· WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1855
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asked for its repeal ! Are not our statesmen watchful of the interests of the South? Are they not patriotic and devoted to the best interests of their country? Even the Nashville Conven- tion-that beautiful fellow-even the Nashville Convention was in favor of continuing the Missouri Compromise Line to the Pacific Ocean, before California was admitted to the Union. The Missouri Compromise had the endorsement of the fathers, the endorsement of the citizens of Texas, the endorsement of the disunion Nashville Convention-everything for it that could be asked or hoped, yet it was now important that it should be re- pealed. For what? Just to make a President-perhaps-per- haps not. Still it is a poor compliment to that succedaneum to which I allude, that no Southern man had discerned that it was an infringement on the rights of the South. Even Mr. Calhoun, with all his keen-sightedness and sound judgment, had not discov- ered that the Missouri Compromise was a wrong done to the South. The South hailed it as a triumph when it was passed, and boasted of it. No legislature had recommended the repeal, no newspaper had harped upon it, no demagogue had snuffed it up. It was a boon given to the South and to freedom. But it was decreed that it should be repealed, and whoever raised his hand or voice against it was to be crushed by the Juggernaut car of the admin- istration. I opposed its repeal. I did it.because you had endorsed it, and you had not instructed me to vote for its repeal. I be- lieve that Congress has no power over the subject of slavery and I have made a record of my opinions. It is a power that the Constitution has not delegated to Congress. Therefore, Congress has no power to touch the slavery question; it is a reservation of the rights of the people. . You cannot delegate power to a power higher than that which you possess yourself. You cannot create power. If Congress has taken the power to legislate upon the subject of slavery, that power must have emanated from herself. But if Congress cannot create slavery, she has no power to abolish it. I deny the right of Congress to touch that subject with its unhallowed finger, because the Constitution has not dele- gated to her that power. If it is one of the constructive powers growing up under the Constitution, construction has no limits. So, you must either deny to Congress the right to interfere with slavery at all, or you must concede to Congress the absolute power of controlling it. Well, on these grounds, I opposed the Kansas and Nebraska bill. Its advocates, however, all declare that they did not believe
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