that idea, when presented to northern audi
ences, should excite them against the South, and
set them railing against us? And so, when Dem
ocrat gets up before southern audience and tells
them that the great sectional Republican party has
got the power, and has determined 20 set all the
slaves free, who can wonder that they become ex-
cited? Who can wonder that the man who owns
slaves looks up his old rife, and that he and his
sons are for fighting when Thus assured? Partisans
and demagogues have wrought all this mischief
The Supreme Court as understand it, has not de-
cided that the normal condition of the Territory is
either slave or free. No, sir. used to think that
the Missouri compromise was constitutional Look
ing to the men who passed it, and the long acquies
cence of the country and of all parties under it. so
concluded. thought that partners in land could
divide their land as legally and as censtltutionaly
as they can sell it or jointly occupy it.
can illustrate, in few words, how understand
this decision and the extent to which it has gone
Pardon me if do so by example Suppose two old
farmers, Mr.. North and Mr.. South, have bought and
each Owns, large tract of land under Govern
ment which permits slavery. Mr.. North says he