Year: 1861

"e 10 suppress insuTecton well as repe invasion


Ing Constitution says that no State shall keep troops
us o. war IN time OF peace, and the Government ha
| authority to disperse them wherever kept If troop
shouId be organiHed in any State the Government ha
w te power TO demand their immediate dish lnd.neut
| sups oiwar are provided by any State, the Genera
government has the power demand that they he i'm
heuiateiy disposed of or to sink them And in this man
a., A., "itaout war any State or States attempting to dc
uamag TO another-eXcept those who array themsel
actually in armS-h The United States can invoke its an
| thofIty and r'SLore its power


pu the marvel still remains to be explained how it is
mat in this free republican land in so wide region
country, the people, heretofore so oyal to the Govern
ment have suddenly so strong revolutionary
course H. il is because there and has been far
years revolutionary faction-dsguised it is true by
beng mingled in the ranks Of great political pary bu
always trying for the accomplishment treasonabe pur
p3ses-itl is still further because OF the tenacy with
winch gentlemen, not really belonging the revolution
aIy party cling to power, and are determined rule OF
ruin the Government And they have the power to bring
great complications upon the Government only because


e popular mind has been reused and excited by the dis
cuason of the topic of slavery with regard which the
southern people justly sensitive, by force
OF which, but through the Misrepresentation the pur
poses and object of the great body of the Northern peo
PIE by perpetual and reiterated misrepresentation and
| corrected


And to great portion, if not the whole of the South
this cndon OF things must continue state of fear
ana apprehension, state of dread and state of nsecu.
ry has been created by the political
in the South In the Souh the mischief has heen Jor
hoe the mischief has been done by the violent struggles
oparsans by plotting political contrvances first at the
North then going South and mputng them to the North
|
exists in the South is due to the speeches Southern
temen in this House If know what the truth is that
the real and chief exciting the existing dstur-
Oahce ana IN my Judgment, without amending the Con-
stuton without the passage of law and without any
change IN the law, if Southern gentlemen would
ths erroneous impressions which they Xed on the
! dately changed.


II they would home and tell their people what they
had heard from the gentleman from Massachusetts r
@dams1 and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Corwin and
te hem tnere existed no purpose, directly indirectly
to disturb in the existence slavery in the
States and that the only question whether they shall 90
INTO the miserable and worthless Territory New Mex
or not II they go home and tell the people that saw
there will be quiet the whole South IN short
ume after making that declaration But there hope
OF so ready and prompt stop being put to the dstur-
Dances in the country, and therefore it is commit
tee o the House has been appointed to devise
moving the difficulties; to likewise any grievance
Sch may exist so as to give peace and security to the


What desire to say this point is to lay before the
Guse in as plain and brief manner possible the
suits to which the Committee have come to whom was
committed this duty to enumerate the grievances com
paneu or and to compare the remedies suggested by
majority and minority of that Committee and then to
snow how far either Of them touch the causes of COM
| plant.


The first complaint relates Personal Liberty laws
Both portions of that committee propose recommenda-
| tions for their repeal.


The next is the delivery Of fugtivcs from service The


minority OF the committee propose to submit amend
nent to the Constitution requiring that when fugitive
Is rescued by violence the United States shall pay the
value OF the fugitive and the United States shall have
the privilege OF sueing the county district where
|


pepetuatc and not to lessen the slavery controversy
The only effect Of this measure if adopted in an amend


ent to the Constitution, is to make this Hall every year
the scene of exciting and exasperang strife from the
very subject it proposes to remedy creates another
dhlculty which the Constitution most careful to
aVOd-the night OF action agansta county individuals
| who could be compelled by process of jurisdiction
| known to the laws


In other words, the amendment proposed by the mi
nory was to bring the Government into perpetual dis
cusSon of the slavery question all the country The
bill proposed by the majority different in purpose and
mott
should be modified not to give occasion to the as
cerbity OF feeling in the minds of the people of the Free
States which it has hitherto caused. And when this is
done they had the pledge of every gentleman from that
region that the law would be fully and fairly enforced
The danger felt by the Northern people that their own
ree coofed people may, on summary process, be
rested and carried of and sold into slavery The law of
1850 provided no remedy for of this kind. The
law we propose recommends that when claim of free
dom is made the shall be surrendered to the Mar
shall carried back where It'll alleged came from and
shall there have trial before court of the United
States in the slave tate whence he escaped These are
the two remedies proposed by the Committee for these
grievances.


The next subject is that of the territories Now it is
certainly marvellous that having settled this very
ton in 1880 and intermediate law having been passed
by any body, excepting the law of 1854 repeating the
Missouri compromise allowing slavery 90 north ofne
So 30>-the South having boasted law of 1850 rs
their triumph and having pledged themselves abide
ny 1T IS ABOVE a!l1hngs passing strange that we are
told that the Union cannot endure unless this law is re-
pealed and the very principle of the Missouri Compromise
De again adopted Inc exclusion of slavery beyond the
line which the South denounced they say now shall not
only be restored but that provision extending it shall
be engrated forever in the Constitution This line which
was denounced and abandoned by Southern men as a
badge OF inferority as mark of inequality, stain
and dishonor to the South they now demand shall he
stored not by temporary of legislation but by the
act of the people the supreme law of the land more
fragrant inexcusabIe has never wifi
in my knowledge from my readings of political history


Aproposa is made the part of the minority of the
Committee that there shall be division of ali the re-
Gions that all North shall be dedicated freedom and
all the region South Cape Horn-to Cape Horn sir
shall be dedicated to African slavery over the whole
of Mexico all the regions of Central America in those
CONE w Eifiue Of the Constitution of the free Re
the history the past years in this country thew would
see how utterly impossible such scheme this is-the
absolute impossibty of guaranteeing the establishment
Of slavery in every inch of Territory may acquire
matters not whether the scheme is right wrong liberal
or liberal that is not the thing but it is impossible and
that ought to satisfy them cannot imagine such a com
promise this; and this is what the Southern minority
offer to us, and demand our compliance: with to some
! extent their utmaum.


As to New Mexico, willing with the majority OF
the Committee that slavery should be recognized there
as 1t already exists have been informed by the gen
teman who represents that Territory that the people
ready to decide the question for themselves and they are
about seeking admission into the Union; and they
decide what form Of Constitution they will adop whether
free slave then this controversy will be set at rest
once and forever II this does not satisfy gentlemen
the South tell them that it will satisfy their stu
ensand that they will find out before they many
months older.


The noble State of Virginia. within the last three davs
has spoken out that her people will be true to the Onion
She will submit to dshoaor, will she impose dis





not eSa ana say Tor her representatives here for her
representatives. at the Richmond Convention that they
DO not accept the proposals adopted by the House, say
that when you come to submit your ordinance of
sion 10 the people would like to be that man who
ventures to present to Virginia the other
tearing down this fabric of liberty, Of abandoning all the
bright memories of the past of striking her name from
this great Confederacy of going down to a small secon
Diary Power say that no man here dare TO arrle
before the people, submitting alternative who re
ses this most honorable compromise. (Appause)
know Virginia; lived in it | know the temper OF
further for bar Rut s;r
one State can speak for; that is Maryland. Applause
She is not revolutionary she condes in the strength


this great Confedercy TO protect and to secure to her
continuance of that glory which, for almost century she
has enjoyed and the endless blessings she received
She has had disturbances she with confidence
the power of the Constitution, and if any wrong hap
pens she knows that Congress will remedy it. She seeks
no remedy from Conventions She necessity fol
! revolution.


Mr.. Kunkel Dem Md}-If you speak for the State o
| Maryland l desire to be heard.


/ Cries of 'Order'' from the Republican side.
| Mr.. Davis-l decline to yield the floor.


Mr. KunkeI tamid cries Of Order'l-D not speak fol
| Maryland; speak for yourself.


Mr. Davis-i represent the Fourth Congressional Dis
trct of Maryland will speak for what know be tn,
plause. particularly in the galleries


Mr.. Barr (Dem N Y pointed to the fact that persons
admitted to the floor clappng their hands I(
said that if order not preserved in the galleries
! should move that they be cleared.


Cries of Order from the Republican side.
Mr.. Davis remarked that his friends would confer
favor by refaning from expressing their APPRECIATION


The Speaker hoped that persons in all parts of the hal
l


Mr. Davis-I did speak for the people of Maryland
Whoever may make the issue the other side will
1 will meet him from st. Mary's to Allegheny
| will meet him in every county. Applause
hr. Kunkel-I will meet you here.


Mr.. Wnsow, tDem.. N C.) and called attention
to the disorder prevailing in the galleries
The Speaker hoped that all present would observe
order and that there would be further of
plant


Mr.. Spinner (Rep y W said it i'll became gentlemen
the other side to make objections when hat
been preached.


Mr. Davis-I desire to say that in MARYLAND we do no
right to make revolution; do not recognize the righ
of Maryland to repeal at her will the supreme law
Of the land; and if any Convention should be called un
der whatever authority under whatever auspices anC
| land say will meet revolution with resistance on hel
own SOIL and that too under the flag of the Stars
Stripes.


Mr. Kuakel-Will my colleague inaugurate it here an,
! now?


Loud cries of "Order" from the Republicans
Mr.. Davis tresuming We will not submit to allow
majority minority to drive from the Constitution
of the United States We will seek remedy within
the Union. In the State of Maryland there are men VIII
will assume resistance to anything looking armed re
b lion. This sir, is the position of Maryland


The majority of the committee proposes certain restriC
tons orbdding changes in certain articles the Cons
tuition, after they shall have been adopted guarante
which fobds change in the Constitution touching tn
subject of abolishing slavery in the States as
by Mr.. Adams, of Massachus It's In my humble iUdg
ment that is ample measure and more satsfactor
than the corresponding offered by the gentlemen
the minority.


proposes that no alteration shall be made authorzin
Congress to abolish slavery that there shall be amend
ments affecting the relation of master and slave at all
whether directly by Congress indirectly through Con
unless by the consent of all the States; ais
that the motion for such amendments shall come from
slave State. This would settle question permanently


think the adoption of this policy would give peace an
quiet to the country.