Slavery in the territories : speech of Hon. J. Thompson, of Mississippi. In the House of Representatives, June 27, 1848. Page: 1 of 8
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SLAVERY IN THE TERRITORIES.
SPEECH
OF
HON. J. THOMPSON, OF MISSISSIPPI,
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, JUNE 27, 1848,
Delivered in Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union, on the power of the
General Government over Slavery in the Territories.
Mr. THOMPSON said: I uses the power therein vested to endanger her
Mr. CHAIRMAN: On yesterday the gentleman I safety, to curtail her rights, to surround her with
from Pennsylvania [Mr. STEwART] made a most institutions which will render insecure her prop-
singular speech on the relative merits of the candi- erty, that day and that hour she bids you adieu.
dates for the Presidency. The errors of that speech As long as she remains in this Union she intends
are of easy confutation, as they consist of a misstate- to be an equal; she will be equal in rights, privi-
ment of history, a misconstruction of laws which leges, and immunities, with her confederate States.
have received the sanction of this body, and an Her citizens will submit to no discriminations
imputation and insinuation upon the personal in- against them; her people will claim their equal
tegrity of a distinguished patriot who has been right to all the benefits arising from the onward
honorably engaged in the public service for more progress of this Government, in the extension of
than forty years. Such an attack was to be ex- her boundaries, while they submit to the unequal
pected from such a quarter. A cause which re- and heavy burdens imposed upon them by your
quires such instruments and such means to sustain indirect system of taxation. We have submitted
it, must be (veak indeed. But it is not my purpose to be plundered by your protective tariffs, but,
now to pursue and expose his unhallowed perver- after that has been borne, lay not the flattering
sions of facts and unjust imputations. There will unction to your souls that we will submit quietly
be time enough for that hereafter. I desire to to insult and degradation.
speak to another question of absorbing interest, so You claim the power, and express the deter-
engrossing in the public mind as well-nigh to over- mination, to pass the Wilmot proviso over all the
shadow the Presidential election itself. I wish to vast territory now held by the United States, and
submit an argument on the power of this Govern- virtually exclude every Mississippian, with his
ment over the subject of slavery. household, from the occupancy of one solitary
Ever since I have been a member of this House, acre in all your broad possessions. I beseech you
slavery, in some shape or other, has been a subject not to act lightly and without due consideration.
of discussion. This topic hay been introduced in Do not be deceived. The South is often accused
season and out of season; and, with au proper of following abstractions; but here is a northern
respect for the motives of others, I have believed abstraction which, being enforced, will work in-
Representatives from the North and from the calculable and irreparable mischief. Add this con-
South have sought to agitate this question' with dition to the possession of your territories, and
sinister motives, for the purpose of effecting polit- thus deny to the southern States and their citizens
ical objects. At no time have I allowed myself to that equality which is their birthright, and the days
be drawn into this discussion. I have deprecated of this Confederacy are numbered. All our divis-
this appeal to the passions and prejudices of our ions in the South will be healed in a twinkling,
countrymen, north or south. My constituents and that southern man who doubts as to resistance
have too large and deep an interest in this institu- is damned, and he that submits is a traitor and a
tion to admit of my touching the subject lightly, dastard. The supposition that any southern man
or with a view to control a political election. I who, to get office, will submit to this discrimina-
have scorned to reason with fanatics as to my right tion against him and his neighbors is chimerical
to myproperty, the morality of holding slaves, and and absurd: believe it not that you will find a
its supposed bad effects upon society. Missis- traitor there. I do not intend to deal in any un-
sippi came into this Union with a knowledge of meaning gasconade. I wish gentlemen to under-
the provisions of the Constitution; with a confi- stand the position in which we are placed. Let
dence that so far as power had been delegated to them not be misled by the vote, at the beginning of
Congress, it would be exercised for the protection the session, of southern men for a Wilmot proviso
of the rights of person and property in their full Speaker, into the supposition that we are not in
integrity; and the very day or hour when this good earnest when we say that we will not ac-
Government fails to justify that -confidence, and quiesce in your unequal legislation, which leads to
-rinted at the Congressional Globe Office.
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Thompson, Jacob, 1810-1885. Slavery in the territories : speech of Hon. J. Thompson, of Mississippi. In the House of Representatives, June 27, 1848., pamphlet, 1848; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth498634/m1/1/?q=%22slav%22: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Schreiner University.