Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-01-31


ss exee0tive, Legislative, and Judicial, nave beer
treating slaves as property 1p to this good hour
And HoH, when an individuaz pursues his slave into
the State of Ohio. If you please, and appfehends
him, by what right does be apprehend him? Why,
under the right to the service and labor Of the slave
That is technically the right under the language
employed by the Constitutions but what doesi mean
It matters not whether the individual who has ga
capped owes service for day, for year, or for
life; he is subject 10 be delivered CD When fugitive
from his MASTER. Upon what other ground has tho
master the right to reclaim his slave who has es
capped into another State, unless it be right con-
ceded under the Constitution that he has The sole
aud exclusive control over the services Of the
slave to as fHn extent as he has over any other
species of properly real personal, not ineonsst-
emit with the laws of humanity2 a
The gentleman from Ohio, Thr. STANTON. I The
other day, commended before this House that the
admission that slaves were properly would H.
volve us in interminsble dificultie= Why? He
objected to the admission of the right; for the
reason. ameng others, that, if man IN trdnsitu
through free State with his elaye should die, and
die indebted to the citizens Of such free State. an
administrator in sneh State could not inventory
the slave as property or subject him to the paw
ment of such Indebtedness Why, sir. If thu gen.
tie nan from Ohio had reflected upon the result Of
that provision Of the Constitution reisting to fei-
tive slaves, according to his own construction Of
IL.
might occur. Suppose slave escaping from Ken
lucky into Chic, is pursued and apprehended by
his master, but before his Ieurn, his mastef dies,
owing debts in that State the slave could not be
sold there; writ Of fsri faciGs could not reach
him bat he could be taken back to Kentucky, and
there be sold in the market. Suppose the slave
escapes, and is apprehended By his owner in a
free State, where the master dies surely his per-
sonal rspresentative-his heirs or administrators
would have the right to carry him back, and spply
the prooeeGs OF the sale to the debts Of his decess-
ed oWEer. E3-l
But, again the gentleman from Ohio says sup
pose the master, while in fransiis through free
State, kills his slave HE slave kills him what
is then TO be dons! Precisely the same difficulty
would arise in case the owner Of fugitive slave,
having unprecedented him in free State; should,
while returning in the exercise Of his authority,
kill, or be killed by the slave. The gentleman 8
State should provide for such contingency; and
if they have not legslated upon the subject tits not
my fault.
And so in respect to all the dfcultioes which our
friends CT the North find growing out of the recog-
milton Of the right of property in slaves. There
are difficulties which did not exist in the minds
OF our fathers who famed the Constitution, and
which not fully met by them in the instrument
framed by them, with the intention of compromi-
sing aud settling them upon principles having re-
spect to the rights Of all the States CT the Union
Now, sir, when we look at the history of this
country and see its progress; when We see the diff
c1lties which have from time to time come up and
been settled by the wisdom OF our fathers, is it not
strange that friends in the North should unite in
such numbers upon en- issue that has so little in
it, affecting not only their own welfare but the vel
fare of the whole country? Why, sir, if we are
permitted to take slaves into the comnen Terri
tories Of the couRiry, it does MT add single one
to the number; it does not bring another slave
Will no lirnifa af In cd II IL,
authorizes the master oeAange his location it does
not bring him nearer to you. Most likely it will
have the effect of ENJOYING him further from those
gentlemen from the North who represent that Sec
ton upon this floor. Bat gentlemen tell us they
wani these Territories for free labor. Mr.. Chair
man, submit that there is much ia the conduct of
this party st the North calculated to break up and
forever destroy that feeling of friendship which
once existed, ami must again exist before we can
sustain q united Government The Territories of
Government are the common property of all the
States. No MAJ will say that the South has failed
20 contribute her share in their acquisition whether
it be in cash or blood. No man can say it
Then why should we not have common right to
that territory? What are you gentlemen Of the
North Indicating by your rslicy in this ROusei 1t
is not to secure the territory for your children.
You do rot expect to populate by your own eff
spring; certainly not in the present day You have
during the present session, passed bill giving an
inheritance in that territory not only to your chill
dren, but TO the children of every man in the world
who chooses go there to the children of even the
Hessan, who for price, fought against our faith
permit the descendants of General Greene or any of
the heroes of the Revolution in the South, to 60
there end take their property with them.
Call GU this fair dealing? Is this loyalty to US
or TO the memories of the Revolution? Is it tnat
spirit that sctusied the trainers Of the Constitution
when they, compromising all the difficulties before
them fTRmed the Government under which we have
grown up and existed as O nation SO long and so
Sir, these difficulties are continually thrown in
our way A determined disposition is manifested
to take that territory from u.s. to circumscribe US
within our own limits; while they will permit home
seads TO be granted TO the descendants Of our for
mer enemies, ard will populate it with men who
cannot even speak our language, and to whom they
should be houndby stronger ties Of affection than
they should be to the OF the South, who shared
in ell the dangers AID hardships Of its acquisition
have no hostility to foreigners; but, sir, when
sec the legislative bodies OF my country legisla-
ting with view TO give them precedence over the
descendants of the revolutionary sires of the South
feel that it is time for US 10 speak QUITO demand
at least the rights of the people of the South There
can be nothing wrong in that. We do not claim
auy exclusive right in any Of the Territories. We
only claim the same rights in those Territories that
are secured to the people CT the North. We de-
and nothing more; we can submit, sir, to nothing
less. We do not ask to exclude of the northern
people, any species of property possessed by the
northern people. Bdt you propose to exclude us,
unless we ,diyest ourselves of our household SER
property which is endeared TO US from cur
earliest recoeCtions, and for which we have higher
regard thaR for any other specirs of our property
The relations which exist between the master and
servant create sympathy unlike that which you
-
wagons. It is kind of friendship. Il is a devo-
ton OF felowfeeling characteristic of that nstiu
tiCn which never has been, and which / fear never
will be, justly appreciated by the North. They are
a part of us. They syBpathize with US, and we
sympa hize with them. Our rights are their rights
aud when we prosper they proper. If we can go tos
country where we can do better than where we are
the slaves that go with US are bettered in an equal
proportion with ourselves. Hence, sir, it is that we
claim all the rights Of equality 10 this Union
But Mr.. Chairman, the time has gone by for the
discussion of this question at length. We have
passed from theories and come to facts. Such has
been the character Of the dealings of the North to-
ward the South--sll of which have not the time,
in the faw minutes left me- to refer to-thst the
South feels her rights are no longer safe in this
Government without some guarantees for their
protection. Under that feeling, four States have
already seeded from the Union; and. sir probably
while | am addressing this committee the fifth
will take its Of leave us. These are the facts that
stare us in the face. Disunion has taken place.
Many Of the great minds of the South have taken
he ground that the right of secession is a right
over and above the Constiutioa-but right reeog-
1ized by The peculiar in which that instIu-
nent was framed. have not the time en- this &C.
,asion, nor do think the great body of the South
ire going to take time to investigate the very nice
md very able legal arguments made on this sub
ect We go back to first great principles. 1t is
enough for the people of the South to look to the
Declaration of Independence. We believe that
"When long train Of abuses and usurpatioz
pursuing invariably the same object eviHces de-
gn to reduce them under absolute despotism it is
heir right, it is their duty, TO throw of such gov
rnment and to provide new guards for their fu-
ure safety"
The ground is taken here, that we cannot and
will not be permitted to sccede pesoesbly from the
Union. If the action in the Senate yesterday
means anything, it means that. This thing Of seces-
ion is not to be permitted. The Army and the
Navy are to be employed against US. The money
appropriated in the bill now before us-the Army
appropriation BILLS to be used for she purpose of
lending troops tothe South, with view TO the CO.
'rcon Of the seeding States, and the pinning of
his Union eroe more together by the bayonet Of
Federal troops. l viii submit extract from the