Year: 1861




proposition of Mr. Brown of Miss to ex-
tend protection over slave property in the
territory of New Mexico. AS the debate
is calm and candid, and covers the real
ground OF difference between northern and
southern interests, and the points are met
with such ability aud clearness, we tran
scribe it to our columns, as the most instruct.
i've, and at this time the most absorbingly
interesting matter we could spread before
our readers.


Mr.. Brown moved TO add section that
the action Of the Legislature of New Mexi.
co for the protection Of slave property be
in force in this territory.


Mr.. Trumbull moved to amend that the
law which waN in force in the said Territory
at the time OF The annexation remain in
force until it becomes state.


Mr.. Doolitte said we had lived together
for 80 years in peace. Peace was based
on two ideas, first that the federal Cover.
ment nor citizens of non-slavebolding states
should make no aggressions on slavery in
the states, and the other that neither the
federal government nor the'citizens of slave
holding states should make any aggressons
nor undertake to overthrow freedom in the
territories. If these conditions were bro.
ken there cannot be peace He said the
constitution was the supreme law of the
land and OF every state, and if the Consti-
tuition contains any language which would
abolish slavery in Territory it would
abolish il in a state. He then referred TO
the Dred Scott decision and claimed that
there was nothing in that decision to lead
any one to infer that the constitution es-
tablishes slavery in any territory-nothing
that justi6es men in saying that the consti
tuition enters the Territory acquired from
Mexico and abolishes Mexican law aud es-
tablishes law guaranteeing the right to
take and hold slaves in the territory


He argued that if we should annex Can
ada, the Constitution had 20 power Of its
own force to repeal the law there n regard
to slavery, which had been in force hun
dred years He said the senator from Te
nessee (Nicholson) had said there was great
alarm at the south from the free states, and
said he opprehended the time wonld come
when the free states would attempt 10 IL.
mend the Constitution so as to extinguish
slavery. Why did not the Senator from
Tennessee, If he wished to alay the alarm,
quote in his speech part Of the Republican
Platform, which declares an essential prin-
| ciple to be the maintenance of states rights
| in order TO maintain the balance of power,
and deDounces invasions of any state on no
matter what pretext. Why did not the
senator quote from the speeches Of the
President elect, when be had declared over
and over again that he did not intend to or
wish to interfere with slavery in the states
Mr. Doolittle then read from Mr. Lincoln's
speeches where he had no purpose directly
or indirectly to interfere with slavery in
the states He believed he had no lawful
right to do So, nor had he any inclination
to do so.


Mr.. Nicholson said be had stated that
the republican party had expressed deter
miuation to regard the rights of Southern
men in the states, but he laid down gen
eral principle outside of the state which ii
carried out would destroy their rights in
the states.


Mr.. Doolittle said he understood the
gentleman to say that he apprehended the
republican party would so increase in pow
er that at last il would amend the Consti
tuition so as to destroy the rights of the
south and emancipate the slaves.


Mr.. Nicholson said the policy and prin-
cipcs of the Republican party if carried
out would extinguish slavery, and he had
expressed the apprehension that if the pow
er of the free states increased and they in
tended to carry out their purposes it wonld
lead to the ultimate extinction of slavery
Mr. Doolittle said the republican party
as he understood it, stood to protect anC
maintain the rights of the states toall pow
ers not expressly delegated. 1t was funda
mental with them to maintain the sover
eighty of the several states and the righ
TO control all domestic institutions. HI
would undertake to say that no republican
expressed the desire or wish that the gen
eral government has power to interfere will
slavery in the states.


He knew there was book published b.
an individual named Spooner, that tool
ground that the constitution itself abolish
ed slavery, but it found no supporters Q
any weight 1t was precisely like that 9th
er fanatical idea that the Constitution {
its own force establishes slavery anywher
on the earth. Dis.


Mr.. Clngman said he had seen it put
lished, that the senator from New Yorl
Mr. Seward, had recommended the book
and did the senator from Wisconsin mea
that this was forgery, or did be mean th
senator from N. York had no weight?
{ Mr.. DOolitte said the senator from Nil
sissippi, (Mr. Brown, recommended, he bt
lieved, that the author was man of soun
sense, but what he (Mr. d, said was tha
the idea that the Constitution establishC
or abolishes slavery, had no shadow {
T foundation. The Constitution was forme
by men who knew the meaning OF WORD
they employed. They recognized the rigt
/ of slaveholding states to persons held
! service and made 1t the duty Of free state
to deliver up such persons, but left eac
/ state perfectly sovereign over its own law
/ The law Of the slave states makes slaV
property. The law Of the free states doc
!. not make them property. The Constitutlo
. does neither. With the idea that the Coz
; stituton establishes slavery, we cannC
3 have peace on the slavery question, az
I. WE NAV as well know it first as at last. TT