Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-04-04
RTCHMOND WHIG.
SPEECH
OF
HON. WM. c. RIVES,
=, ,rprpylCE CUNFERENCE AND Tue STATE OF fhE
" '"N tN!eN,

. aD DE- uf
pm which be had been houored by his ieloS-cit-
c." a., R..7rord % give them account Of the pro-
,.s ,f tie li.. Peace Conference a. Washington
1,,s .tu aware -la- tloss proceedings had been tne
...t 5f yi5.snt aud uusparing dsnuneation, and, IN
- ,-. vc.s is VAS manifest, the deuunc1uous acre
"',, ,.,1. sny special kuoNledge or cOnsiesat0n Of
M ,.,irs of che questions involved. lie also knew
- f.orI long observation and familiarity with the
- I- ,r D4shc events, what was the power OF ueJe
,i.tioa IN iOresallug fair and candid exercise Of
ths public lrdsm'n~ ,,.- ,.,-.
80 one of the feeb.uucss, bodily and mental OF the
7..,te OF which u0 one cOuli oe move sensible than
80 he SID not tcspar-sCch vas ms confidence .n
~ Inherent power OF truth and justice, and IA the ln-
u..,rs, of bis cOuutrymen-ot being able 20 satisfy
t,. t.s propositions Of TIE Peace COuiereUce IN
-. a of being an abortion mOcSery, deusion, aud
80 not En- tie yi;upcga:iye language Of passion aud
- ,5i,s are. as A whole, the most comprehensive and
fyf.,.o-y settlement Of the unhappy controversies
| divide the county that has vet eranated from any
80 II they were not 50, II WAS owing certainly,
want of earnest anxious and persevering effort oa
,5-, OF steady, working mTJorl,y IN the Convention
:, Washington to close now aud forever every source
81 boe bitter waters which have OF late disastrous
o over the laud and po-oa,d the great fountains Of
t,s national peace and happiness
IT, olss,icus said ar Riyes which the Convention
-agfon was assembled acj Isl, all related 10 the
5f,e but utiul topic Of domestic ryitude as 1t ex
,.. in the Southern States OF the Coaiederaey Ac-
lr % list cory Of the Constitution, this sutJ 1t
ro hs l,yitimatey brought with the sphere OF the
GrrI Government cut ia two specified casss-hrst 20
the necessary laws 20 give Ell ct 70 the constitution
u ,r,r,ntse Tor the rendition OF ilgveS from service
7bor and secondly 10 prohibit and repress the Ar
"a, slave trade after the expiration OF the period Of
tv wears for which il tolerated, by the comprc-
% of the Constitution NJ the SPECIAL Instance ol Two
ID ,la southern 5 ates South Carolina and Georgia.
Although this is the fu eIten; Of the power given 10y
t -tr.on 10 the national authorities TO act upOn
t5 ou sion Of domestic serytude cunning aud amOl-
,ls devices have been c)nryei, from time 70 une 10y
racans on the side the other, 20 bring II lato
The arena of national pOii s, as means OF forming or
nytbeUiug party combinations by arOuSiag secuOIaL
;r--s MISSIONS and prCUdices. lt Is not my purpose
nov 10 enquire which Of the two great parties OF the
,trv has been most blame in the political agitation
az I'M. gle ion. It Is suh ;eut tor thc purposes OF th
meeting for me 10 state tha, the various forms uuder
sbb tle question has been agitaed have brought uto
dson the powers Of Congress over The Institution ot
slavery I'm the Territories OF the Uuion'u the DsJrtt ~
CHInba-in forts arscusls aud other places over ~leh
a., a. rs-, Government has exclusive lIrisdctlOh Nrt.n
me limits of the several States-over the transfer Of
.l,yes from one savchOtiug State TO anothcr-anL
fav over thefusttuuOuin the States ttu>e.'ts, 50 lar
a. might u the remoteuess OF time, be affected by an
amendment Of the COns'itu ION concurred 20 by Tie re-
.is-e three ioUTthS ct The States 10 "tch mus, DE-
did the evasion OF inexecg,iou Of the iusl,Se Save
sc- .-e.t..-.
was for the faal and satisfactory settlement OF these
--1.t. and exciting questions that Virginia animated by
fsr ~tLk.owu loyalty % Jhe Union, aud win tlat UIe
Craftsmanship which, iu every great crisis mas o'''s."
her pl1c couucis iavted her sister States 20 meet he'
F. Convention az v washington Her Commissioners re-
siyed no special Instructions, nor "ee theY ued "'"h
20 sny particular plan Of acl sutut as an a.f'''' or
,. gaa uon We we're r,tsrrct 10 general 10 lHe p.O-
ras,ioa brought forward by the patyiOuc ana Hs-n-
riAed : nat3r Of Kentucky, Nj Cuttenden, with TAO
5if ,tious added thereto b' the L'g''tuie a. con
III utirs tts basis Of S-h aa aH'tent as ~ou'i 'n use
oDaoa Of the Legislature, oe accepted oy th' people o
Vrsuil lt che pr'HcpleN oil thai a'J t'."o'' '"
We s,p steadily I'm view aud hiuk shall De a't -
.iif y tla every thing OF subs aucc iu NJ Cll'icn-
den. pr,r0s ton has been qllsOcdy secured I'D '"e
Dropo,itol Of the Peace Conference under io'u VI
words more analogous the precedens o Our con ,1
t,,l history while several spuatOGs oi great value
aid Importance 10 the southern States not con'alneu u
tl -o.si ion of Mr. Crcnd-n ar engra ted upon tAe
t1 of adjustment which received the sAncupn VI 'he
Conf renee 40 Washington.
Tie f--- section OF both propositions relates 10 the
tsrritl i.stjol which has been the p'Hy 'N''of"",
OF H. whole controversy. To avoid the diihcuues ana
d,r- ms, parabe from Joint aud uud vided interest
i the commou Inheritance under The ~ gu'A'h o. ''l
gs. both plans propose rec1 feuce 10 'ue pA'''aNu
tty.,ut-" Let there De no strife between me '"u
tbor wilt take the lei. hand, then / vii. 20 10 'h'
rbt-ir thou lepartl0 TIE right hand then vii 80 70
he st For this purpose vas proposed 10y oo'h 'e
..t,bli.h ptrmanent.y and unc1angeaoiT. uu!er the
sluctio of a solemn constitutional compact 'Nc AN
20 I IN ,rOqi,e l.e Of tairty-,h degrees td'F'l m
~ "a
I-,,s3 St,t,s and declaring that North OF That line
verv or involuntary servituie Is prohibited anu oouth
recognized exs1g, with suitable PROVISIONS Ot
IL. maineuanee aud yndcaou, SO long as the country
remains I'm territorial cOnt iou Whenever any Terri
to-v North or South Of the designated line, shall contain
ooul,ton equal 70 that requ red Tor member OF Oon
,,s IL i. 10 De admitted into the Union on an equal
io,,iag with the Original States with OF without SVery
o. Involuntary seryituie, as tue CONSTITUTION Vi su0 ~
safe itself shall provide.
I'm carving out thess principles, common TO both
rrooositioas that OF Mr. Crttenden uses the iouO"uS
bDgusgs In all the territory south OF the sad -ne OF
latitude slavery OF the African race u hereby reeosn<-
ed a. existing aud shall be iuteriered with by Ooh-
grss bu. shall bs pro,ec.ed property oY al tne 90
uartmerts Of the Territorial Government during is con
tpu.nce Ia the proposition Of the Peace Conference
the sam, object Is accomplished by hirent Iorm o'
,rIs pur,uinc the language OF the Constitution, ouI
yb fores aud effect equslly if not more complete
han tho ter eI olOyCd IN n. CyensenS propos'lon'
The lar usge Used IN tie proposition Ct the eAee Coh
fences th:s" IN tie present territory SoSih oi 1A'
line the status OF persons he'd 70 HYOith'ar se'SV "
,b5r IS il nov exists shall not be changed nor sh.
NV ttw be "a lssed BY Coogtess or lie Territorial Less
ture 10 hinder o. pregent the tAkire oi suSn Pes'
from any Of the States OF the mon 70 S4S 's'..o'
nor 70 impair the rights arising irom ms SS1 'AI0
bu, the same shall be subject 10 ludlcai cog Nc
the Federal Courts according to the course oI 'ne COM
mon law" 1000 r,..;
/, must be borne in mind that By an act OF the Terri
torl Legislature of New Mexico which lnclu0es Al 'us
Territory south OF the parallel OF tnirY-SA ueS'e
ti-y minutes the ampest provisionis areauN uAIe 10
The protection Of the rights connected "l-n slavery A
vsry tte Is "sn Tor the protection OF pFsNfrv !"
ave- anu a .ulna anent o, T. a'oseq siii'-' = u'
n me-. every s&fesdard usals found IN me sOdss "
sigeholiug con- huoiss, tor the snqSA!en Suu -
loroeme.. Of tie rEhts ol tne mater y = ,s,
r.. o 90 nor. than ndioatO tbs general character
al ,bi Territor Law as the DISCUSSIONS Sheh VII soOu
take place in the Contention uo~ assembled 20 'ns "
must bang al is details ia4y 20 'h7 -"''- ...,
public Savry also already cx;s.s i, roint Of fct il
s ye.-..-1 ,r~a.L as - is u gade.''0O% to aTe'!
knitted "a ,eut stt,x and ,hs
Ten ip connection with this state OF the law eal l'
La+ "a nov existing in the territory solth &" ol''|
8yss ,bir,v minutes what more complete Pro o ''1
e - -, "a the institution Of slavery OF hVoluo'Nl
s.i,~E q ,bs,e than j. furnished by the proPoSiuon y
th. P,s C,frenceg It explicitly declares .Aa' 'h'
a,s Of n rsoos held to involuntary service OF Ao' -
~ 49,, s1i.tsr-that l. the condition OF persons ~
state Of slavery as nov existing In the territory oV !.
hs aud in fact-"shau no, be changeG hot So A
law be passed 70 hinder prevent the taAns u
persons % said territory 70 impair me isuS :
from the s.id re alton: but the SINE shai os s1y
the cogoirance Of the federal courts, aeeofunS :.
course OF the common Law shall hereafter A. 1Ie =
this last clause as a very perverss handle seems ~
been made Of 20 excite the pnJudiscs o. PeIsols ~
ariar ~th the legal and vel established iri % ~
.erns Assd IN ref renee 70 the common A~. - -
present Invite voc. attention, fellow H.
efa scope Of this proys6s rs ialress' - pssNs % -
completeness for every purpo-e Oh isssi ..;,,
seh With regard 20 the holding q sia'e- ~ -
IN The Territory, as 70 the right Of tang N"'N
from any part OF the uniOl-