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Harris, Sampson Willis : Speech of Hon. Sampson W. Harris, (of Alabama,) on the Bill to Organize a Territorial Government for the Territory of Oregon. Delivered in the House of Representatives, U. S., July 25, 1848

Printed by J. & G. S. Gideon, Washington, D.C., 1848

Original publisher's beige paper wrappers. Text printed in black ink. Several leaves are unopened. 5 3/4" x 9." Fourteen pages, complete. Pages are clean and intact except for light age toning throughout, small occasional spots of foxing or discoloration, a few small dampstains limited to margins along spine, and moderate chipping and splitting along spine. A Very Good copy. A speech that was originally delivered before the United States House of Representatives on July 25, 1848 by Samuel Willis Harris (1809-1857), an American lawyer and politician. He served as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1834-1835. He later moved to Alabama and served in the Alabama Senate from 1844-1845 and as a U.S. Representative from Alabama from 1847-1857. He was a Jacksonian Democrat. In this speech, Harris voices his support of President James K. Polk and the prosecution of the Mexican-American War. He argues that Polk acted justly and that Mexico had been belligerent and uncooperative. However, most of Harris's speech is about the admittance of Oregon as a free or slave territory and his defense of slavery. He contends that Congress is seeking to exclude the Southern states by admitting Oregon as a free territory. His argument is that because Oregon belongs to the people, Congress should not exclude the interests of any portion of the U.S., that is, the Southern states in this case. Harris proceeds to argue in favor of maintaining the institution of slavery. He contends that the Founding Fathers incorporated the protection of slavery in the Constitution in all thirteen states during their time, except Massachusetts which he says still participated in the slave trade. Harris argues that slaves are property and that even if they set foot in free states, they can still be claimed by their slaveholder. Harris likens slaves to horses; he views them both as property and contends that interstate jurisdictions do not change their status as property. Harris is concerned that Oregon, along with California and New Mexico, will be admitted as free territories. He discusses the Missouri Compromise and Northwest Ordinance (Ordinance of 1787). Harris later admits that the Articles of Confederation granted Congress the ability to legislate in U.S. territories, but he claims that the present circumstances surrounding Oregon, California, and New Mexico are different from those when the Articles were first established.. Book. Book Condition: Very Good. Binding: Soft cover

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