Year: 1859

the Constitution, and ID was put in the Consti-
tuition 10 supply defect in that very form of
property. believe that the psalmist tells us
that riches have wings. This form OF property
seems TO have legs, if not wings; and that pro-
vision of the Constitution was put there for the
express purpose of guarding the weakness Of
the disposition TO emigrate Of that species Of
property. That you shall have TO the last ex-
tent. Then the Constitution said, that inas-
much as, though this form of property is a man,
you have robbed him of his manhood aud con.
demned him to labor, it, too, would strip him
OF ohfths of bis humanity when 1t came to
estimate him either for purposes Of taxation or
representation. That is all within the States.
Then II was provided that Congress might pro-
hibit any more of that property being brought
into this country after the year lSOS aud might
tax it per capita before that time. That is all.


admit that it is recognized in all these re-
lations as form of property, established by
the laws of the States, to be protected within
the States; TO be protected on the high seas by
the Federal Governments; 10 be protec ted in
the unoccupied Territories of the United States
as against all foreign Intervention. But, sir.
repeat the question Of my colleague, does it
carry it into those States which do not choose
to admit that propertyi Has the Consultation
that extentg Does its recognition Of slaves as
property TO that exten. carry them. not only
upon the high seas and into the Territories,
but does il carry them into the State of Illinois,
which has undertaken TO declare that she will
not have them? If there be auy thing in this
constitutional right which the Senator from
Virginia has Invoked, II is right which ex
tends over Illinois as we'll as over Kansas To-
day, for the Constitu ton Of the United States
is as supreme in Illinois as it is in Kansas.
There is no such right, and the Court did not
say so. The Court said that Congress had no
right to pass acts of Legislation for the Terri
tories beyond certain limits, and within those
limits the right to prohibit any form of proper
ty was not granted. Therefore, when citizen
of South Carolina or Kentucky goes to one Of
these Territories he meets the local law what
ever il be. The question may arise whether in
the absence of any legislation, he can hold his
slave. This is question to be decided by the
Judiciary. There may be a question whether
this form Of legislation or that form of legisla-
tion would deprive him of his title or injure
his title? Let him go to the Courts.


Gentlemen speak of the rights of the South 10
the Territoriesi What are her rights, or the
rights Of the North, In the Terriories2 People
who do not 60 to the Territories have no rights
there at ALL except to see that their land is not
abused. The Senator from Mississippi says
there are no people in the Territories they are
only inhabitants. Well, | should like 10 know
what the people can be except inhabitants. He
certainly does not mean TO maintain that those
who are not inhabitants are the people. No,
sir, IL is the right of seifgovernment you may
cover IL with nick-names as much as you please.
Congress has said to these people, you are
community, with interests Of your own, domes-
tic rights Of your own; for your own peace, lib.
erty aud security, we relinquish you to your


inherent right Of self government, subject only


to these conditions which we specify in the or
| ganic act. Your organic act is not au enabling
act to the Territories; ID is restraining act. We
restrain you within these limits but as for all
the rest, so far from protesting TO confer on
you any rights, take the right which the pe0


pie have everywhere, unless restrained by ty-
rants, the right of self-government


Now, sir, what is the mighty right that the
Senator from Virginia says the Southern De-
mocracy are going to fight for? 1t is the right
of one man in the State of Virginia to go into
the Territory of Kansas with her ninety-two or
ninety thousand inhabitants all of whom are
Of one opnion-ther authorities, their Legis-
lature, all consider that the presence Of slaves
is injurious to them but in order that this one
gentleman from the State OF Virginia, who has
not aided to reclaim the wilderness, who has
undergone none of the perils of frontier life,
may enjoy bis sacred right Of carrying his me-
gro there against the will Of everybody else,
the Senator from Virginia. and both the Sena-
tors from Mississippi notify us they intend to
leave the country, carrying flags and banners
aud music. Well sir, If they choose to go on so
small a provocation as that do not think the
Union is worth preserving any longer. Sir, IL
is an attempt 10 press upon the people Of the
Territories the laws of the States from which
they come. Do they all carry the laws Of their
Statesl If the law of Virginia goes into Kan.
sas with the citizens OF Virginia in order to
tl.nt. eIa tIa I..., -, Aufo
20 with the citizens of Ohio and law Of Indiana
with the citizens of Indiana, and the law of Or
egon with the citizens Of Oregon? How many
laws will you have 10 your Territories? Why
sir every man will literally be law to himself
The laws of Virginia can not 90 there unless
the laws of every other State go, and thus you
establish a kind Of organized anarchy in every
one OF your Territories.


Sir, all this s vast piece Of special pleading,
eked out by 6ctions Of history, by propositions
of law that cannot be maintained for an instant
by assertions as to what constitutions give, and
by assertions as to whato0uFts have decided,
TO build up q doctrine that Is offensive to the
pride and selfrespect of every citizen or the
n-slsveholding States. Twill give you equal
ity of rights, but will have equality. You
shall not carry the laws Of your State into the
Territories, unless you allow me 10 carry the
laws Of my State there. ! agree that the laws
of neither shall 20 there Let the people Of
the Territories by themselves, through their
own immediate representatives, chosen by the
people. responsible 10 them, decide the whole
question. will agree that the Federal Gov
ernment shall not interfere on either side by
act or word, that il shall be left entirely TO the
people whose interest is concerned during their
Territorial form and when they come to form
their Constitution and State Government, what
ever they cay on thai subject, be it TO exclude
or to tolerate slavery, they shall have my vote
80 long as / sit 10 this chamber, without any
hesitation. But when you tell me that there is
a negro sovereignty extending over all the Ter
ritories, that there is peculiar species OF prop
erty which no law can restrain, which no gov
ernment can put down or regulate, but WHICH
goes by force Of the Constitution-as If the
Constitution, instead Of being made for the ben
eft of the people, was made for the special ag-
grandizement of negro owners--and which is
to prevail everywhere. and to overawe and
strike down the right Of self-goyerDment OF
white men, either in States or Territories, tell
kav ho xuhoia foundation