Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-25


the requirements of the Breckinrdge platform. And
the proposition, as il stands-as it seems TO me-
recognizes slavery as existing in the Territories
south of Sc deg 80 min. and provides that it shall
continue during the existence Of the territorial gov
ernmenE The Senate has heard the proposition
which came from the Senator from Virginia to-day
which is enlarged demand over that OF any other
Senator who has spoken on this subject.
ask then, Mr.. President, if it can be expected
that a triurphantparty-Ima may say union of par
ties SO far as that principle of the right to exclude
slavery from the Territories is concerned unprece
denied in the history of this country-will humble
themselves at the feet of minority that is very
SMALL? Wihany honorable man consent to humiliate
4 himself a.s Csc .sE a0-s.l-n 81, boa
Pugh. I should like to interrupt the Senator a
moment, with his permission. .,s-i...e5 81
Harlan. Certainly. .a .s.I r s.... 49,
Pugh i heard him indietinctly before; but as
he has repeated il, wish to ask him question. |
understand him to say that ths supporters or Mr..
douglas IN the last campaign maintained the power
OF Congress to exclude slavery from the Terrific
ries.
Harlan. No, sir. 49,. ss
Pugh. Certainly not one of them. to nv knowI-
edge, ever admitted it. r 7ae
Harlan. My statement was, that the friends of
MP: Douglas IN the recent election, maintained the
right to exclude slavery from the Territories Z
Pugh. Or to admit it. as the people choose.
Mr.. Harlan-And. as means for its exclusion,
would use the Territorial Legislature. The main
pOluI dt AsSue was slavery be PoltfUiV eXclu-
ded? The Republicans said it could The Douglas
Democrats in my part of the country also main
tanned that 1t could; and that the means thew would
select was preferable considered in the light of eff
nclency, 10 the means proposed by the Republicans
why" SAID they, "lOok at your northern hordes
millions of men, free to emigrate; throw omen the
Territories. and allow the people who enter them to
exercise their own choice on this subject; and can
you doubt. educated as the great majority of the
settlers will have been, that they will remove slave
,,tfrrrr
dction of the United States - - - -
Mr.. Pugh--I hope the Senator will allow me to in
terpose- , 49,, .oe ---..iss . hss y
Mr.. Harlan Certainly. q. ~, ..,l -
Mr.. Pugh--I think 1 can speak for the Democracy
of Iowa better than he can. In the FIRST place was
very well acquainted before, and at the time, with
the delegates in the Charleston and Baltimore con-
ventlons. all that we have ever claimed was that
the people OF the Territories should have the right
to exclude 1t or to admit it, at WILL and for any
exclude slavery as proposition, and awaited them
selves Of the doctrine of popular sovereignty for
that purpose, it is an invention of the enemy.
Harlan do not say that either the Senator, or
any of his party friends desired to exclude slavery
from the Territories. Lam inclined to think some
OF them do not entertain such a desire, especially
those of them who, though residing in the free
States, are the owners OF slavesThe point of pFn-
elple however, cannot be evaded. The right To- CT
cIade SA1oerg from the Territories maintained by
WIT DVuefds DeHlOCFdCy I'LL ONeF lHoiDHl9H. II WdS
so announced by that eminent gentleman in the city
CT New Orleans, IN Baltimore. at Norfolk, and eve
rywhere over the Union and doubt not he is IN
debted to that frankaess for the smailness of the
vote poled for him IN the slayeh0lding States The
principle then maintaHed by them was, that slavery
might be rishtfuuy and coHstitutionallY excluded
from the Territories. So twas by the Republican
party. The Republican party say it may be done
by Congress or Terrier al Legislature. The
Douglas Democrats say it may be done by Terri
torial Legislature only.
Now, sir, that vote l repeat amounted to more
than three and third million and the united vote
for both the opposing PARTIES and their proportion
Of the fusion votes did not amount to one and half
millioa. The proposition here. then, is, that we
shall surrender; and the question that was pro-
pounding to the Senator from Kentucky was, whetf-
er it probable, judged in the light OF history,
that such mass of freemen would, under the
threats that are here presented, surrender to mi
nority SO very small? Why not harmonic on
proposition that requires no humiliation surrend=
er from eith5 the yIctOrs or the yanquished? r-