The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1865-02-15

question. / have never, conceded that
an amendment or a law Of the barbarods
character suggested by the question
woup have moral fcrce or moral obi.
gatih upon the people Of the United
States But what I said,, 10 answer to
equation fthe gentleman from. Ohio
was, that u would have the force Of law,
the force Of an amendment'o Of the Cohsti.
tutipn ; that the law. if it were opposed
to the inalienable rights Of the people of
the United States, would be, If | may
use a contradictory expression, an unlaw.
fol law, a law which you could no, en-.
force, law contravening the inalienable
rights of the citizens Of this country.
/ hope, sir, that have made myself
understood, do not wish to be placed
in the position which the last remark
Of the gentleman from Ohio assigned to
me, Of saying that either a law Of Con-
gress or any amendment of the Constitu.
tion which could be adopted by the peo.
| pie Of the United States could introduce
slavery into state, but l say that SO far
as it would have the effect OF law it would |
legaliEe it. .,5, sa ,,,t
Mr., PENDLETON, Mr., Speaker, L
would net do Injustice to the Gentleman
from Pennsylvania, as I believe he we'll
kpotst II goa step further than he does.
| say that il would not be binding in
morals; say that it would not be bind.
ing in law. 1t would be illegal. 1t
would be void. II would have no more
sanction chan that which the power of
those whe chose 10 impose it would be
able h give to it. It would be binding
on those who would come within the pow.
er Of thssword OF those who made it, and
on no other. 4.es sIlf Il
Mr., WILSON, Will the gentleman
permit me to ask him question?
Mr., PENDLETON, Certainly, aO
Mr. WILSON, Mr. Speaker, If that
be tie position which the gentleman de.
signs 70 occupy, should like to have
that gentleman inform the House where
any portion Of the people Of this country
!, derived the power to make any other
portion gos the people Slaves in the first
, instance, - \,
Mr. PENDLETON, They did not De.
!. riveit IRON the Constitution Of the Uni
! ted States, a .,g5s e.4. 81
: Mr. WILSON. I ask where they did
/ derive IL.
f Mr.. PENDLEToN. They did not
derive i from the Constitution Of the
! United States. They did not give to
the Constitution, or rather to the Govern.
: ment Of the United States which the Con.
!. stitutidn formed, the right to interfere
!. withit where it existed. will not now
f be drawn into q discussion with the gen.
Q tleman as to the origin Of slavery, nor to
Q the law, which lies behind the Constitu-
E tion Of the United States and behind the
r governments Of the States, by which these
i people are held in slavery. When that
s subject is pertinent I will not hesitate 10
v enter into the debate. Perhaps he and
e | might not differ about that. But I am
It discussing the question that is put SO os-
# tentatiously by the other side of the
J House, that under the ConstitLtion--not
by the right Of revolution-under its
s clauses and provisions, there exists the
/. power to make this amendment. m
Il Mr.. KASSON. Mr.. Speaker
is The SPEAKER. Does the gentle.
a man from Ohio yield to the gentleman
% from IowaY ea.sa. ruwNrq r
J. Mr.. PENDLEToN. Certainly, sir
n Mr. hhtatSS9N. Mr., Speaker, / rose
e . moment ago, as the gentleman knows
e the esteem in which hold his ability on
70 these questions, to state this to him, and
If 70 make an inquiry. II seems to me tina
D. be has taken the extreme ground of th,
EXTREMIST aboli.ionists, 50 frequently de
pounced by his political associates on th,
Y floor and at the other end Of the Capitol
! o., q higher law than the Constitution it
!, self. i state that as Q preliminary to IL,
I I inquiry which ! propose to make. He !
y referring every proposed amendment b
y the individual opinion Iof q man as b
- !. whether i accords with the spirit whicl
'" underlies the Constitution and irrespect
81 i've Of its letter. If that be 50, it is a di
30 rect appealtoi and on adoption Of wha
70 has been obnoxiopsly styled the highe
u law as maintained by extreme abolition
70 lists time and again. Nov, I wish to as
10 on'this Identical logical point 10 bs DC
y rived from his premises, did not thos
I who framed the Constitution affect th
y subject which he declares now to be inca
u. pablo oramendment, when they prohib
v tied every State from increasing its inter
m est in slavery by an importation of th
'e people from abroad who could increase
Y and 10 what respect this amendment dill
81 iers In kind from that incorporated 10 til
10 Constitution itself, which debates 10 th
IN States that thsy shall not swell BY ont
u. after the year 1908, the slaves they the
to had within their bofdersY Task him o
ID principle, not % detail, On kind, not q
10 degree, what the difference isl yiiag y
III Mr.xPENDLETON. Mr. Speaker,
Z IA well for gentlemen to understand 81
Y actly the position which their antagonis,
Y occupy before they 60 into q discussiO
ofthe Kind suggested BY my Nffiend froI
q Iowa; andlIwouldllike him TO auswl
a the question whether on not hp believe
q With the gentlsman from Peppsylvani
'nl fMr, ThaYeril that the adoption Of .
'ol anendmept or the Oonstitutiou, such
'tod l allnddd ", you'd legally carry the i
he stiiution pf slavery into the NerthsI
tol States. Z
VI Mr. lKAssoN, ! viii aSswsrN u!