r prevent the taking
of such persons to said territory, nor to impair the rights
arising from said relation; but the same shall be subject to
judicial cognizance in the Federal courts, according to the
common law. When any territory north or south of said line,
within such boundary as Congress may prescribe, shall
contain a population equal to that required for a member of
Congress, it shall, if its form of government be republican,
be admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the
original States, with or without involuntary servitude, as
the constitution of such State may provide."

Mr. FOWLER:--Let us first perfect the original. I move to amend by
inserting after the word "prevent," in the first section, the words
"or facilitate."

Mr. REID:--I think we ought to perfect the section before we vote on a
substitute. I move to amend it by inserting after the word "line,"
after the words "territory south of said line," the following words:
"involuntary servitude is recognized, and property in those of the
African race held to service or labor in any of the States of the
Union, when removed to such territory, shall be protected and"--

I have not expressed my views at large upon the subject of the
committee's report. I have earnestly wished to settle the perplexing
questions which now distract the country. I do not rise to make a
speech. I have not come here to exact more than the North can
honorably grant, nor to deceive the North in the result, if the rights
of the South are not protected. Our property is involved in your
action. You can afford to be liberal. If you intend to recognize
property in slaves, write it down in the bond. If the North wants any
protection, name it, and we will put it into the bond. If you fear
that slavery may go north of the proposed line, we will give you any
assurance to the contrary. But I tell you that on the other side we
require reciprocal terms. Nothing else will satisfy the public
sentiment. Twelve months hence and we will not take what we now offer
to take.

What are we talking about? Every one knows that the African race is
better off at the South than it could be elsewhere. We do not wish to
disrupt the Union. You are doing it on a mere Northern abstraction.
Suppose a foreign power asked you what you were fighting about, what
would be your answer?

But I was saying that the only way is for the North to be liberal; to
be