command universal respect. I discovered it in my researches into the
history of the very Constitution we are now considering.

Mr. RIVES here read an extract from a letter written by Mr. MADISON
after his retirement from public life. I have not a copy of this
letter, but the substance of the portion read by Mr. RIVES was a
statement by Mr. MADISON, that upon the passage of the Missouri
Compromise, President MONROE was much embarrassed with the question of
the constitutionality of the prohibition clause; that he took counsel
with Mr. MARTIN, who declared that, in his judgment, Congress had no
power over the subject of slavery in the territories.

Mr. JAMES:--Will you leave that question just where the Constitution
leaves it, upon your construction of that instrument? If so, we will
agree to give you all necessary guarantees against interference.

Mr. RIVES:--No! I will not leave it there, for it would always remain
a question of construction. I prefer to put the prohibition into the
Constitution.

The gentleman from Massachusetts speaks for the North. Massachusetts
does not constitute the North. I venerate the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. I have many friends there. I look with pride upon her
connection with the Revolution; upon her public men, her manufactures,
her public institutions. Her people who have accomplished so much,
will not turn a deaf ear to our wants now. We wish to go to her people
and obtain their judgment upon our propositions. But Massachusetts is
not all the North. Rhode Island constitutes a part of it. She has
always spoken for us. She will speak for us to-day. What does New
Jersey say? What does the great State of Pennsylvania and the greater
Northwest say? Surely they do not echo the sentiments of the gentleman
from Massachusetts. They are with us, and we will trust to them.

I dislike this way of answering for sections of the country. I have
heard similar language from Mr. CALHOUN. He was fond of saying, "The
South says--The South thinks--The South will do," this or that. I did
not like it then. It stirred up all the rebellious sentiments of my
nature; for I knew the statement was not true. I do not like such
language better now. Let the _people_ of Massachusetts speak. I know
they will not refuse to fulfil the compact of their fathers.

We are brothers. I feel we can settle this important question which
portends over us like an eclipse; we can leave this glorious country
to our posterity