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Peck, Lucius Benedict : Slavery in the Territories. Speech of Hon. L. B. Peck, of Vermont, in the House of Representatives, August 3, 1848. In Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union, on the Army Appropriation Bill

Printed at the Congressional Globe Office, Washington, D.C.

Original publisher's beige paper wrappers. Text printed in black ink. No date, circa 1848. 5 3/4" x 9." Seven pages, complete. Pages are clean and intact overall except for light age toning throughout, small occasional spots of foxing or discoloration, and slight chipping and splitting along spine. A Very Good copy. A speech that was originally delivered before the United States House of Representatives on August 3, 1848 by Lucius Benedict Peck (1802-1866), an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative from Vermont from 1847-1851. He was a Democrat. In this speech, Peck defends the actions of President James K. Polk during the Mexican-American War and counters the accusations by the Whigs that the war was "unjust." He adds that several Whig Congressmen had voted in favor of the war and points out their inconsistent views. He then voices his opposition to the Whig presidential nominee, Zachary Taylor. Peck commends Taylor for his military prowess and his achievements in the latest war, but he cautions that electing a military officer sets a bad precedent for future presidencies. Peck notes examples from antiquity and contemporary times, namely, Julius Caesar and Napoleon Bonaparte, to show the dangers of electing a leader with a military background. While Peck stops short of comparing Taylor to Caesar and Napoleon, he argues that future military presidents may not have Taylor's integrity and may very well become military despots. Peck then discusses the issue of slavery. He addresses a number of points including constitutional law, the powers of Congress, the question of slavery in new territories, and relations between North and South. As a Northerner, Peck defends Congress and argues that just as it has the authority to acquire territory, it can determine its "disposition," thus, he states that new territories can inherently be deemed as free not slave. Peck also defends Northern sentiments regarding slavery. He claims that Southern criticisms of the North are not warranted, and says, in part, that the North, while seeking to stop the expansion of slavery, does not want to interfere with slavery as it already exists in Southern states. He also speaks forebodingly (and correctly) of a Civil War arising out of the question and conflict of slavery.. Book. Book Condition: Very Good. Binding: Soft cover

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